How To Draw A Mistle Toe? The 7 Latest Answer

From Harry Potter’s first kiss to Justin Bieber’s Christmas carol, kissing under the mistletoe is ubiquitous in pop culture. But this Christmas tradition — that when you’re under the green plant, it’s time for a hickey — existed long before it ever appeared in movies and pop songs.

While historians are unsure as to why kissing under the mistletoe began, there is general consensus as to when and where the custom began and how it became popular around the Christmas season.

The origins of kissing under the mistletoe, a plant that often bears white berries, is often traced to a story in Norse mythology about the god Baldur. In the story, Baldur’s mother, Frigg, casts powerful magic to ensure that no plant grown on Earth can be used as a weapon against her son. The only plant that the spell doesn’t reach is mistletoe, as it doesn’t grow out of the ground but out of the branches of a tree. Learning of this, the scheming Loki makes a spear out of mistletoe – the spear that would eventually kill Baldur.

But the connection between this story and the tradition is unclear and may not exist at all.

In many tales, after her son’s death, Frigg declares the mistletoe to be a symbol of love and promises to kiss anyone who walks under it. If that’s an accurate version of the story, it would be clear how it directly relates to the romantic act of today. However, historian Mark Forsyth says the story doesn’t really end that way. Forsyth is the author of A Christmas Cornucopia: The Hidden Stories Behind Our Yuletide Traditions, examining four Norse accounts of the god’s murder and the events that followed. “Baldur’s death has to do with mistletoe, but it has nothing to do with kissing or Christmas,” he tells TIME.

Although Forsyth does not know why kissing under the mistletoe began, the author says he knows the tradition began in England between 1720 and 1784.

Kissing under the mistletoe would not have existed as a folk tradition before 1720 because the most extensive research on the plant was published that year and was not related to the practice, Forsyth explains. John Colbatch, an English pharmacist and physician, wrote two books on mistletoe in 1719 and 1720. “He had a whole section on mistletoe-related superstitions and customs,” says Forsyth, “and doesn’t mention kissing mistletoe at all.”

Instead, the earliest reference to kissing under the mistletoe that Forsyth found comes from a song published in 1784. The verses are:

“What all the men, Jem, John and Joe,

Shouts: “What luck sent you?”

And kiss under the mistletoe

The girl who hasn’t turned twenty yet.”

Other historians have also cited these lines as the tradition’s first reference. However, what happened between 1720 and 1784 that made kissing under the mistletoe a holiday phenomenon remains unknown. “I can surmise quite shrewdly that this was a particularly lewd and inventive boy and a particularly gullible girl,” writes Forsyth in his book.

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Eighteenth- and nineteenth-century literature and art expanded on this idea. Charles Dickens, in The Pickwick Papers, published in 1837, describes the holiday madness associated with this particular type of kiss. He writes that younger ladies “yelled and fought and ran into corners and threatened and objected and did everything but leave the room until some of the less adventurous gentlemen were about to stop when they suddenly considered it.” felt useless to resist no longer, and to be kissed with grace.” In a 1794 art print, servants in a kitchen stand ready to kiss under the mistletoe, with a caption describing “Saucy Joe,” the “Bridget the Cook.” “rude” kissed.

The women in both scenes were portrayed as resisting the kisses but having to give in after being caught walking under the mistletoe. Historians have said that they believed they had to accept kisses from men or risk bad luck. How serious the resistance was is hard to tell from documents, but Forsyth says there were several stories from the time that depicted women “using the mistletoe excuse to escape possessive husbands and parents” who otherwise could have prevented such kisses.

“A quick inspection of the ceiling would be all it takes to avoid that, while in a world without divorce or any semblance of women’s rights being forced into a loveless marriage would have been quite a harder evasion,” says he TIME. He notes that deciphering a phenomenon two centuries later is exceedingly difficult, adding, “However, I can say with some certainty that it falls very, very low on the list of concerns and disadvantages of a woman who.” lived in 1800.”

In the US, the popularity of kissing under the mistletoe as a Christmas tradition can be more easily traced back to Washington Irving’s The Sketch Book, published in 1820.

The American writer had returned from England and recorded the Christmas traditions he had observed abroad. In the chapter entitled “Christmas Eve,” a footnote reads: “The mistletoe is still hung up in farmhouses and kitchens at Christmas, and the young men have the privilege of kissing the girls underneath, and each time a berry from the mistletoe.” to pick bush. When all the berries are picked, the privilege ends.”

Forsyth says that Irving’s text, a bestseller, played a large role in accelerating the tradition’s popularity. “Christmas was a very, very small celebration in the early 1800s,” he explains. “In many ways, Irving set the template for the modern Christmas.” Because kissing under the mistletoe was mentioned in The Sketch Book, large American audiences were introduced to the practice and eventually adopted the act—and guided it through the ages one as they evolved from a semi-scandalous oddity into a well-known mutual romance gesture of holiday cheer.

