How To Look At Plants
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- Опубликовано: 4 июл 2024
- I talk about how I do nature sketching and where I go to look at weeds and trees.
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There's lots of jokes around about little girls digging holes and making "potions" in them in playgrounds like little witches. It's definitely something I did and I know as a little girl that when fantasy books had interesting plants in them it definitely became a part of my daydreaming/play. Definitely an underappreciated part of worldbuilding.
Heck yeah!!
I did that too! Though I fancied myself more of an alchemist than a witch. I made "potions" out of water, mud & herbs, and fertilizer from earthworm crap & used teabags (which was pretty legitimate, not that I really knew what I was doing). Fun times. At one point I tried to collect morning dew from alchemilla leaves in the hope of one day making a philosopher's stone.
If you look at the Raqefet Cave of Israel, you'll see holes/mortars in the rock floor which likely stored some of the world's earliest beer from ~11,000BC. It's practically human nature at this point lol
I used to use little Orgena bottles for my potions.
Oh god I remember making magic potions with whatever the hell I could find in my grandparents garden. I don’t remember how I saw myself in this state but the talk of Witches and Alchemists is very similar (I’m gonna presume my idea was doctor).
I’ve seen almost all of your videos since I first encountered your channel. As an artist and DM your content is wonderful and invaluable. However the most important lesson I took away from your videos was one that you never made a full video on. I don’t have to replicate your processes. I’ve found that isometric maps aren’t something I’m very interested in for gameable maps, I’m far less academic than you are, and I just flat out wouldn’t use some of the ideas that you have in your Building Better Monsters series because they’re too fantastical for my worlds. But what I do take away from all of your videos is to make things my own. I don’t have to be like you, or Brennan Lee Mulligan, or Matthew Mercer. I just have to be like me. And I thank you for that.
Oh gosh, this makes me so happy to read this!! Yeah, the whole reason I share my process is so folks can examine their own process differently and make their own goals and do their own thing!! That is my greatest hope for the folks who watch all these videos!!
I’ve been having to draw SO much foliage for my game lately, and these insights were so appreciated. Especially thinking about the distant view-I often get too lost in detail.
Glad it was helpful! Yeah, foliage can be just too much sometimes. One of the tricks I uses is only draw the leaves and grass that are in shade, and let the rest stay white on the page. It's an inking method called "Burn and Bury"
Despite initially drawing me to the channel, TTRPGs are a very casual hobby for me - I like them more in theory than practice - but I LOVE your art and I love plants, and it's wonderful to see them brought together here! Thank you for the video, and for the tips!
Thank you so much Zoe! I love doing art videos like these on occasion! Keeps me curious and examining my processes more closely!
As someone highly focused on local plants I appreciate a lot that you explain noone has to go into the deep dark forest or to a national park to see beautiful and interesting plants.
Nature already provides art and inspiration for us.
Take St.John's wort for example: Grows freely at fields and streets, blooms in the beginning of the hottest months bright gold like the sun itself, used to treat depression. And if you dry (and press) one of the leafs and hold it up against the light it looks like a hundred tiny stars.
Or Queen Anne's Lace, which looks like someone put down tiny white umbrellas along a path and hold a single red bloom like a treasure in the middle.
Or sunflowers, who look like hundreds of yellow eyes following the sun.
Or poppy, which is just a thin wooly stem and a comparatively giant blotch of crimson red, but so delicate the petals fall off almost immediately if you pluck the plant - but if you dry the petals they are thinner than a butterflies wing and almost as light as air.
People should look at the ground more often, I think that would solve many problems
People should definitely look at the ground more often. And the sky, and whatever is across the street. I think one of the greatest gifts life drawing can give you is an excuse to just slow down, take everything in, and appreciate the unexpected beauty of the world around you. If more people took the time to gain that sense of perspective the world would definitely be a better place.
The algorithm might not appreciate content like this but it doesnt have the same way of seeing this as other people do. Do whatever makes you happy and if you want to show us your process through your channel, don't hesitate. Love your videos, keep up the great work!
plants are so interesting, im sad people don't get more creative with them
good job on doing that!
I loved this video on drawing plants, personally I always try to develop a few fantasy plants for every environment, I think flora is heavily underlooked in dnd. I really enjoyed this calming video it was very original!
Heck yeah!!
Surely did not expect such a topic on your channel, but you've given me the drive to draw and paint again multiple times now, Kyle. I'm glad that you share so much of your experiences and thoughts with us. Wish you all the best for your new job.
Cheers!! Thank you so much!!
Here's a bit of kindness to counteract the algorithm. I'm not a visual artist, but I love your philosophical approaches to maps, monsters, and seeing the world. This video was a treat. Cheers!
This feels like such a nourishing video that is calming and interesting. This is what RUclips hates, but what we all need.
