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Pacific Northwest Line Drawing

LINE DRAWING Pacific

HOW TO DRAW

Flowers, Trees, Mushrooms, Birds, Animals, Landmarks, and More

PEGGY DEAN

Illustration Catalog vi Introduction ix

About Line Drawing x

Fauna 85

Landmarks 141

A Parting Note 171

Flora 1

Illustration Catalog

FLORA

Trillium 2

Lupine 3

Pacific Rhododendron 4

Oregon Grape 5

Syringa 6

Red Columbine 7

Snow Buttercup 8

Coast Silk Tassel 9

Western Yarrow 10

Yellow Marsh Marigold 11

Bleeding Heart 12

Broad-Leaved Starflower 13

Yellow Monkeyflower 14

Satin Flower 15

Henderson’s Shooting

Star 16

Checker Mallow 17

White Mountain Heather 18

Oregon Oxalis 19

Oregon Iris 20

Mariposa Lily 21

Arrowleaf Balsamroot 22

Fireweed 23

Western Anemone 24

Indian Paintbrush 25

Nootka Rose 26

Fairy Slipper 27

Twinflower 28

Skunk Cabbage 29

Woolly Sunflower 30

Common Camas 31

Sword Fern 32

Common Fiddleneck 33

Maidenhair Fern 34

Licorice Fern 35

Bracken Fern 36

Stinging Nettle 37

Beargrass 38

Sea Thrift 39

Fawn Lily 40

Bearberry 41

Western Azalea 42

Pacific Dogwood 43

Oakmoss 44

Bryum Moss 45

Chanterelle 46

Morel 47

Fly Agaric 48

Turkey Tail 49

Black Trumpet 50

Inky Cap 51

Bear’s Head 52

King Bolete 53

Douglas Fir 54

Douglas Fir Cone 55

Western Redcedar 56

Western Redcedar Branch 57

Western Hemlock 58

Western Hemlock Branch 59

Bigleaf Maple 60

Bigleaf Maple Leaf 61

Vine Maple 62

Vine Maple Leaf 63

Pacific Madrone 64

Pacific Madrone Flower 65

Ponderosa Pine 66

Ponderosa Pine Cone 67

Coast Redwood 68

Coast Redwood Branch 69

Western Larch 70

Western Larch Branch 71

Red Alder 72

Red Alder Catkins 73

Black Cottonwood 74

Black Cottonwood Branch 75

Western Redbud 76

Salmonberry 77

Thimbleberry 78

Salal 79

Marionberry 80

Huckleberry 81

Rainier Cherry 82

FAUNA

American Beaver 86

Olympic Marmot 87

Appaloosa 88

Spirit Bear / Kermode Bear 90

Columbian White-Tailed Deer 91

Gray Wolf 92

Mountain Goat 93

Elk 94

Cascade Red Fox 95

Bald Eagle 96

Western Meadowlark 97

Mountain Bluebird 98

Steller’s Jay 99

American Goldfinch 100

Pileated Woodpecker 101

Northern Spotted Owl 102

Tufted Puffin 103

Orca 104

Raccoon 105

Pygmy Rabbit 106

Douglas Squirrel 107

American Shrew Mole 108

Cougar 109

Western Tiger Swallowtail 110

Cabbage White 112

Island Marble Butterfly 113

Puget Blue 114

Harlequin Duck 115

Rufous Hummingbird 116

Salmon 117

Steelhead Trout 118

River Otter 119

Pacific Lamprey 120

Pacific Sideband Snail 121

Giant Pacific Octopus 122

Pacific Banana Slug 123

Cascades Frog 124

Common Nighthawk 125

Rough-Skinned Newt 126

Townsend’s Big-Eared Bat 127

Spotted Sandpiper 128

Harbor Seal 129

Harbor Porpoise 130

Salmon Shark 131

Steller Sea Lion 132

Marbled Murrelet 133

Gull 134

Sand Dollar 135

Dungeness Crab 136

Ochre Sea Star 137

Pacific Purple Sea Urchin 138

LANDMARKS

Multnomah Falls 142

Crater Lake 144

Haystack Rock 145

Hells Canyon 146

Snake River Canyon 148

Lassen Peak 150

Mount St. Helens 152

Mount Rainier 153

Mount Hood 154

Mount Shasta 155

Snoqualmie Falls 156

Painted Hills 158

Butchart Gardens 160

St. Johns Bridge 162

Space Needle 163

Portland Skyline 164

Seattle Skyline 166

Farmers Market 168

Introduction

Welcome to the Pacific Northwest, a land of boundless beauty. The drawings on the following pages are a love letter to the region that has captured my heart and soul. I had the privilege of growing up exploring the Pacific Northwest’s diverse ecosystems, from the towering evergreen forests to the rugged coastline, from the majestic mountains to the tranquil rivers. I love how every season brings its own palette of colors, textures, and sensations—the scent of old-growth forests, where moss-draped branches of ancient trees touch the sky; the taste of wild berries plucked from the underbrush, bursting with the essence of summer; and the feeling of cool, misty rain on your skin, a gentle reminder of all the ways this region can inspire us.

