Learning to Draw Trees is an illustrated journal documenting a year-long artistic journey—one that began with a simple challenge: to learn how to draw trees.
In 2021, artist and writer Daniel Sumption set out to teach himself this skill, capturing a different tree each month for Liverpool Arts Lab’s Bodge Magazine. This book brings together all twelve of those monthly drawings, alongside a wealth of intermediate sketches, reflections, and practical insights gleaned along the way.
Sumption’s progress over the course of the year is both striking and inspiring – a testament to the magic of sustained attention and patient observation. Through his musings on line, form, and the unique character of trees, he invites readers not only to appreciate the nuances of tree drawing but also to embark on their own creative journeys.
And for those who prefer to become a tree rather than just sketch one, the book includes an unexpected twist: a role-playing game where you take on the role of a tree, navigating the slow rhythms of seasons, growth, and survival.
Printed in a beautifully designed volume, Learning to Draw Trees is more than a how-to book; it’s an invitation to see the world differently: to slow down, observe, and to pick up a pencil and join in.
This is a 44-page A5 saddle-stitched book, printed in full colour.
