Bonsai

Cedar Elm bonsai. Grown by Joseph McCoy (@joeybonsai on Instagram)

Bonsai trees are another subject I return to often when I want to draw but don't know what, or I want to draw something relaxing. I have a bunch of photos of bonsai bookmarked on Instagram for this purpose. I usually draw the rough shapes in pencil, the structure of the branches and leaves and such, and finish it in pen. Besides in my sketchbook, I'm trying to create some real bonsai as well. I'm growing a bunch of plants on my tiny balcony and some of them I hope I'll manage to keep long enough to turn them into actual miniature-looking trees.

Here's a seedling of Gleditsia Triacanthos,

and a common Fig grown from a cutting:

 A Linden tree seedling growing like a weed and a Rosemary cutting:

Real trees are often impressive enough, but there's just something about having live miniature ones.