I have been staring at trees all spring and summer! They're NEVER "perfect," and yet I keep drawing them as the idealized shapes. There's so much negative space and air and light, and it's very good for the soul to take them in.
I'm so glad I found your channel a couple of months ago, your content is very inspiring, thank you!
Glad you enjoy it!
While I love monsters, plants are as important in a setting. Most places you look will have some kind of plant, and learning how to draw them and make them unique is very important.
Man, I love the honest appreciation of nature. I feel a bit like people think I'm mad when I try to talk about looking at things as an artist.
Yeah, that's just how it feels to be an artist sometimes. It doesn't make artists better, just different. Now what really keeps me up at night is this... Do I look at things this way because I'm an artist, or am I an artist because I look at things this way?
Damn, I wish I could be drawing plants right now.
Sincerely,
a patent illustrator taking a short break from work to enjoy this
Stay strong, my friend! You'll get to those plants!!
This an important part that a lot of artists leave out
Gotta say, your quick, open, soft-handed approach to drawing has done more to make me want to draw than just about anything I've tried to kindle that desire in the past decade. My biggest problem is finding a style because I feel so set in my ways and this video and the character design video really helped me realize that what I'm missing is gesture lines. Seeing it done firsthand rather than on static guides or images made it just click for me that I was missing a whole step in my construction and detail process. Thank you and well wishes your way
Life drawing is really fun when you loosen up your pencil like this, creates a lot of nice looking shapes and strokes
This video was fantastic! So calm and cute and honestly so good advice, im a biologist so im always up for a good fun plan draw! Great work
Do you think you could ever make videos playing single player pen and paper world building games? I know there’s a lot I really like Delve personally. Your videos are already all about world building and art, seems like a perfect match!
Delve is already of my list! Haha!! It's like you are reading my notes!! There is also a game called Liminal that I want to play too!!
I'm not much of an artist myself, but I love trying to look at the world like one. This makes me want to start doing my evening walks again and take a closer look at the gardens in my neighborhood. Maybe even lean in close to catch the weeds.
This reminds me a lot about how Elves in D&D learn to manipulate the weave naturally. They spend 60+ years looking at and studying everything so closely that they can manipulate the very magic of the world by understanding it.
Love this video…it truly encapsulates my personal experience. When I sit down to draw or paint, my goal isn’t to create art, it’s to experience and appreciate my subject.
Love that! Heck yeah!
hearing you say instinct always falls short hit me so strongly, i cannot believe this
I get a lot of meaning out of your content, and I really appreciate it when you speak from the heart on these subjects. You’ve been a life saver for me lately.
Thank you so much, Margaret! I'm so glad that my videos are helpful! I want folks to have an easier time getting into the arts than I had. Cheers!
Thank you for the kind and wise words on the very tranquil episode of Building Better Artists
Haha!! Wow, what a kind thing to say!! Thank you!!
Behold, oh great Map Crow, a sacrifice for the algorithm. May it bring good fortune
HAha! Yeah, I felt like after so many well performing videos, I was getting too chummy with the algorithm! Haha
It's a shame you have to rely on it to get your videos out, but I'm glad I found this channel, you make good stuff, even the things youtube won't show to people
This video really makes me want to draw boring old plants, more than your other videos often make me want to draw exciting monsters. Thanks for this gem of a video, Map Crow!
Heck yeah!! These two things are not completely unrelated either! Haha
I love exodia brave, best arcane
the "try to become bored" really hit me
I love your art and presentations, but what stands out about this channel and all your content to me is your philosphy and wisdom. Your students are lucky to have you.
Ooooh this is an underappreciated aspect of world building… actually taking inspiration directly
I love plants! It would be interesting to see more plant-based monsters or a Druid specifically focused on them like Poison Ivy.
This video somehow made prefectly clear an excersize in a past art class that for months I just didn't understand. Thank you!
Ha! Yeah, some art class exercises seem so bizarre, boring, or useless, but there is also sometimes an issue with the teacher clearly demonstrating the goals and values of what they assign.
I love art drawn from nature. Unusual shapes, interesting little twists and turns.
The thumbnail was hillarious
Your voice is so chill it's so relaxing
The way you draw is very evocative and captures emotions really well
You cannot find a better video essay about why drawing from life is so essentially important, and how to do the brain-work of doing it, which most people never address or try to share with the amateur - intermediate learner. Few people have the experiencer and thoughtfulness to talk about the how and the why, not just the doing.
Thank you! Yeah, there are many truisms in art that go unexamined and unexplained, which is just an awful way to teach. I'm glad this is helpful!
I'm on my way to becoming an artist for a career - after 5 years of misguided decidions. Coming back to any creative activity after a long while is always a struggle. Your videos are a great inspiration, as they combine art with my favourite pasttime!
