4 Tips for Painting Mossy Rocks (Logs, trees, stumps . . .) - Painting and Drawing Tips

Green, fluffy, soft moss.  

Here on the West Coast of BC, moss is a very common element in any nature setting.  

Trees, stumps, rocks - everything eventually ends up with a mossy covering.  

It is a magical place in a moss covered forest.  All the sounds seem muted, the greens glow, whether there's sunlight or not.  And everything has a feeling of softness.  The lumps and bumps of branches and rocks are puffy and round.  A magical place.   

Very pleasing to the EYE. . .

However, very challenging to paint!! 

The problem is two fold.  Everything is green. And everything has a puffy, soft feel to it.  Those can be very challenging to paint.  

You definitely need to love to paint and draw the mossy covered trees, stumps, fences and logs in our forest. You need to enjoy playing with the greens and love the challenge of getting that puffy, thick look.  

Mossy Tree - You must admit, this looks like a fun thing to sketch

I love playing with 'Mossy Look" . . . .

I have found several secrets that give me success.  Give them a try and see if they can work for you.

4 Tips for Painting Mossy Rocks ( Logs, trees, stumps, well actually anything moss covered.)

My reference picture and my outline drawing of a mossy rock in the creek bed

Note: I have a video on this topic which is available here.  You can also download the Reference Picture and draw along with me.  The Mossy Rock Reference Picture is available here.  

1.  Edges

I always find that the Edges tell the story of the object. The Edges are your way of telling the eye that things are not all the same.

 As you can see on the drawing below, Areas 1 & 3 denote where the smooth rock changes into a lumpy surface.  Note there is a slight raised area where the two surfaces meet. This is key in telling the eye there is a change.  

Area 2 tells the eye that the edge is fringed and uneven, more evidence that the rock has something coating it.  

Mossy Rock with drawing points noted.

Area 4 and the other marks on the rock give a sense of depth to the surface.  Because Area 1 & 3 already told the eye it is not smooth, the eye is ready to accept that there is something on the rock. 

Area 5 provides contrast.  Here there are several rocks that are smooth, further suggesting that the big rock is different.  

2. Colour

Some of the Greens that I like to use

Creating great moss is more than just painting with green.  Above is my most common green mixes when in the field.  However, it is important to note that other colours are found in moss: yellows, rusts, oranges, browns are the most common. I like to use purples in my shadows and bits of red as well. 

Adding colour to my moss - it is more than just green

3. Texture

Creating different textures within your painting helps to suggest depth to your moss.  The slick smooth surface of the rocks suggest that my moss covered rock has a some kind of coating on it.  Using glazes to add layers of different colours to the moss also suggests depth.  The more layers there are the more puffy the moss appears.  

A Mossy Rock in the Creek Bed 

4. Shadows

The final touch is the shadows in the moss.  

Not the edges of the shadows - there is a hard edge and a soft edge

In the cross section above, note the shadows. To emphasis the puffy feeling the shadows need a hard edge and a soft edge.  This is an extension of No. 3 - Texture.  As you make those different layers look for that hard edge and blended soft edge. The more layers you have the more thick and fluffy it becomes.  

Have fun with your sketch - making that moss fluffy and thick is half the fun of painting our forests.  I found these tips have helped me deal with other types of drawings as well. ie. hair, fur, trees. . . .   Anything that I want to seem thick and fluffly.  

Note: I have a video on this topic which is available here.  You can also download the Reference Picture and draw along with me.  The Mossy Rock Reference Picture is available here.  

Next time you see a mossy covered rock, tree, . . .  grab your sketchbook, and give it a go.    

Wendy is on Youtube:
Wendy has FREE Tips & Techniques on Video now, many with supporting blog posts and FREE download PDF's.  

See a full linked listing here - artbywendy.com - workshop - Videos by Wendy

OUTDOOR SKETCHING SEASON  is Quickly Disappearing !!

Next Sessions:  Wednesday, August 11  & Saturday, August 21

10am - 12:30pm 

Upcoming Dates: Wednesday  August 25 & Sept 1
Saturday, August 28 & Sept 4

Twice a week, Wednesday and Saturday mornings, I will take small groups out for Outdoor Sketching.  Get Tips and Techniques for Sketching in Nature.  Beginners to Advanced Welcome. Max. 3 per class. (Other times available upon request) 

Mediums supported: pencil, pen, watercolour, watercolour pencils and coloured pencils 

Location: Parks in North Surrey and Langley

Cost: $50 per session

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Wendy