Best examples of techniques for sketching landscapes

Quick examples of techniques for sketching landscapes you can try today

Let’s start with the fun part: real examples of techniques for sketching landscapes that you can test in a single sitting. No fancy gear, no art-school jargon.

Imagine you’re sitting on a park bench with a pencil and a small sketchbook. In front of you: a tree line, a path, a couple of benches, and some distant buildings. Here are a few example of techniques you might use on that exact scene:

You lightly block in big shapes first: the general mass of trees, the rectangle of the path, the rough shape of the skyline. No details yet, just ghostly outlines.
You then add a few darker strokes along the path edges to suggest perspective, making lines converge as they move away from you.
In the distance, you keep lines soft and light to imply haze, while nearby benches get darker, crisper lines.

Right there you’ve already used shape blocking, linear perspective, and atmospheric perspective—three core examples of techniques for sketching landscapes that show up in almost every strong outdoor sketch.

Classic examples of techniques for sketching landscapes (and how to use them)

To make this practical, let’s walk through specific, real examples of how artists use different techniques when sketching landscapes. Think of each technique as a tool in a toolbox; you’ll mix and match them depending on the scene in front of you.

1. Gesture sketching to capture the “energy” of the land

Gesture sketching is fast, loose, and messy—in a good way. Instead of worrying about details, you’re trying to capture the movement and flow of the scene.

Real example: You’re watching waves crash on a rocky shore. Instead of carefully outlining each rock, you:

Use sweeping, curved lines to show the direction of the waves.
Add jagged, angular strokes to suggest the rocks.
Keep your pencil moving constantly for 30–60 seconds per sketch.

This kind of sketch might look wild, but it helps you understand the overall rhythm of the landscape. Many art schools encourage this approach early on because it trains your eye to see big shapes and motion before details—something also emphasized in foundational drawing courses at places like the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD Continuing Education).

2. Contour and silhouette drawing for strong, readable shapes

Some of the best examples of techniques for sketching landscapes start with silhouettes. If your landscape looks good as a flat outline, it’s far more likely to work once you add shading and texture.

Real example: You’re sketching a group of pine trees against the evening sky.

First, you draw the outer edge of the tree masses as a single, interesting shape.
You avoid drawing every branch; instead, you focus on the overall jagged, triangular silhouette.
You fill in the tree mass with a medium value, leaving the sky almost blank.

By treating trees as big shapes instead of fussy details, your sketch reads clearly from a distance. This is a classic example of techniques for sketching landscapes used by plein air painters and urban sketchers alike.

3. Value blocking to organize light and shadow

Landscapes can feel overwhelming because there’s so much stuff: grass, rocks, clouds, leaves, buildings, people. Value blocking helps you simplify all of that into just a few tones: light, medium, and dark.

Real example: You’re sketching a canyon at midday.

You lightly mark where the sunlit cliffs are—these stay mostly white paper.
You use the side of your pencil to shade the shadowed cliff faces into a medium gray.
Deep cracks and overhangs get a darker, stronger value.

Suddenly the canyon pops. You didn’t draw every rock; you just organized light and dark. Many drawing courses, such as those at MIT OpenCourseWare, stress this idea of simplifying values first, details later.

4. Atmospheric perspective to show depth

When you look at distant mountains, they appear lighter, bluer, and softer than nearby objects. That effect—atmospheric perspective—is one of the best examples of techniques for sketching landscapes that instantly create depth.

Real example: You’re sketching a mountain range from a lookout point.

The closest hill is drawn with darker, sharper lines and more texture.
The middle hills are a bit lighter, with fewer details.
The farthest peaks are just faint, soft outlines with almost no texture.

You’ve used nothing but line weight and value, but the viewer immediately feels distance. This approach mirrors what you’ll see discussed in many art and design programs, such as landscape-focused courses referenced by institutions like Harvard’s Graduate School of Design.

5. Line weight and texture for trees, rocks, and water

Once you’ve got your big shapes and values, you can bring life to your sketch with varied line weight and texture.

Real example: You’re sketching along a river.

For the water, you use horizontal, slightly wavy lines, lighter in the distance and darker near the foreground.
For rocks, you use short, angular strokes and a bit of cross-hatching to suggest rough surfaces.
For tree bark, you use vertical, broken lines that vary in thickness.

These are small, specific examples of techniques for sketching landscapes where the type of line suggests the type of surface. Rough, jagged lines read as stone; smooth, flowing lines read as water; vertical broken strokes read as bark.

6. Thumbnail sketches to explore composition

Before committing to a full-page drawing, many artists create tiny, quick thumbnails—small sketches that test different compositions.

Real example: You’re at the Grand Canyon with limited time.

You make three tiny sketches, each about 2 inches wide.
In one, the horizon line is high, focusing on the canyon.
In another, the horizon is low, emphasizing the sky and clouds.
In the third, you place a railing and a person in the foreground to create a sense of scale.

These thumbnails are powerful examples of techniques for sketching landscapes that save time and prevent frustration. They let you experiment with layout before you invest energy in details.

Modern examples of techniques for sketching landscapes (2024–2025 trends)

Landscape sketching hasn’t stayed stuck in the past. In 2024–2025, artists are blending traditional techniques with digital tools and new habits.

Using digital sketching apps as practice labs

Many artists now use tablets or phones for quick landscape studies. The core ideas are the same—gesture, value, perspective—but digital tools make it easier to experiment.

