Mistletoe is a parasite that grows on trees, most famously on apple trees. The ancient druids revered Mistletoe, which they grew in sacred groves and harvested with golden sickles.
These days, Mistletoe is a part of a traditional British Christmas. The tradition is that you may kiss who you like if they are standing under the mistletoe. This quaint belief can cause lots of embarrassment at Office parties! The berries are very sticky. The seeds stick to the beaks of the birds that eat them. The birds wipe their beaks on tree branches where the seeds stick to the bark. Mistletoe grows it’s roots into the heart of the wood and lives on the sap of the tree. Lazy, but seasonally beautiful!
The video shows you how to make a Mistletoe pattern. It’s not quite how mistletoe grows in real life, but it makes a pleasing pattern and most people would never know the difference! After you have watched the video, click the how-to picture and print your own how-to sheet with instructions for making the Mistletoe pattern.
The classic Arab Scimitar sword has a curved blade with the cutting edge on the outside. It’s used to slash rather than stab. the weight of the sword and the curve allows the blade to bite deep and works well in mounted combat. Arab design decoration usually comes down pattern or lettering. Although the sword hilt could be smothered in gold and jewels with a matching scabbard.
Click the step-by-step picture to download a printout sheet to help you draw your own. click the video below to watch Shoo Draw it for you. You can stop and rewind if you get confused!
This Wednesday we REALLY have advice about tracing ( it fell off the video last week – Thanksa to iona 147 for this idea) – What’s in the mail? – What happened at the British Museum last week? – Another great Book Review and a round up of the year.
Some people get very angry and say that tracing is cheating – well, they have their own problems and let them stew in them! When you are learning to draw, tracing is like having a pair of trainer wheels on your bike. You can learn to copy other artist’s styles or learn the relationships between spaces and shapes. 
All artists trace at some time. I often trace when I’m designing characters and need to keep something from the previous drawing and addd something new, I also trace when I need to arrange elements in an illustration. It’s not cheating, it’s work! Don’t ever listen to anyone who says tracing is cheating, ask them when they last picked up a pencil themselves! Eventually, you will not want to trace because you are so good you can do it quicker without tracing, in the same way you eventually throw away those trainer wheels and trade up to something faster and shinier!
The book of the week is Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. If you are starting out, it’s invaluable, even if you are a seasoned pro, you will have “agh!” moments when things will all make sense at last. The psychology part is quite serious but fascinating. The messages in this book will make sense to all dyslexics who don’t understand why they don’t get with the education system.
These are my top 5 Videos of 2012!
5 How to draw Harry Styles 49K
4 How to draw the Titanic 64k
3 How to draw a heart of stone – Real Easy 72k
2 How to draw a hunting knife 108k
1 How to draw the impossible triangle 141K
Thanks for all your support in 2012 – I’ll have a bit of a break next week, but the Wednesday Drawing Show will be back on the 2nd of January. Happy Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all.
I was going to talk about tracing this week, but it seems to have slipped off the video! – There’s quite a lot in the mail and the wall of Fame – A great book review – Yes! It’s manga! – and why everyone should keep a sketchbook featuring the Sketchbooks of the fabulous theRHExperience ( http://www.youtube.com/user/therhexperience ). Three guys who make up a very funny improvisational comedy team. You will also see – http://www.youtube.com/user/khyan1 and http://www.youtube.com/user/creativebymind
There’s also a reminder about the meet up tomorrow! Yes, If you live in London, or can get there, I will be at the British Museum at 2pm by the Big Lion in the Great Court. You are welcome to come drawing with me! I have 40 free Rotring Tikky Graphic pens to give away thanks to the great people at Rotring Pens! Many thanks. The first three people to say “hello! I love the shooraynerdawing Channel” will get an exclusive Shoo Rayner sketchbook!
Here are the Bakuman Manga book links for Amazon
http://bit.ly/Bakuman-Amazon-co-uk http://bit.ly/Bakuman-Amazon-com-US
Can you tie a lovely bows on Gifts? If not learn to draw one instead!
Make yourself a cool Christmas Lantern to light up the dark winter nights! If you are a younger viewer make sure you get some help from an adult on this project.
You’ll need a glass jar and a strip of paper to wrap around the outside. Cut it to shape with a pair of scissors and draw this great Christmas pudding design on it. You can do any design you like. Make sure the colours are not too dark – the light from the tea-light candle needs to shine through.
I’m using Copic Marker pens to colour in but you can use watercolour or crayons to do the same thing.
If you make one, why not send me a picture or make a video response so everyone else can see?
If it’s all too much for you, get the FREE printout ready made design and how to step-by-step sheet by clicking the pictures. Remember if you get a bit lost, you can always stop the video and rewind it to see how things are done.
Learn to draw a candy cane Real Easy with this video tutorial.The bow is quite a difficult addition. There’s anew video on how to draw bows coming later on this week so make sure you are subscribed!
Gorgeous Christmas Tree by YouTuber, Peggy Festerling
Come drawing with me on the 13th of December at the British Museum! I’m expecting YouTube channel subscribers and website viewers to be at the British Museum at 2.00pm. I’ll be by the big lion in the Great Court.
Rotring have given me some Rotring Tikky Graphic pens, the ones I always use in my videos, to give to the first people to arrive and the first three will get an exclusive Shoo Rayner Sketchbook. See this week’s Wednesday Show for more details.
I have no idea how many will be there, that’s what makes it so exciting. It’s the first time I’ve tried something like this. you have to start somewhere! I’m going to go and draw from the pots in the Ancient Greek department. There are fabulous drawings on the pots and so much to be learned from those great ancient artists.
I hoep to see you there!
Learn to draw Santa real easy! Almost everybody has a different idea of how Santa should look like – He even has different names in different countries. In some countries he wears green! This is my Santa and you are welcome to share him with me!