Contact us at [email protected].

If you’re celebrating Christmas, chances are you’ll be curled up under a mistletoe at some point this season. What is this tradition of kissing under a plant all about? And does the name have anything to do with human toes?

What is mistletoe?

Mistletoe is a plant that grows parasitically on trees. Mistletoe can cause witches’ brooms, a symptom of a disease that causes accumulations of weak shoots in the host tree. One way to harvest mistletoe is to climb high in the tree to get the bunches. Another option is to blast them with a shotgun. How’s that for festive?

It gets worse.

The word mistletoe comes from the Old English mistletoe tan, where tan means “twig” and mistletoe means “mistletoe.” (Middle English speakers apparently confuse tan with the plural of ta, “toe”, which ultimately brings us to mistletoe).

As for the roots of mistletoe, this etymology is unclear, although the word has cousins ​​in Germanic languages. Because mistletoe can be spread through bird droppings, it’s possible that mistletoe came from an obsolete, Germanic-derived noun mixture meaning “dung, dirt.”

So we can safely say that this has nothing to do with your toes at all. The plant you’re kissing under could be a… “dung sprig.”

Another tradition that has raised questions before is why do we sing “Auld Lang Syne” on New Year’s Eve? Let’s find out!

The dark side of mistletoe

In Norse mythology, the plant plays a key role in a story with a violent ending; The god Balder is killed by his blind brother Hoor with a mistletoe projectile of all things. Some versions claim that he was brought back to life and that his mother Frigg cried tears that turned into mistletoe berries, then stated that the plant was a symbol of love.

It’s a plant that kills in more ways than one. Birdlime, or a juice made from mistletoe berries, is used as glue to catch small birds. Rolls of the sticky substance are placed on branches. When birds land on it, they get stuck. The birds can then be caught by hand. Although illegal in many parts of the world, some countries still use this method to capture wild birds for food.

Some species of the plant are also toxic to humans if ingested.

Why do we kiss under the mistletoe?

Historically, mistletoe has stood for romance, fertility and vitality. Because nothing says love like bird droppings and poison.

But seriously, the Celtic druids prized mistletoe for its healing properties and were probably among the first to use it for adornment. Mistletoe’s berries ripen in December and the plant stays green, hence its winter appeal.

The origin of kissing under the mistletoe is uncertain, but it is believed that the ancient Greeks celebrated the winter holidays of Kronia – a lively festival and one of the biggest of the year – with the mistletoe and may have started the tradition of kissing under it. One of the first descriptions of this tradition comes from an 1820 book by Washington Irving (“The Mistletoe is still hang up in Farmhouses and Kitchens at Christmas”).

So curl up, Buttercup…if you still feel like it.

Not to be confused with the witch’s broom, which is a growth of the host plant’s own tissue rather than a parasite in and of itself.

Not to be confused with mistletoe, the translation of compound airplane.

Common name for various parasitic plants growing on trees and shrubs

Viscum album) on an aspen (Populus tremula) European mistletoe () on an aspen (

Mistletoe in an apple tree

Mistletoe is the common name for obligate hemiparasitic plants in the order Santalales. They are attached to their host tree or shrub by a structure called a haustorium, through which they draw water and nutrients from the host plant.

The name mistletoe originally referred to the species Viscum album (European mistletoe, of the family Santalaceae in the order Santalales); It is the only species native to the British Isles and much of Europe. A separate species, Viscum cruciatum, occurs in southwestern Spain and southern Portugal and in Morocco in North and Southern Africa.[1] The genus Viscum is not native to North America, but Viscum album was introduced to northern California in 1900.[2][3]

European mistletoe has smooth-edged, oval, evergreen leaves borne in pairs along the woody stem, and waxy, white berries that it bears in clusters of two to six. Eastern North America mistletoe is similar but has shorter, broader leaves and longer clusters of 10 or more berries.

Native to North America, the eastern mistletoe, Phoradendron leucarpum, belongs to a separate genus in the family Santalaceae.

Over the centuries the term has been expanded to include many other species of parasitic plants with similar habits found in other parts of the world and classified into different genera and families, such as the Misodendraceae in Chile and Argentina and mainly in the southern Hemisphere Tropical Loranthaceae.

