Rendering Plant Symbols with Color Pencil

We are currently learning about color pencil in my landscape graphics class, so I made this tutorial on rendering a plant symbol for my students.  As with most of my drawings, I tend to keep it pretty simple in hopes you'll experiment with color a bit as you design your garden. Don't forget to check out my color pencil tips way below!

While you learn to render with color pencil, please try these guidelines to get started:

1.       Make sure your pencil tip is dull (and not extremely pointed).

2.       Keep strokes at a 45 degree angle (for plants, shadows and ground plane).

3.       Work from light to dark.

4.       Include plant shadows, plus ground shadows.

5.       Limit your colors choices (3-5 colors is good).

6.       Choose your colors with purpose (are they primary, complimentary, secondary, analogous, split complimentary or triadic?).

7.       Render with pure colors and blended ones.

8.       Add shadows to the bottom right or to the bottom-left (figure out what feels the most comfortable to you).