Trees, plants, and other foliage are a tangle of leaves, twings, and branches. However these are all organized in a chaotic way into the very specific shapes that we come to know of the so many species that surround us. To start out, look for the generalized shape that all of these details form and trace lightly around that. Now you have the personality of the given tree stated clearly. Tall. Thin. Round. Give them names in you mind and find those shapes on the paper. Be light on your feet with your pencil lines. Don't labor each and every edge and miss the volume of form in front of you.

From here you can decide whether to create a wash of color, stipple of brush strokes, or hatching of line to fill those shapes with. Perhaps a stand of trees can be stated with one wash of color. Separate your subject matter the way your eye sees them rather than by lables such as Oak, Maple, or Pine. Are there strong shadows? Separate the scene into light and dark rather than by individual elements. Notice the variation among all green you are seeing. Some is very yellow, while others have a bluer tint to them. Refer to your color wheel to find the warm and cool possibilities among your palette.