Etymology[ edit ]

The word “mistletoe” derives from the older form “mistle” and adds the Old English word tān (twig). ‘Mistel’ is common Germanic (Old High German mistil, Middle High German mistel, Old English mistel, Old Norse mistil).[4] Further etymology is uncertain but may be related to the Germanic base for “porridge”.[5]

Groups [ edit ]

Parasitism has evolved among vascular plants at least twelve times.[6] Molecular data show that the mistletoe habit evolved five times independently within the Santalales—first in the Misodendraceae, but also in the Loranthaceae, and three times in the Santalaceae (in the former Santalalean families Eremolepidaceae and Viscaceae and the phylum Amphorogyneae).[7 ]

The largest mistletoe family, the Loranthaceae, has 73 genera and over 900 species.[8] Subtropical and tropical climates have significantly more mistletoe species; Australia has 85, with 71 in Loranthaceae and 14 in Santalaceae.[9]

life cycle[edit]

Mistletoe species grow on a variety of host trees, some of which exhibit adverse effects such as reduced growth, stunting, and loss of affected outer branches. A heavy infestation can also kill the host plant. Viscum album successfully parasitizes more than 200 species of trees and shrubs.

mistletoe in winter

All mistletoe species are hemiparasites because they photosynthesize for a period of their life cycle. However, in some species its contribution is very close to zero. For example, some species such as Viscum minimum that parasitize succulents, usually species of Cactaceae or Euphorbiaceae, grow largely within the host plant, with little more than the flower and fruit emerging. Once they have germinated and attached to the host’s circulatory system, their photosynthesis is reduced to the point of insignificance.[10]

Most Viscaceae bear evergreen leaves that effectively photosynthesize, and photosynthesis also occurs in their green, fleshy stems. Some species, like Viscum capense, are adapted to semi-arid conditions and their leaves are stunted scales barely visible without detailed morphological study. Therefore, their photosynthesis and transpiration take place only in their stems, which limits their need for the host’s water supply, but also limits their uptake of carbon dioxide for photosynthesis. Accordingly, their contribution to the host’s metabolic balance becomes trivial, and the dormant parasite can turn quite yellow during its growth, having practically abandoned photosynthesis.[10]

At another extreme, other species have rich green leaves. Not only do they actively photosynthesize, but a heavy infestation of mistletoe plants can take over entire branches of the host tree, sometimes killing virtually the entire crown and replacing it with its own growth. In such a tree, the host is solely dependent on the supply of water and mineral nutrients as well as the physical support of the trunk. Such a tree can survive for years as a Viscum community; it resembles a completely unknown species unless you look closely, for its foliage does not look like that of a tree. An example of a species that behaves in this way is Viscum Continuum.[10]

A mistletoe seed germinates on the branch of a host tree or shrub and is independent of its host in its early stages of development. It usually has two or even four embryos, each of which produces its hypocotyl, which under the influence of light and gravity grows towards the host’s bark, possibly forming a mistletoe plant at a time in a clump. Possibly as an adjustment to steer the growing process away from the light, the glue on the seed tends to darken the rind. Upon contact with the bark, the hypocotyl penetrates it with only a rudimentary piece of root tissue at its tip, a process that can take a year or more. The plant is now dependent on its own photosynthesis. Only after it reaches the host’s conductive tissue can it begin to rely on the host for its needs. It later forms a haustorium that invades host tissues and deprives the host plant of water and nutrients.[10]

More-or-less obligatory species include the leafless quintral Tristerix aphyllus, which lives deep in the sugar-carrying tissue of a prickly cactus and appears to display only its tubular red flowers,[11] and the genus Arceuthobium (dwarf mistletoe; Santalaceae). has reduced photosynthesis; As an adult, it makes only a small portion of the sugars it needs from its own photosynthesis, but as a seedling it actively photosynthesizes until a connection with the host is made.

Some species in the largest family, Loranthaceae, have small, insect-pollinated flowers (as in Santalaceae), but others have spectacularly showy, large, bird-pollinated flowers.

Most mistletoe seeds are spread by birds, which eat the “seeds” (actually drupes). Of the many bird species that feed on them, the most well-known are the mistle thrush in Europe, the phainopepla in southwestern North America, and the dicaeum in Asia and Australia. Depending on the mistletoe and bird species, the seeds are spit out of the crop, excreted with the feces, or stuck to the beak from which the bird wipes them onto a suitable branch. The seeds are coated in a sticky material called viscin. Some viszin remains on the seed and when it touches a stalk it tenaciously sticks. The viscin soon hardens and firmly attaches the seed to its prospective host, where it germinates and its haustorium penetrates the healthy bark.[12]

Specialized mistletoe eaters have tweaks that speed up the process; some pass the seeds so quickly through their oddly shaped digestive tracts that pausing to defecate the seeds is part of the feeding routine. Others have adapted patterns of feeding behavior; The bird grabs the fruit in its beak and pushes the sticky seed out to the side. The seed sticks to the beak and the bird wipes it off on the branch.[13]

Biochemically, viscin is a complex adhesive mixture containing cellulose strands and mucopolysaccharides.[14]

Once a mistletoe plant is established on its host, it is usually possible to salvage a valuable branch by pruning and judiciously removing the haustorium-infested wood if the infection is caught early enough. Some mistletoe species can regenerate if pruning leaves haustorium alive in the wood.[15][16]

Toxicity [ edit ]