Real example: You’re riding a train and using a tablet app.

You capture the passing fields with quick gesture strokes on one layer.
On another layer, you add value blocking to separate sky, land, and trees.
You toggle layers on and off to see how each technique affects the sketch.

Even if your goal is traditional pencil sketching, this digital practice gives you fast, low-pressure examples of techniques for sketching landscapes that you can later repeat on paper.

Urban landscapes and mixed environments

Another 2024–2025 trend: more artists are sketching hybrid landscapes—half nature, half city. Think: a river with a freeway overpass, or a park framed by skyscrapers.

Real example: You’re sketching a city park with a skyline.

You use gesture lines for the organic curves of trees and paths.
You switch to straight, ruler-like lines (drawn freehand) for buildings.
You use atmospheric perspective to soften buildings in the distance while keeping the nearest lamp post crisp.

These mixed scenes give you some of the best examples of techniques for sketching landscapes because they force you to handle both organic and geometric forms in one drawing.

Layering multiple techniques in a single landscape sketch

The strongest sketches rarely rely on just one trick. They’re built from layered approaches. Let’s walk through a full, step-by-step example of techniques for sketching landscapes combined in one scene.

Scenario: You’re at a lakeside lookout with mountains in the distance and trees in the foreground.

Gesture pass: You start with loose lines to mark the general sweep of the shoreline, the slope of the mountains, and the cluster of trees. You’re not worried about accuracy yet; you’re just catching the “feel” of the scene.
Big shapes and composition: You refine the major shapes—the lake as a wide, horizontal shape; the mountain range as a zigzag line; the trees as vertical masses. You adjust the horizon line to sit around one-third from the top of the page to keep the composition interesting.
Value blocking: You decide the mountains will be medium value, the trees darker, and the lake mostly light with a few darker reflections. You shade broad areas with the side of your pencil.
Atmospheric perspective: You lighten the farthest mountain range with a kneaded eraser or softer strokes, and you keep the nearest trees darkest and most detailed.
Texture and line weight: You add broken, vertical lines to the trees, horizontal ripples to the lake, and a few diagonal strokes on the mountain faces.
Final accents: You darken a few key edges—like the shoreline and the nearest tree trunks—to guide the viewer’s eye.

This single drawing includes multiple real examples of techniques for sketching landscapes: gesture, composition planning, value blocking, atmospheric perspective, and textural line work.

Practical tips: turning examples into your own landscape sketches

Seeing examples is one thing; turning them into your own habits is another. Here are a few ways to make these examples of techniques for sketching landscapes stick.

Work from life whenever you can

Photographs flatten space and compress values, which can make learning harder. When possible, sketch outdoors or from a window. Even short sessions—10 to 15 minutes—build skills quickly.

Organizations like the National Park Service often encourage sketching and journaling as part of nature programs, because the act of drawing forces you to notice details you’d otherwise ignore.

Limit your tools to sharpen your technique

Instead of carrying a full art kit, try this:

One pencil (HB or 2B)
One small sketchbook
One eraser (optional)

By limiting your tools, you’re nudged to rely on the examples of techniques for sketching landscapes you’ve learned—gesture, value, perspective—rather than fancy supplies.

Re-draw the same view in different ways

Pick a single view—a tree outside your home, a nearby hill, a street corner—and sketch it multiple times, each time focusing on a different example of technique:

One sketch focusing only on silhouettes.
One focusing on value blocking.
One focusing on texture and line weight.

This kind of repetition is similar to practice methods recommended in art education and skill learning research referenced by universities such as Stanford, where varied, repeated practice is shown to build stronger skills over time.

FAQ: examples of techniques for sketching landscapes

Q: What are some simple examples of techniques for sketching landscapes for beginners?
Some easy starting points include gesture sketching to capture the overall flow of hills or trees, contour drawing to outline big shapes like mountains or buildings, and basic value blocking to separate light and dark areas. A very simple example of this would be sketching a single tree line: first draw the outline, then shade the tree mass slightly darker than the sky, and finally add a few darker strokes at the base to anchor it.

Q: Can you give an example of using just one pencil to show depth in a landscape?
Yes. Imagine a road disappearing into the distance. Draw the nearest part of the road with darker, thicker lines and more texture (cracks, stones). As the road recedes, make your lines lighter, thinner, and closer together. This single-pencil approach is one of the best examples of techniques for sketching landscapes that feel three-dimensional.

Q: Are digital sketches good practice, or should I only work on paper?
Digital sketches are absolutely valid practice. You can apply the same examples of techniques for sketching landscapes—gesture, value, atmospheric perspective—on a tablet. Many artists sketch digitally on the go, then use what they’ve learned when they switch back to traditional media.

Q: How do I practice examples of techniques for sketching landscapes if I don’t live near mountains or forests?
Any outdoor scene counts as a landscape: a backyard, a parking lot with trees, a city street with a sliver of sky. You can practice silhouettes with rooftops, value blocking with shadows on buildings, and atmospheric perspective with rows of streetlights fading into the distance.

Q: What’s one example of a daily exercise to improve my landscape sketches?
Choose one small view—out a window, from a porch, or in a park—and give yourself five minutes to sketch it using only big shapes and three values (light, medium, dark). Repeat this with different views throughout the week. These quick exercises turn abstract ideas into concrete, personal examples of techniques for sketching landscapes you’ll remember.

Real-world examples of techniques for sketching landscapes