Turning Landscapes into Sketches: Skies, Hills and Water

Landscapes and sketch effects are a natural match. Artists have drawn hills, trees and skies for centuries. Some landscape photos suit the treatment better than others.

What works well

• Strong shapes: a lone tree, a mountain ridge, a winding road.
• Layers: foreground, middle ground and background, each with its own tone.
• Clear edges: a horizon, a shoreline, a fence.
• Interesting sky: dramatic clouds add tone and texture.
• Good light: early morning or late afternoon gives long shadows.

What can be tricky

• Flat, grey light with little contrast.
• Very busy scenes, such as dense forest, that become a mass of marks.
• Overexposed skies, which lose detail.

Shooting tips

1. Shoot in the golden hours, soon after sunrise or before sunset.
2. Include a foreground element such as a rock, fence or path for depth.
3. Keep the horizon level.
4. Place the horizon on a third, giving emphasis to either the sky or the land.
5. Expose for the sky if it's the star, so clouds keep detail.
6. Look for simple compositions.

Skies

Clouds have wonderful shapes and tones, and sketch effects can bring them out. A clear blue sky gives little to draw, so it often stays as blank paper.

Water

• Still water with reflections gives symmetrical, graphic images.
• Moving water may turn into flowing texture.
• Waves and ripples create patterns.

Trees and foliage

Bare trees in winter make elegant line drawings. Dense summer foliage gives heavy texture. Choose according to the look you want.

Hills and mountains

Layers of hills fading into the distance create a lovely sense of depth, with lighter tones for distant ridges.

Colour or black and white?

• Black and white or pencil-like effects emphasise shape and tone.
• Colour sketch effects keep the mood of a sunset or autumn scene.

Try both, and see which suits the scene.

Printing

Landscape sketches make attractive wall art. Use a high-resolution original if you plan to print.

Practice

Take a few photos on your next walk, choosing scenes with clear shapes. Applying an effect to each teaches you what works.

Try Color Photo Sketch →