I expect we've all been finding new ways of spending our time if we're on lockdown at home right now. I rarely pick up a pen to draw, unless I'm sketching an idea for something, but not long after we began self isolating I drew a few curves on a page and then slowly fleshed it out into a little tree. Since then I've been drawing trees regularly: some more stylised, some little and some filling the page. It's become a bit addictive!
I use a liquid gel ink pen with a 0.7 nib but I've just ordered a set of ink pens in different sizes so that I can draw some finer lines. I can't wait to try them out. I had a sketch pad that I bought a while ago so the paper I use is lovely and satisfying to draw on but I think any kind of paper would do.
I've included some of my tree doodles here, with the first four pictures below showing a step-by-step guide to how I do them. Sometimes I leave them quite simple and other time I keep going, adding little humps, bumps and details. I think it's helping me to calm down when I'm feeling anxious about what's going on in the world. I reach for my pen and drawing pad most evenings and can doodle while I'm watching TV - although I can't actually see the TV because I have to leave my glasses off - but that's not always a bad thing!
I like to think that I'm connecting with nature somehow too while sat on my sofa doodling trees. I love the outdoors and I always find it very uplifting so I'm glad that I have view of a large beautiful copper beech from my living room that is gradually coming into leaf and filling the window with pretty red leaves. I can only see the trunk and some of the branches from where I sit but that and the bird feeders stuck to the window are bringing a little bit of nature to us every day. Our almost daily walks are reminding me that Spring is really happening out there now too, though so far my trees are the Winter type, with stark black against a white background. Who knows, maybe I'll start adding some leaves?
Have any of you turned your hand to something new during the lockdown?