There are 1,500 species of mistletoe, and their toxicity to humans varies widely; European mistletoe (Viscum album) is more toxic than American mistletoe (Phoradendron serotinum), although toxicity concerns are more widespread in the US.[17] The effects are not usually fatal.[18] They are commonly used as an external medicine in parts of South Asia.[19] The active ingredients are phoratoxin (in Phoradendron) and tyramine (in Viscum) and their effects include blurred vision, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.[18] Less commonly, they cause heart problems; Seizures, high blood pressure and even cardiac arrest. Toxins are more concentrated in the leaves and berries of the plant, with teas made from the plant being particularly dangerous. While adults only have minor effects, these are more pronounced in young children and animals.[17]

Mistletoe has historically been used in medicine for its purported value in treating arthritis, hypertension, epilepsy and infertility.[20][19]

Ecological importance[ edit ]

Mistletoe is often viewed as a pest that kills trees and degrades natural habitats, but some species have recently been recognized as key ecological species, organisms that have a disproportionately pervasive impact on their community.[21] A wide range of animals depend on mistletoe for food, consuming the leaves and young shoots, transferring pollen between plants, and dispersing the sticky seeds. In western North America, their succulent berries are eaten and spread by birds (particularly phainopepla or silkworm), while in Australia the mistletoe behaves similarly. Some seeds pass through your digestive system unscathed when eaten; If the birds droppings land on a suitable branch, the seeds can remain attached long enough to germinate. As the plants mature, they grow into masses of branching stalks, hinting at the popular name “Witches’ Broom”.

The dense evergreen witches’ brooms formed by the dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium species) of western North America are also excellent roosting and nesting sites for the northern spotted owl and marmot. In Australia, the Diamond Firestarter and the Painted Honeyeater are found to nest in different mistletoe.

A study of mistletoe in juniper concluded that more juniper berries sprout in stands with mistletoe because the mistletoe attracts berry-eating birds that also eat juniper berries.[22]

Cultural significance[ edit ]

Mistletoe is relevant for several cultures. Pagan cultures viewed the white berries as symbols of male fertility, with the seeds resembling seeds.[23] The Celts, in particular, saw mistletoe as the seed of Taranis, while the ancient Greeks referred to mistletoe as “oak seed.”[24][25] In Roman mythology, too, mistletoe was used by the hero Aeneas to reach the underworld.[26][27]

Mistletoe may have played an important role in the ritual of the oak and mistletoe in Druidic mythology, although the only ancient writer to mention the use of mistletoe in this ceremony was Pliny. Evidence from bog bodies suggests that the Celtic use of mistletoe was medicinal rather than ritual.[28] It is possible that mistletoe was originally associated with human sacrifice and was associated with the white bull only after human sacrifice was banned by the Romans.[29]

The Romans associated mistletoe with peace, love and understanding and hung it over doors to protect the household.[30]

In the Christian era, mistletoe was associated with Christmas in the western world, as a decoration under which lovers were supposed to kiss and as a protection against witches and demons.[31] Mistletoe continued to be associated with fertility and vitality through the Middle Ages, and by the 18th century it was also being incorporated into Christmas celebrations around the world. The custom of kissing under the mistletoe is said to have been popular with servants in late 18th-century England.

The serving class of Victorian England is credited with carrying on the tradition.[34] Tradition dictated that a man was permitted to kiss any woman standing under a mistletoe, and that misfortune would befall any woman who refused the kiss.[35][36] A variation on the tradition held that with each kiss a berry should be plucked from the mistletoe and the kissing had to stop after all the berries had been removed.[34][36] According to reports, people have been poisoned and died from eating mistletoe.[37]

Since at least the mid-19th century, Caribbean herbalists of African descent have referred to mistletoe as “God’s bush.”[38] In Nepal, various mistletoes are used for various medicinal purposes, particularly to treat broken bones.[19]

Mistletoe is the floral symbol of the US state of Oklahoma and the flower of the British county of Herefordshire. Every year, the British town of Tenbury Wells hosts a mistletoe festival and crowns a “Mistletoe Queen.”[30]

One of the earliest references to mistletoe traditions in popular music is the 1952 hit “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,” originally sung by Jimmy Boyd and covered by many singers. The song was written by British songwriter Tommie Connor and recorded in the United States. The 1958 US hit “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” refers to couples who want to stop under the mistletoe. “Ring Out, Solstice Bells” from the album Songs from the Wood (1977) by the British rock group Jethro Tull refers to the druid ritual of Oak and Mistletoe. In 1988, British singer Cliff Richard released a popular Christmas carol called “Mistletoe and Wine”. More recent Christmas carols referencing mistletoe traditions are “Merry Christmas Everyone” by Shakin’ Stevens (1991), “All I Want For Christmas Is You” written and performed by Mariah Carey (1994), “Underneath the Mistletoe” written and performed by Sia (2017) and Justin Bieber’s “Mistletoe” (2011).[citation needed]

See also[edit]

Graphite is an excellent and flexible medium for field sketching. To get more out of your pencil, experiment with these key ideas.

