Drawing hills can be a great way to hone your drawing skills and create beautiful nature scenes. This step-by-step guide will help you create stunning hill drawings that are full of details and textures.
Materials
Before you begin, gather the following materials:
- Pencil
- Eraser
- Drawing paper
- Optional: Charcoal, colored pencils or watercolors
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Sketch the Basic Shapes
Begin by making a light sketch of the basic shapes of the hills. Use simple shapes like circles, ovals, or triangles to get the basic structure in place.
Step 2: Add More Details
Add more layers of shapes to form the scenery of hills. Try experimenting with curves, bends, and slopes to add realism.
Step 3: Sketch the Horizon Line
A horizon line is a straight line that separates the ground and sky in a drawing. Sketch a light line near the top of your paper to create a horizontal line.
Step 4: Draw Trees and Shrubs
Add trees and bushes to the hills to give them depth and dimension. It is great to use a reference of various plants to give you an idea of how to draw it accurately.
Step 5: Add Textures
Add textures by shading the hills with your pencil. Start with a light touch and work your way with darker tones. Make sure to use your eraser to highlight and draw clouds over the hilltops.
Step 6: Detail the Foreground and Background
To create depth, add more detail to the foreground of the scene. Use a darker tone of pencil to fill in the sides of the hills closest to the viewer. Diminish the details and lighten the pencil tone to finish off the distant hills, adding more layers of scenery to form the layers of hills.
Step 7: Touch up with Charcoal, Colored Pencils or Watercolors
For added dimensions, use charcoal, colored pencils, or watercolors to make the hills’ edges crisp and give the scene an atmospheric effect.
Helpful Tips
- Use a sharp pencil to make lines more precise
- Use your visual memory or reference pictures of hills
- Shade lightly at first and gradually build up tone to avoid overdoing it
- Use your eraser to create highlights and clouds
- Experiment with different types of lines to create varied textures in your hills
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of paper should I use?
A thick drawing paper that is acid-free and durable would be the best material to use for ink drawing.
Do I need to use charcoal to add texture?
No, you can achieve textured effects with only graphite pencils, so it isn’t necessary to use charcoal.
Can I draw hills without a reference picture?
Absolutely! Try looking at pictures for inspiration and use your creative abilities to make it your own.
How should I shade the hills?
Start with a light grade of pencil and build up the tone gradually. Try to focus on the direction you want the light source to come from and shade accordingly.
Do I have to be good at drawing to draw hills?
No – hills are a great option for practising and honing your drawing skills.
Should I use color pencils on top of graphite pencils?
Yes, color pencils work well on top of graphite pencils to add life to your drawing and an impressive finish.
Conclusion
With this guide, you should be able to create beautiful hill drawings. Keep in mind to take your time, practice as often as you can, experiment with new techniques, and have fun.