KNOW-HOW

How to draw trees in plan.

• 1st Example

1) Draw with pencil and compass a circle. The radius of the circle is the average radius of a real tree, but in scale. 

2) Pick a pen or a rapidograph (size 0.2 or 0.3) and draw four to five brances from the center outwards. 

3) Fill the branches. 

4) Draw smaller brances starting from the basic branches and finishing to the circle. Erase the pencil lines. 

• 2nd Example

1) Draw with pencil and compass a circle. The radius of the circle is the average radius of a real tree in scale. 

2) Pick the pen or the rapidograph (size 0.2 or 0.3) and draw small circles, along and inside the large circle. 

3) Draw more circles as shown in the image below, trying to give the impression of shadow. 

More tree symbols in Plan

Tree symbols in elevation

• Example

1) Draw the silhouette of the foliage and the line of the ground.

2) Draw the foliage along the silhouette.

3) Add the trunk and branches. 

The elevation of a tree should be consistent with the plan. For example if the tree symbol in plan is without foliage, the tree symbol in elevation should be without foliage too. 

The amount of detail should be consistent with the scale of the drawing. If the drawing scale is large (e.g 1:25) the tree can have much detail. If the scale is small (e.g 1:100) then the symbol should be more abstract. Also the type of foliage used should be appropriate to the geographical location of the architecture. 

More trees in elevation.