Try a softer leash

Your pencil drawing will get better as you increase the range of values ​​(light to dark). The standard #2 or HB stylus is too hard to produce rich dark tones. Switch to a softer lead so you can push your dark values. I fill my mechanical pencils with 2B refill, a good standard.

Fill in tonal areas with a blunt pencil or chiseled point

It takes a long time to fill a mold with clay using a sharp pencil or a 0.5 or smaller mechanical pencil. Try a blunt pencil with a broader tip. As you draw with it, a surface is flattened into a chisel shape as you wear away the pen. Keep using that flat surface to fill in the shape rather than rotting the pen to the sharp edge. If you like using mechanical pencils, try a 0.7mm pencil for thicker lines. If you need to click the pen to advance the lead but still want to use the broad chiseled surface you created with your shading, maintain your grip and press the back of the pen against your chest.

Use a blend tool

Draw with your eraser

Use a paper blending tool to flatten and smooth tonal areas and “paint” light values ​​with graphite. The blending also creates a solid toned background against which you can erase positive shapes. What us to…

Use a kneaded eraser to lighten parts of your drawing without smudging. Try tapping or pressing the paper with the eraser to lift out graphite in a controlled manner. You can also draw in white elements with a fine-tipped eraser like the Mono Zero.

Protect your work with fixative

Drawing with soft lead makes your drawings more prone to smearing, especially if you use a spiral bound (as opposed to sewn bound) sketchbook. So spray your sketches with fixative regularly to preserve your work.

draw fog

Let’s see how these ideas come into play with a sketch of the rising fog in Yosemite Valley. Click on the first picture to start a step-by-step side tour.

Block in the basic shapes with graphite lines. Add a rich layer of soft graphite (2B or softer) that generally gets lighter as you return to space. Smooth the values ​​with a blend tool. Use the kneaded eraser to smear out graphite areas and create the effect of rising fog. Draw across the bottom of the fog areas where they meet the trees to indicate trees in front of the fog. Here I also darkened the midground ridge line and the sky. By drawing some trees prominently in the foreground, you trick the viewer into seeing all the small lines on the forest floor as trees. Don’t add details everywhere, let the viewer do some of the work.

You look at a blank sketchbook page and are at a loss for your next drawing idea… again. Whether you need a creative break in the day, a weekend project, or more drawing prompts to fill the pages, it can be a challenge to keep generating cool drawing ideas.

We’ve compiled a list of ideas, tips, and resources to boost your creativity regardless of your drawing experience – grab your tools now and get started.

Drawing ideas: people

Draw a caricature of yourself.

Represent yourself as a superhero.

Draw self-portraits from different perspectives. Try positioning a mirror from different angles.

Sketch your hands in different positions. Draw your feet.

Draw a close-up of the eye. Try your teeth. Study the ears of different people.

Draw a self-portrait of your reflection in a spoon.

Draw yourself twice your age.

Study and draw people in cafes, parks and public transport.

Get access to the full CreativeLive library and learn different drawing techniques to express your creativity. Learn more.

Drawing ideas: landscape/perspective

Draw the view out of a window.

Draw the clouds.

Capture the view from your car’s rearview mirror.

Play with perspective: look up under a bridge, between skyscrapers, or at the ceiling of an ornate building. Look down over an overpass, a cliff, or from a balcony.

Drawing ideas: imagination

Draw an object and give it a face.

Create an alternative cover for your favorite book or album.

Illustrate a scene from your favorite song.

Draw a scene or character from your favorite book.

Illustrate your favorite fairy tale.

Invent your own insects.

Draw an intricate imaginary flower. Make a bouquet out of it.

Design your own font.

Draw something true.

Draw something wrong.

Create your own game board.

Combine animals to create your own mythical creature.

Draw a scene from a dream you had.

Draw a home in space.

Play the exquisite corpse drawing game.

Fill the page with things with wheels.

Fill the page with things that float.

Fill the page with robots.

Combine two subjects that don’t belong together in the same scene.

Design your personal logo.

Divide a piece of paper into 6 sections and create a different pattern in each.

Ideas for drawing: still life

Draw a towel in different positions: crumpled, hanging, scattered on the floor.

Get a handful of utensils and throw them on the table. Draw them when they land.

Draw a still life using items from your fridge or pantry.

Draw the ingredients for your next meal before you prepare it.

Draw an old pair of shoes.

Draw a stack of unfolded laundry.

Draw a sliced ​​fruit or vegetable.

Draw the inside of your closet.

Draw your room before it is cleaned.

Draw the same still life three times, zooming in further each time.

Drawing Ideas: Weekly

Make 7 random doodles or shapes in your sketchbook. Complete each drawing over the course of a week.

Illustrate your to-do list for the week

Draw every meal you eat for a week

Choose a theme and illustrate it in a different way for 7 days.