Aw!! Thank you!! Yeah, living life intentionally is a twisty path with lots of experiments and sudden turns. It's all part of the journey though! I've tried so many different things, tried to get away from art and get a normal job, and I believe it's all helped me know myself better.
I never thought to make yourself bored So that you are intrigued to you look at other details that you would otherwise miss. It's brilliant and I hate it because I don't like being bored but I'm gonna have to give it a shot.
I would love to see an isometric drawing of a marching army or similar large party on the move with wagons and horses and armored soldiers. It could be used as a map for attackers or infiltrators of some sort. And just be a cool thing to see.
Nice change up! Refreshing with nature is essential after battling vampires and their sin eaters.
I am glad that this channel exists, keep the good work.
Thanks, will do!
There’s something very meditative about this video! I really appreciate the idea of examining ordinary things until extraordinary details and identity become apparent. Lots of great takeaways from this video, but that one stuck out to me!
I love seeing drawings from explorers of past times
Botanical illustration is really my jam, and you made a great point with avoiding plain grass textures. Awesome video!
This was great.
I get the algorithm is a thing, but sometimes the “un-algorithmic” videos are the best out there.
Thanks for the insights and for showing a different side of yourself.
I might give myself a wee task of drawing my little family of potted cacti after watching this one ☺
Wow 9:00-9:26 is some really good art advice but also just life advice as well.
Great reference for sketching! Makes me miss living in a rural area- I don't have so many natural areas available to me these days. I've been unable to sketch recently because of an arm injury, but I can't wait to get back at it and put these tips in practice.
RIGHT ON!!!! Excellent little movie that hits all the marks...🤘
You are like the Bob Ross of DND and I think that's amazing.
As someone who's recently chosen to pursue game development in college this channel is an absolute gem
Good stuff. I find i often fall into the trap of only drawing what i like (faces - made up faces). If i draw from reality, i don't look closely enough and watch my subject. I don't allow myself time to absorb what i'm seeing. It's always a good idea to take a beat and slow it down. Great work.
Yeah, I think many artist will fill sketchbooks with faces and eyes and hands, but you also have to make sure that you are putting them together and solving composition puzzles sometimes too!! Cheers!!
This was lovely and comes at a time where I will be camping soon. Will have to do some sketching while I'm away.
always love seeing the way that you look at things and break them down into recognizable pieces,
I love your videos, and your eye!
Thank you very much! It's a practice of building visual literacy, it's like acquiring a new language, according to current neuroscience models. I love the work that Neil Cohn is doing with Visual Language Lab!!
This video wasn't as immediately useful to me personally as some others from Map Crow, but in a world where so much content is rote and predictable, I really appreciate that this was something different, and I'll continue coming back to the channel because of the variety and thoughtfulness. And even when the content isn't immediately relevant to me (just one guy watching RUclips, after all), it's always really wonderful hearing John's insightful perspectives on all manner of things. There were thoughts in this video that I'll remember for a long time (e.g. meeting someone unfamiliar in a new context). Keep up the great work.
You’ve inspired me to pick up a sketch book and draw what I see, something I’ve never tried to do before always preferring to make chunky, Minecraft suited space ships
I`m currently DMing a solo campaign for a friend playing as a dwarf bard going back to his home fortress aaaand I stumbled "Delve: the solo map drawing game". It's about dwarves digging their stronghold in search of a crystal. Would love to see you drawing a dwarven stronghold with this system!
thanks so much for making these videos where we get to see you drawing, they've really been inspiring me lately! Your approach to giving things texture is great
I love this episode! Taking in nature is something I love doing, and there is always something new to see in it.
i love the idea of drawing plants and dense forest landscapes but i can never get it the way i want, so like the way you can just draw this shit is so cool
Thank you!! There is always something I wish I could be better at, but that's what practice is all about!
drawing plants are the bane of my existence i have so much respect to people who do it well. love the pencil technique!
First, excellent art as always! And second, I appreciate you taking some time to look at nature, and to share some of your lenses with us!
I loved this video, in particular discussion of the distinction between recognition and perception.
This has given me a new perspective. I love this.
My friend left a nice comment so I thought I should too! Your videos have really helped my journey out of burnout and creative block. I have an art degree, but graduating and subsequently entering the workforce left me extremely burnt out. It's always great to encounter someone I can learn from whose content resonates with me.
Yeah, I hear ya. For years and years I was doing a 40 hour 9 to 5 while also working on art and it was tough. I just try to find the art that fits my energy and time instead of taking on projects that are too much for me, even when that means making smaller things.
This is so good; very relaxing, and it’s nice to meet someone who looks at plants like I do, having grown up on a farm. Thank you
good plants on a map are always satisfying to look at, good topic to cover!
also, 'as an artist, i must learn to look at the familiar until it becomes strange again' is a fantastic and insightful quote
This is Excellent
subscribed here a bit ago, but only really started watching videos recently. I’m really enjoying the content 🙏🏻 I hope the algorithm starts picking it up more!
