“Oh Give me lots of land beneath the stars above.Don’t confine me.
Let me travel through the wide-open countryside that I am awestruck by.
Don’t keep me out.”
— “Don’t Fence Me In,” song by Bing Crosby
Fences have been in use since the beginning of time to protect animals, block out invaders and divide the land. Learn to design the fence to stop the entry of – or exclusion of anybody or anything you’d like.
The fence shown in this picture is one of the types known as the “picket” fence. It is constructed of wood slats , or “pickets.”
Picket fences are famous due to their requirement of “whitewashing” – a regular application of white paint. This is evident in the classic novels like Tom Sawyer in the works of Mark Twain.
A home that has a white picket fence is a symbol of an upper middle-class “American dream.” Fences such as this are often employed for decoration, or to keep pets in check.
Did you have any idea? That the U.S. picket fence with its triangular tops came from “sharpened logs used to defend positions” during the American colonial era.
Picket fences appeared in art prior to this period However, they were not as prominent depicted in “Agony In The Garden” by Botticelli around 1500.
Today, fences made of wood, steel, fiberglass or even plastic can be observed all over the world.
How to Draw A Fence Step-By-Step
1st Step:
Begin by drawing the grass that grows below the fence. Use curved lines of various lengths that meet at points – some sharp and others gentle.
2nd Step:
Continue drawing the grass. Use two curved lines that meet at a point to sketch each blade.
3rd Step:
Continue drawing the grass. At the edge of the drawing, extend a curved line beneath it.
4th Step:
Use a curved line to complete the ground in front of the grass. Then, begin drawing the upright, vertical pickets. For each picket, extend two straight, parallel lines upward.
Notice that the pickets are set at slightly different angles. Connect them at the top with a curved line or series of lines. The notches indicate the deterioration of the wood over time.
5th Step:
Draw more pickets. Again, use pairs of straight lines for each, connected at the top. Allow notches to form.
6th Step:
Draw the cross beams that support the pickets. Draw two pairs of lines passing behind the pickets. On each end, use curved lines to enclose the tip of the wooden board. Some are notched, others are not.
Then, draw or shade small circles on the pickets where they meet the crossbeam. This indicates the nails that hold the fence together.
7th Step:
Draw circular nails along the second crossbeam. You can also enclose irregular round shapes to indicate holes in the wood. Then, draw a flower growing along the fence row, erasing as necessary. Use a pair of lines for the stem, and curved lines that double back upon themselves for the leaves. Draw an oval for the center of the flower, and a series of “U” shaped lines for the petals.
8th Step:
Draw a second flower. Again, sketch the stem, leaves, and petals using curved lines, with an oval for the center. After that, use a curved line to enclose the irregular rounded shape of a tiny face above the fence. Shade small circular eyes, and draw a curved line below each. This will become a bird.
9th Step:
Complete the songbird. Use curved lines to outline the body and tail, the wings, the feet, the beak, and the tuft of feathers on top of the head.
10th Step:
Color your cartoon of a picket fence in spring.