Document the course of your week as a comic strip.

Get access to the full CreativeLive library and learn different drawing techniques to express your creativity. Learn more.

drawing exercises

Blind contour drawing: Without looking at your paper, draw any object, e.g. B. Your own hand, in one continuous line, without lifting your hand from the sheet. Grab a partner while taking blind contour portraits of each other.

Subtractive Drawing: Try charcoal. If you use it horizontally, shade your paper with an even gray value. Now “draw” with your eraser – erase the highlights of your subject.

Left & Right: Draw something with your dominant hand, then your non-dominant hand.

Everything Else: Draw the negative space around an object.

Upside down: Draw a portrait from an upside down photo.

Scenes from Memory: Sketch 3 scenes from your day from memory. Play with perspective and try every day.

Copy the Masters: Draw a painting of your favorite painter. Or go to a museum and draw works that you like.

360 degrees: Choose an object and draw its outline. Rotate the object slightly and draw the outline again. To repeat.

Minimalist: Draw something with as few lines as possible.

Get the basics straight: Gesture drawings are a great way to approach drawing the human body, capturing the basic shape of your subject in a casual way that often expresses emotion. Try to limit your time to 10-30 second gesture drawings.

Different Techniques: Try shading in different ways: hatch, crosshatch, stipple and more.

Light it up: Play with the lighting. Draw outdoors at different times of the day and indoors with multiple or single light sources from different angles.

Drawing Tips

Consider the following tips to improve your drawing skills:

Try different media

Pencil drawings are just the tip of the iceberg. Try charcoal, pastels, pencils, markers, crayons and Conte crayons. Experiment and mix media to find what brings out your best drawings.

Draw daily and at the right time

Don’t just wait until Inktober to get started. Find the time of day when you have the most creative energy and don’t waver from it. After the first week it will become routine.

Commit to a drawing series online

Tumblr and Instagram, among other platforms, offer daily drawing challenges (think Inktober, but year-round). Joining one of these and posting your drawings will increase your accountability and motivation. Not only do set themes give you direction and just the right amount of constraints to work within, you’ll also join a creative community that shares feedback.

How can you learn and improve your drawing skills?

For more drawing ideas, see the following resources:

Drawing Courses & Tutorials:

CreativeLive.com is full of drawing courses. Cash:

Additional Resources:

Drawing Ideas e-book by Mark Baskinger and William Bardel, Watson-Guptill Publications. Buy here.

Drawing: A Complete Guide (Paperback – Illustrated) by Giovanni Civardi. Buy from Amazon.

The Master’s Guide to Drawing Anime by Chris Hart. Buy from Amazon.

365 Days of Drawing by Lorna Scobie, Chronicle Books. Buy here.

Get access to the full CreativeLive library and learn different drawing techniques to express your creativity. Learn more.

Not to be confused with the witch’s broom, which is a growth of the host plant’s own tissue rather than a parasite in and of itself.

Not to be confused with mistletoe, the translation of compound airplane.

Common name for various parasitic plants growing on trees and shrubs

Viscum album) on an aspen (Populus tremula) European mistletoe () on an aspen (

Mistletoe in an apple tree

Mistletoe is the common name for obligate hemiparasitic plants in the order Santalales. They are attached to their host tree or shrub by a structure called a haustorium, through which they draw water and nutrients from the host plant.

The name mistletoe originally referred to the species Viscum album (European mistletoe, of the family Santalaceae in the order Santalales); It is the only species native to the British Isles and much of Europe. A separate species, Viscum cruciatum, occurs in southwestern Spain and southern Portugal and in Morocco in North and Southern Africa.[1] The genus Viscum is not native to North America, but Viscum album was introduced to northern California in 1900.[2][3]

European mistletoe has smooth-edged, oval, evergreen leaves borne in pairs along the woody stem, and waxy, white berries that it bears in clusters of two to six. Eastern North America mistletoe is similar but has shorter, broader leaves and longer clusters of 10 or more berries.

Native to North America, the eastern mistletoe, Phoradendron leucarpum, belongs to a separate genus in the family Santalaceae.

Over the centuries the term has been expanded to include many other species of parasitic plants with similar habits found in other parts of the world and classified into different genera and families, such as the Misodendraceae in Chile and Argentina and mainly in the southern Hemisphere Tropical Loranthaceae.

