Doodling with Leaves

drawing_with_leaves

Have you been inspired by autumn? I have! It’s hard not to be, when I see all the gorgeous golds, reds, or oranges brightening the trees, and now carpeting the ground. I’ve been thinking of different ways to draw with leaves. Leaves make great subjects for doodle studies, because they are

  • easy-to-find
  • portable
  • come in different colors and shapes
  • simple & complex — good for all ages and abilities
  • they’re a perfect excuse to go on a scavenger hunt

Go for a walk in your backyard or nearby park. Try to find leaves in as many different shapes and sizes as possible. If there aren’t many varieties in your area, look for variations within the same tree. See if you can find at least 10 different kinds.

Doodling with Leaves : 5 Ways to Draw

 

1. Contour Color Layering

You will need different colored-pencils or pens. Start with the simplest leaf shapes and advance each time to a more complicated one. Look at the edges — are they smooth or jaggedy? Are they curved or pointy? Are they symmetrical?

kcdleaves_outlines

Doodle each leaf shape as an outline in a different color. Layer one shape over another shape like this, until you have a nice composition:

drawleaves1

Alternatively, younger doodlers can trace the leaves to compose your design.

 

2. Mapping the Leaves

This drawing requires a bit more patience and observation of the lines on the leaf. Lightly sketch the outline of the leaf (or use a light colored-pencil as I did). Then, notice the lines running through the leaves, called veins. When you start drawing the veins, they start to resemble roads or rivers on a map. Do the lines go up or down from the petiole to the tip of the leaf?

drawleaves2b

If you’re an advanced doodler, you can spend more time and add more detail and shading. Try drawing several shapes, too, until you fill a page with doodled leaves.

 

3. Leaf Rubbings

Choose a leaf, a blank page, and several colored-pencils. Turn the leaf over to the (back)side where the veins protrude more from the surface, and place on a flat surface or table with this side facing up. Put your piece of paper on top, covering the leaf. Take a sharpened pencil, and, using the side (not point) of the lead, rub or color the page, revealing the lines of the leaf. It’s magic — I love seeing the leaf appear as you color. Move or turn the page slightly, and rub again with another color. Repeat a few times, layering the texture and colors:

leafrubbing

Variation: Paint the surface of the leaf, and then press the painted side onto a sheet of paper, transferring the color. You may need to experiment with the amount of paint needed to get an impression, without making it too goopy.

 

4. Fill in the Blanks

This might be a good exercise after you’ve done number 1 or 2, and you’ve had the chance to study the leaves a bit. Find a damaged leaf, or one that has missing parts. Draw the leaf, carefully filling in the blanks.

 

5. Doodle Collage

Choose a leaf and affix it to a blank page. Add a doodle, using the leaf as your inspiration. This is one of our favorite techniques here on kid can doodle: see how Moomooi, Claudi Kessels, and Christoph Niemann doodle with nature. Here’s a couple of examples of what I did:

sloth

Have fun!

bear

Hope you inspired to try a few leaf studies of your own! Hurry, before they all fall off the trees!

 

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3 & 1/2 Questions : Moomooi

3 & 1/2 Questions : Meredith Wing of Moomooi

 

In honor of Fashion Week(s) we wanted to share these gorgeous illustrations by Meredith Wing, aka Moomooi. Meredith uses natural materials such as flowers, leaves, and sometimes vegetables in her drawings of chic models. Her glamorous clients include CocoKind skincare, Soho House, Town & Country, and Coach.

Meredith contributed to our Exquisite Story last year, and we’re so lucky we caught her for 3 & 1/2 Questions.

How did your process of working with flowers and natural materials begin?

My husband and I were bored during a layover and had a pack of Chiclet gum that I made into a handbag and posted it on instagram — people loved it! I started using fresh flowers and other natural materials that had a bit more textural interest than gum . . . the encouragement grew and so did my motivation to get creative — so @moomooi was born!

 

What has been your favorite natural material to “doodle” with?

My favorite natural material to doodle with is Garden Roses because they are just so dense and gorgeous.

 

 

Was there any material that wasn’t easy to work with?

Working with fruit is very hard, as it stains!

 

Please complete this sentence: My favorite thing to draw is ____.

a girl on a stroll, her head in the clouds . . .


PS. We also asked Meredith if “moomooi” had a special meaning.

“I learned that “mooi” means beauty in Dutch — but actually didn’t know this in the beginning. It is really just playful and fun, like I hope my illustrations are perceived.” — Meredith Wing

 

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Thanks again for being our guest, Meredith!

All images courtesy of Meredith Wing. Follow her on instagram.

 

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