This book is organized into three main sections: Flora, Fauna, and Landmarks of the Pacific Northwest. Each section contains step-by-step drawing instructions for various subjects, accompanied by fun facts that might surprise you! Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced artist, feel free to start anywhere that inspires you. Remember, the goal is to enjoy the process and capture the essence of the Pacific Northwest through your own unique perspective.

About Line Drawing

The magic of line drawing often lies in simplicity—capturing the essence of a subject with just a few strokes. When I first started practicing line drawing, I quickly realized that it wasn’t about making perfect replicas of what I saw. It’s about capturing the way I wanted to interpret my surroundings. My lines were wobbly and imperfect, and as I progressed and my skills improved, I found myself returning to those wobbly lines because that’s what I liked most about drawing. It was freeing—not worrying about precision, and just enjoying the process.

In this book, you’ll be guided simply, line by line, and I encourage you to make it your own. We’ll explore different objects in nature, animals, and places that you can draw with only a few lines.

Over my years of practice, I’ve discovered that mastering a few key techniques can significantly enhance your drawing experience and results.

Let me share some insights to help you on your line drawing journey.

Holding Your Pen

How you hold your pen can dramatically affect the control and fluidity of your lines. For detailed work, try holding your pen close to the nib. For looser, more expressive lines, grip it further back. Experiment to find what feels most comfortable and natural to you.

Controlling Line Weight

Varying line weight adds depth and interest to your drawings. While using pens with different tip sizes is one method, you can also achieve this by adjusting the pressure you apply. Light pressure creates thin, delicate lines, while heavier pressure produces bold, striking ones. Practice transitioning smoothly between these pressures to master dynamic line work.

Creating Texture

Textures bring your line drawings to life. Experiment with techniques like hatching (parallel lines), cross-hatching (intersecting lines), stippling (dots), and scumbling (scribbled lines) to add dimension and detail. Each texture technique can convey different surfaces and materials, so experiment to see what works best for your subjects.

Applications

Line drawings have a unique way of adding charm and personality to everything they touch. You can incorporate them into handmade cards, journals and planners, standalone art pieces, craft projects, digital media and graphic design, marketing and branding, tattoo art, and even educational materials! The versatility of line drawing allows it to enhance virtually any creative endeavor.

Finding Your Flow

One of the most rewarding aspects of line drawing is entering the flow state while creating. This mental state of deep focus and immersion can be achieved by starting with simple subjects, allowing yourself to draw without judgment. Let your hand move freely and embrace mistakes as part of the process. Remember, the beauty of line drawing lies in its imperfections. Each line, whether deliberate or accidental, adds character and energy to your work.

Embracing Imperfections

My favorite way to draw is to jump in with a pen, embrace imperfections that come up, and capture the energy of the moment. Line drawing allows us to exist in a place of creative play, without the need for a ton of art supplies. I present line drawing literally— line by line—to help you view seemingly complicated objects in a simpler form.

Through the step-by-step drawings in this book, you’ll see how each line builds upon the previous one, culminating in a charming final piece.

Building Confidence

As you practice, your confidence in line drawing will naturally grow. Keep a dedicated sketchbook for your line drawings, filling it with quick sketches and detailed studies alike. Over time, you’ll see your progress and identify the techniques and subjects you enjoy the most.

Every line you draw is a step toward improving your skills and developing your unique style. By focusing on simplicity, practicing key techniques, and embracing imperfections, you can create beautiful and meaningful drawings.

I encourage you to use this book as both a guide and inspiration as you embark on your line drawing journey. Remember, the most important thing is to enjoy the process and let your creativity flow.

So, grab your sketchbook and let’s get started. You don’t need to be a pro to enjoy this—just dive in and have fun. The Pacific Northwest is full of inspiration, and I can’t wait for you to see it through your own line drawings.

In the Pacific Northwest, plants do more than just color the landscape green; they’re the backbone of the ecosystem. Native plant species are essential, providing food and shelter to a wide range of wildlife, from the tiniest insects to the largest mammals.

Towering evergreens form the iconic canopy of Northwest forests. These giants create a unique microclimate, offering shade and cooler temperatures that help other species flourish. Then there are the understory plants and wildflowers, adding layers of diversity beneath the canopy. These plant species offer critical nesting sites and foraging grounds for birds, insects, and mammals.

Amid this verdant world, wildflowers emerge in springtime like colorful confetti, while mosses and lichens paint the rocks and trees in hues of green and silver.

As you draw these plants, observe how their shapes and structures reflect their roles in the ecosystem. Notice how the sturdy trunks of evergreens, the delicate petals of wildflowers, and the intricate patterns of moss each require different line techniques to capture their essence.

Trillium ovatum

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Step 4

Fun Fact!

Trilliums are considered the heralds of spring, as they bloom early, before the trees’ first green leaves appear.

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Step 6

Fun Fact! Taking its name from the Latin for “wolf,” the lupine flower has the ability to enrich soil by fixing nitrogen, which, together with bacteria, allows it to convert nitrogen from air into plant nutrients.