Etymology[ edit ]

The word “mistletoe” derives from the older form “mistle” and adds the Old English word tān (twig). ‘Mistel’ is common Germanic (Old High German mistil, Middle High German mistel, Old English mistel, Old Norse mistil).[4] Further etymology is uncertain but may be related to the Germanic base for “porridge”.[5]

Groups [ edit ]

Parasitism has evolved among vascular plants at least twelve times.[6] Molecular data show that the mistletoe habit evolved five times independently within the Santalales—first in the Misodendraceae, but also in the Loranthaceae, and three times in the Santalaceae (in the former Santalalean families Eremolepidaceae and Viscaceae and the phylum Amphorogyneae).[7 ]

The largest mistletoe family, the Loranthaceae, has 73 genera and over 900 species.[8] Subtropical and tropical climates have significantly more mistletoe species; Australia has 85, with 71 in Loranthaceae and 14 in Santalaceae.[9]

life cycle[edit]

Mistletoe species grow on a variety of host trees, some of which exhibit adverse effects such as reduced growth, stunting, and loss of affected outer branches. A heavy infestation can also kill the host plant. Viscum album successfully parasitizes more than 200 species of trees and shrubs.

mistletoe in winter

All mistletoe species are hemiparasites because they photosynthesize for a period of their life cycle. However, in some species its contribution is very close to zero. For example, some species such as Viscum minimum that parasitize succulents, usually species of Cactaceae or Euphorbiaceae, grow largely within the host plant, with little more than the flower and fruit emerging. Once they have germinated and attached to the host’s circulatory system, their photosynthesis is reduced to the point of insignificance.[10]

Most Viscaceae bear evergreen leaves that effectively photosynthesize, and photosynthesis also occurs in their green, fleshy stems. Some species, like Viscum capense, are adapted to semi-arid conditions and their leaves are stunted scales barely visible without detailed morphological study. Therefore, their photosynthesis and transpiration take place only in their stems, which limits their need for the host’s water supply, but also limits their uptake of carbon dioxide for photosynthesis. Accordingly, their contribution to the host’s metabolic balance becomes trivial, and the dormant parasite can turn quite yellow during its growth, having practically abandoned photosynthesis.[10]

At another extreme, other species have rich green leaves. Not only do they actively photosynthesize, but a heavy infestation of mistletoe plants can take over entire branches of the host tree, sometimes killing virtually the entire crown and replacing it with its own growth. In such a tree, the host is solely dependent on the supply of water and mineral nutrients as well as the physical support of the trunk. Such a tree can survive for years as a Viscum community; it resembles a completely unknown species unless you look closely, for its foliage does not look like that of a tree. An example of a species that behaves in this way is Viscum Continuum.[10]

A mistletoe seed germinates on the branch of a host tree or shrub and is independent of its host in its early stages of development. It usually has two or even four embryos, each of which produces its hypocotyl, which under the influence of light and gravity grows towards the host’s bark, possibly forming a mistletoe plant at a time in a clump. Possibly as an adjustment to steer the growing process away from the light, the glue on the seed tends to darken the rind. Upon contact with the bark, the hypocotyl penetrates it with only a rudimentary piece of root tissue at its tip, a process that can take a year or more. The plant is now dependent on its own photosynthesis. Only after it reaches the host’s conductive tissue can it begin to rely on the host for its needs. It later forms a haustorium that invades host tissues and deprives the host plant of water and nutrients.[10]

More-or-less obligatory species include the leafless quintral Tristerix aphyllus, which lives deep in the sugar-carrying tissue of a prickly cactus and appears to display only its tubular red flowers,[11] and the genus Arceuthobium (dwarf mistletoe; Santalaceae). has reduced photosynthesis; As an adult, it makes only a small portion of the sugars it needs from its own photosynthesis, but as a seedling it actively photosynthesizes until a connection with the host is made.

Some species in the largest family, Loranthaceae, have small, insect-pollinated flowers (as in Santalaceae), but others have spectacularly showy, large, bird-pollinated flowers.

Most mistletoe seeds are spread by birds, which eat the “seeds” (actually drupes). Of the many bird species that feed on them, the most well-known are the mistle thrush in Europe, the phainopepla in southwestern North America, and the dicaeum in Asia and Australia. Depending on the mistletoe and bird species, the seeds are spit out of the crop, excreted with the feces, or stuck to the beak from which the bird wipes them onto a suitable branch. The seeds are coated in a sticky material called viscin. Some viszin remains on the seed and when it touches a stalk it tenaciously sticks. The viscin soon hardens and firmly attaches the seed to its prospective host, where it germinates and its haustorium penetrates the healthy bark.[12]

Specialized mistletoe eaters have tweaks that speed up the process; some pass the seeds so quickly through their oddly shaped digestive tracts that pausing to defecate the seeds is part of the feeding routine. Others have adapted patterns of feeding behavior; The bird grabs the fruit in its beak and pushes the sticky seed out to the side. The seed sticks to the beak and the bird wipes it off on the branch.[13]

Biochemically, viscin is a complex adhesive mixture containing cellulose strands and mucopolysaccharides.[14]

Once a mistletoe plant is established on its host, it is usually possible to salvage a valuable branch by pruning and judiciously removing the haustorium-infested wood if the infection is caught early enough. Some mistletoe species can regenerate if pruning leaves haustorium alive in the wood.[15][16]

Toxicity [ edit ]

