How to Draw a Swamp, Draw Swamps

Artist: Papaya_Pig / January 14, 2013
How to Draw a Swamp, Draw Swamps

Step 1.


To begin any environment drawing, we need to start with some composition rules. The example I have pictured is the rule of the thirds, one of the most popular. These composition rules, if stuck too, will make your drawing pleasing on the eye; stray t   

Step 2.


Now on to more swampy business. The first thing to remember about a swamp is it’s very wet and this reflects on the environment! Whatever the type of swamp you are looking for spooky or bursting with life, it’s important to keep this theme rollin   

Step 3.


Here I will demonstrate how to draw a dark-swamp. The first step, as mentioned above is to plan where your dominating figures will be remembering the rule of thirds. The dominating figures in this drawing are the trees! You must also remember to incl   

Step 4.


This demonstrates my layout against the rule of thirds!

Step 5.


I have decided to raise my trees out of the water on island platforms to create more of a fantasy scene rather than realistic. I have drawn a feathered floor line to show grass is growing, you can add plants and flowers to this section too if you wis   

Step 6.


ere I have added the rocks that make the base of the islands. You can make these as high, or low as you want. Don’t forget to make them bumpy, with small outcrops.

Step 7.


The water is the most important section of your swamp, it changes it from an average forest to a swamp. For a normal swamp you may want to add some lily-pads and other water-dwelling plantlife. For a more spooky environment add a thick sludge-like wa   

Step 8.


For a normal swamp you may want to add some lily-pads and other water-dwelling plantlife

Step 9.


Add details to the rocks and islands. Refer back to step 5 for ideas of what plants you can add to the islands to give them more details. Here I have just added some grass bushes and rocks for simplicity.

Step 10.


Some plants that grow in such humid environments are ferns and orchids. Here is a simple step through of how to draw them!

Step 11.


The next step is to add details to your trees, swamp have large mossy residues hanging off the branches. This can be used to create a spooky scene too. See below steps for further information on trees!

Step 12.


Here are some examples of trees to include in your scene. Quite often, the bottom of the trees are vine-like spreading out quite wide at the base. Also, due to the wet environment many trees grow their roots out of the water as well as sections snapp   

Step 13.


Here is the details added to the trees. I used twisting branches to make them appear old and spooky!

Step 14.


Finally, add some trees in the far background. These trees help fill your drawing in without leaving large blank spaces. These trees are too far away to recognise any detail, and should be shaded in to give shadows when colouring in.

Step 15.


Here is the finished object, I used the same lineart and coloured it in digitally. It is the same colour scheme as displayed above

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Artist: Papaya_Pig
Date Added: January 14, 2013
Steps: 15
Favorited: 17 (view)
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Tags: how to draw a landscape, how to draw nature
Description: How to draw a swamp step by step. I hope you'll enjoy and learn something from this tutorial.

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