How to Draw Realistic Mushrooms with Pencil

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How to Draw Realistic Mushrooms easy with this how-to video and step-by-step drawing instructions. Pencil drawing tutorials for beginners and everyone.

How to Draw Realistic Mushrooms

Please see the drawing tutorial in the video below

Himan Artists

You can refer to the simple step-by-step drawing guide below

Step 1

Draw two vertical curved lines for the mushroom. Gently draw this with a #2 or HB pencil. Make sure you draw it as shown in the picture.

Step 2

Lightly draw two red oblongs for the volume of the mushroom caps.

Step 3

Don’t remind me… it looks like a misaligned basketball imitating a soccer ball. *giggle* Go ahead and draw those curves. They don’t quite match so keep a close eye on where they “V” together.

Step 4

You can draw along two curved lines in the first oblong shape. Don’t forget to add the half circle to the second oblong. The reason for these lines is for easier pattern orientation and placement.

Step 5

Now draw the cap and the stem of the first mushroom using shadow lines.

Step 6

I did this step separately to allow you to focus on the scale model. Those guidelines will help you with the curvature of this design. You don’t have to be perfect with their shape.

Step 7

Now draw in the cap and stem of the second mushroom. Make sure you get the cute curved umbrella-like overhang of the cap and around the trunk.

Step 8

We are almost done. There’s a reason why those curves don’t seem to be in the middle. The included torso allows the gills to show off like a Ringling Bros. See the guidelines’ guide to help get organized. NOTE: I did not draw as much bearing as the reference image. I downvoted them to reduce confusion and clutter.

Step 9

I made this line drawing especially for you if you don’t want to do the pencil shading and blending. If not, let’s continue with the pencil drawing.

Step 10

Here is a sketch done with a 0.7mm mechanical pencil. Look closely and see if your lines look like this. You can erase if some areas like eyes or nose don’t align. Use your kneaded eraser and kneaded eraser erase shadow contours or dark lines for a more realistic look when you shading. Shade transitions from dark to light (or vice versa) should be smooth…no harsh lines. Be patient with this, it’s not as complicated as you think. As you make more images, this will come easier to you.

Step 11

This time the Acrylics won! Sandpaper, the new kid on the block has to lean back against my amazing Titanium White or Opaque Watercolors to hit the HIGHLIGHTS! Yaaah! Try it, you will love it!

Step 12

The image accompanying this step shows two different ways to hold your pencil to achieve certain effects. EXCELLENT: Holding a pointed pencil in normal writing with your fingers in the center or near the tip gives you fine control and fine/detailed strokes. UNDERSTAND: Hold the pencil at a 45-degree angle or near the table with the tip of the pencil under your palm with the pencil flat, giving you great coverage. With the #2 pencil, you have the lead side exposed for shading. But for a wider area, use a Cretacolor Monolith graphite pencil that doesn’t have a wooden case. The whole sharpened part is all lead, just like in the picture of the step. Practice toning values to help keep you in control.

Step 13

Special effects! How in the world do you create these scales and gills on mushrooms? The secret lies in the way you hold the pencil and the type of edge of the pencil, which will be explained in a later step. Look at the different effects in this step. Practice these strokes and see the difference.

Step 14

CUBE, BALL, CONE, & CYLINDER – These are shapes that are everywhere in nature. It helps you know how to shade, add textures, and more. Recognize these shapes, simplifying the landscape or subject you are looking at. TONE, SHADING, SHADOW, & TEXTURE – Tone is the actual color, shadows are the part of the object away from light, shadows cast by objects and textures are rough, smooth, hilly, sharp, dense, etc. , the feeling or appearance of an object.

Step 15

You can use a rubber kneaded eraser to make reflectors on the sides of the caps and stems, within the scale of the first mushroom, in the gills of the second, and on the stem. Remember that the reflected light is not pure white – it is mid-tone. Your blending tools add a smoother tone to your drawing… tissue or toilet paper adds an even tone to large areas and fades or fills in many pencil strokes. Blend stumps or toruses to blend smaller areas, which I used on mushrooms and background. And if you have enough graphite on them, you can show textures, lines, or small shaded areas. Great, isn’t it? YES! We’re rockin’ and rollin’ right now! Let’s start with the next step.

Step 16

The image here is a great exercise for value shading. I have a secret little trick for you to make things easier. You can download it to your desktop. First click on the image to get access to the full size. By right-clicking the mouse, you can select “Save Image As.” It will save to your desktop.

Step 17

After printing out some of the samples above, practice shading in the values like this one. You familiarize yourself with this shading technique giving you more control and confidence.

Step 18

* TIP: Before I forget, I want to say this. For more realism and smooth transitions between shaded planes and highlights, I lightened the outlines so they’re barely visible. Now Enable with this step. This is the first start with pastel color application. If you draw the whole picture in pencil sketch, this is where you will sketch in circles or small lines to shade areas. It will take hours to cover all that area with a pencil. I chose to shade with pastels. In a few strokes I had coverage. Apply a medium to dark gray color to both mushrooms. I added black to the shadow areas on the hat, gills and body. It looks like a mess, but that’s how some starter projects come out. Be patient with you and keep applying white, gray and black layers. You will have a great result.

Step 19

Here I used my blend stump to “draw” more scaled shapes and gills. I also added shade to the hat and trunk. I worked in a circular motion on the side of my blend stump (below). I traced the gills lined with the tip of my blend stump, sweeping along the curve of the line. I smoothed the cap’s larger hilltop into small circles. Then, vertically shade the tree trunk with the stump mixed first and then use a paper towel. Then I sprayed the painting with “Krylon Workable Fixatif” to adhere the pencils and pastels to the paper for a smudge-free and workable surface.

Step 20

I sketched with more shadows on the scales, gills and body with 9B and 0.7mm mechanical pencils. I define the shaded chevron-like edges of the scales. The sketch is made in circles and diagonals, close to the reference image.

Step 21

I made this pencil blend separately so you can see the difference after applying. Of course, I used my blend stump. I can wear graphite to smooth out lighter areas to appear darker. Graphite lines and stains are not easily discernible. Again, observe the difference.

Step 22

Gosh! I covered the background with 9B Graphite Crayons, very smooth. Then I intentionally added reflectors to the back of their hats and bodies to make the mushrooms pop! (*** TIP: When applying those white highlights, they sometimes blend into the darker background without creating a noticeable white, which is more realistic in this case!), the next two steps follow this will show you.

Step 23

Without highlights, your painting will have a flat appearance. Click this image to learn how to make your own POP photo!

Step 24

Click on this image to see how Tone, Shadow, Texture and Reflection affect these mushrooms. Check out Wikipedia for more information about this fungus called Macrolepiota Exoriata. I am closing right now. But all of you are amazing and I’m glad to have worked with you on this tutorial. Like, comment and show your love here. And I will definitely reply back soon or last. Love, peace, happiness, success and better days come to you! *hug* *blowkiss*

Drawing, sketching supplies and Painting you may need:

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How to Draw Realistic Mushrooms with Pencil

Please see the drawing tutorial in the video below