There are 1,500 species of mistletoe, and their toxicity to humans varies widely; European mistletoe (Viscum album) is more toxic than American mistletoe (Phoradendron serotinum), although toxicity concerns are more widespread in the US.[17] The effects are not usually fatal.[18] They are commonly used as an external medicine in parts of South Asia.[19] The active ingredients are phoratoxin (in Phoradendron) and tyramine (in Viscum) and their effects include blurred vision, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.[18] Less commonly, they cause heart problems; Seizures, high blood pressure and even cardiac arrest. Toxins are more concentrated in the leaves and berries of the plant, with teas made from the plant being particularly dangerous. While adults only have minor effects, these are more pronounced in young children and animals.[17]

Mistletoe has historically been used in medicine for its purported value in treating arthritis, hypertension, epilepsy and infertility.[20][19]

Ecological importance[ edit ]

Mistletoe is often viewed as a pest that kills trees and degrades natural habitats, but some species have recently been recognized as key ecological species, organisms that have a disproportionately pervasive impact on their community.[21] A wide range of animals depend on mistletoe for food, consuming the leaves and young shoots, transferring pollen between plants, and dispersing the sticky seeds. In western North America, their succulent berries are eaten and spread by birds (particularly phainopepla or silkworm), while in Australia the mistletoe behaves similarly. Some seeds pass through your digestive system unscathed when eaten; If the birds droppings land on a suitable branch, the seeds can remain attached long enough to germinate. As the plants mature, they grow into masses of branching stalks, hinting at the popular name “Witches’ Broom”.

The dense evergreen witches’ brooms formed by the dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium species) of western North America are also excellent roosting and nesting sites for the northern spotted owl and marmot. In Australia, the Diamond Firestarter and the Painted Honeyeater are found to nest in different mistletoe.

A study of mistletoe in juniper concluded that more juniper berries sprout in stands with mistletoe because the mistletoe attracts berry-eating birds that also eat juniper berries.[22]

Cultural significance[ edit ]

Mistletoe is relevant for several cultures. Pagan cultures viewed the white berries as symbols of male fertility, with the seeds resembling seeds.[23] The Celts, in particular, saw mistletoe as the seed of Taranis, while the ancient Greeks referred to mistletoe as “oak seed.”[24][25] In Roman mythology, too, mistletoe was used by the hero Aeneas to reach the underworld.[26][27]

Mistletoe may have played an important role in the ritual of the oak and mistletoe in Druidic mythology, although the only ancient writer to mention the use of mistletoe in this ceremony was Pliny. Evidence from bog bodies suggests that the Celtic use of mistletoe was medicinal rather than ritual.[28] It is possible that mistletoe was originally associated with human sacrifice and was associated with the white bull only after human sacrifice was banned by the Romans.[29]

The Romans associated mistletoe with peace, love and understanding and hung it over doors to protect the household.[30]

In the Christian era, mistletoe was associated with Christmas in the western world, as a decoration under which lovers were supposed to kiss and as a protection against witches and demons.[31] Mistletoe continued to be associated with fertility and vitality through the Middle Ages, and by the 18th century it was also being incorporated into Christmas celebrations around the world. The custom of kissing under the mistletoe is said to have been popular with servants in late 18th-century England.

The serving class of Victorian England is credited with carrying on the tradition.[34] Tradition dictated that a man was permitted to kiss any woman standing under a mistletoe, and that misfortune would befall any woman who refused the kiss.[35][36] A variation on the tradition held that with each kiss a berry should be plucked from the mistletoe and the kissing had to stop after all the berries had been removed.[34][36] According to reports, people have been poisoned and died from eating mistletoe.[37]

Since at least the mid-19th century, Caribbean herbalists of African descent have referred to mistletoe as “God’s bush.”[38] In Nepal, various mistletoes are used for various medicinal purposes, particularly to treat broken bones.[19]

Mistletoe is the floral symbol of the US state of Oklahoma and the flower of the British county of Herefordshire. Every year, the British town of Tenbury Wells hosts a mistletoe festival and crowns a “Mistletoe Queen.”[30]

One of the earliest references to mistletoe traditions in popular music is the 1952 hit “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,” originally sung by Jimmy Boyd and covered by many singers. The song was written by British songwriter Tommie Connor and recorded in the United States. The 1958 US hit “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” refers to couples who want to stop under the mistletoe. “Ring Out, Solstice Bells” from the album Songs from the Wood (1977) by the British rock group Jethro Tull refers to the druid ritual of Oak and Mistletoe. In 1988, British singer Cliff Richard released a popular Christmas carol called “Mistletoe and Wine”. More recent Christmas carols referencing mistletoe traditions are “Merry Christmas Everyone” by Shakin’ Stevens (1991), “All I Want For Christmas Is You” written and performed by Mariah Carey (1994), “Underneath the Mistletoe” written and performed by Sia (2017) and Justin Bieber’s “Mistletoe” (2011).[citation needed]

See also[edit]