The algorithm stopped giving me your videos so now I shall watch and comment on them all so I can get my recommendations back LOL
You are an amazing teacher. I appreciate that your videos dissect the philosophy of art and how to transcribe our experiences to the page. Best of luck with the new job!
Wow, thank you so much for the kind words!
I always love a mapcrow upload, whether he's drawing fantasy creatures or observing nature.
thank you for posting!!!!
What an awesome video! I noticed the stark white of the bare tree trunks during the "far away", but was completely ignoring how it changed to a dark contrast once it got to the open sky.
Heck yeah!! Lots of people have seen plants, right? But when when you spend 10 or 20 minutes looking and drawing them, you learn all new ways to SEE them!!
Came for the art, stayed for the life lessons.
Ha! But of course, what else could art be made from but life? Cheers!!
Thanks Kyle!
I’m excited for every video and podcast you put out!
You're the best! Thank you so much!!
So many beautiful sentiments and advice!
I really appreciate this video! When I take my camera on hikes I am often attracted to weeds and wildflowers. I love drawing plants as well and it's been too long since I got out and drew some live ones.
I particularly like your second drawing, the variety of textures is nice!
Thank you. Great thoughts. Thanks for sharing
Very nice comments for the algorithm. Love your videos!
Looking at stuff and freeze in place wondering how they work/look becomes an habit in time. I can't go anywhere without falling behind the group because I'm looking at some rock or street lamp like a lunatic x)
Absolutely love these videos. Building better monsters is amazing inspiration as a DM and artist, but these more purely drawing focused ones just do something for me that actually gets me up and drawing again :).
Glad you like them! I know the super art focused episode have a narrower audience, but I hope that we can at least make this interesting or relaxing for everyone else who want to look at plants too! haha
This was a super nice change of pace! Love it!!!
Yay! Thank you!
This was most definitely a pleasant change of pace for both your content, and my life. So thank you for that, and I hope whatever throat malady you're suffering right now eases up soo, you sound very hoarse!
your videos make drawing seem so natural
Thank you so much!!
Very zen video. Great stuff. I love all your videos and your drawings are awesome too. I enjoy drawing nature. I find it very calming.
This was really cool! Thanks for sharing
This was a wonderful video. Very thought provoking and such a relaxing meditative vibe.
Great stuff to think on, thank you
Good luck with the move, and I hope you enjoy your new job
The title was clickbaity for me and the content was filled with wisdom! Thank you.
Haha! I thought the title was going to be a turn-off for folks. Haha
@@mapcrow yeah haha I understand. But it went the other way around. How to look at plants!? I have to watch that!
But in all seriousness I think it’s the kind of title that promises unusual insight or observations. And the title fits because you really delivered on that.
And something just hit me right now. I have phrases in my head that inform my art practice. Yesterday it just clicked for me when I was drawing a portrait : “There is no such thing as generic.” It poped into my head right there as I was doing it. I even talked about it to a friend this morning.
I don’t know if you say this way in the video but it’s the source of this phrase for me. I evenwrote some notes on it that I will not elaborate here (long comment already, I have to talk about it somewhere though!).
So in short I now carry some of your thoughts with me and they are very useful to how I view the process of learning new forms. And I think it’s freaky and amazing that that can happen. And thank you :)
Super inspirational once again. I live in an apartment in a busy neighborhood, and frequently get down about the fact that it's a huge chore to get anywhere with greenery, or have any peace and quiet outside. But after watching this, I glanced out my window and saw the line of trees over the rooftops as something visually striking, something worth drawing, for the first time. I've lived here for over a year and this was the thing that finally shifted my perspective, so thank you for that! Gonna draw some far away trees today.
Great video, I love drawing plants! Also you can easily create your own unique plants using shapes and "growing rules" that actual plants use.
YES!! Growing rules is a great way of putting it!!
Before the video finished I was going to say that I think you'd make an amazing teacher, and low and behold you're getting a job as one!
Really insightful video on the artistic process, your videos always put me in a creative mood
I'm kind of obsessed with a very particular vine we have in my town down the river which is so invasive that it can kill alot of the local flora including large trees. It's really impressive visually speaking because it spreads awfully creating a vast green mantle that covers and strangles everything. I simply call it "the monster" and I developed a love/hate relationship with it. Many times I tried to draw it but it's very difficult to capture. If I go too close there are overwhelming number of details. If I look from further away I think loose the distinctive character. It's tricky.
Oh, and it has been a major inspiration for an Apocalypse World campaign too! So your video has so many points for me to work on that it's kind of mind-blowing, lol.
Thanks for this great video, really helped deepen my perspective on what I want to do with my art, wish you luck with your new job!
Glad it was helpful!