Valley village under evening sunbeams, spire in frontCrepuscular rays are almost parallel; perspective makes them fan out. Rule every ray back to one hidden point.
Alpenglow on a peak at dusk above a dark hutAlpenglow is a reddish glow opposite the Sun once it has just set. Light the summit only; keep the valley one flat dark.
Arête between two valleys at noon, climber for scaleAn arête is a thin rock ridge between two valleys. A figure a few millimetres tall, staffage, makes it vast.
Cone volcano at sunset behind a bare treeStratovolcanoes are steep cones. One pale triangle far off, one dark tree at the side: the tree is your repoussoir.
Crater lake at noon from the rim, fence post in frontA crater lake fills a volcanic crater. From the rim the round lake foreshortens to an ellipse. Draw it right through.
Glacier with crevasses at dawn and a roped party crossingCrevasses are deep cracks in moving ice. Space them wide near you and tight far away: a texture gradient.
Hairpin road up a pass at sunrise past a signpostEach hairpin is shorter and thinner than the one below it. The zig-zag is your lead-in line, so narrow it fast.
Hanging valley waterfall at midday, footbridge belowA hanging valley sits higher than the main one, so its stream leaves as a fall. The tiny bridge sets the scale.
Karst towers in morning mist, fisherman's raft in frontMature karst can leave steep limestone towers. Mist hides their feet, so stack pale overlapping shapes with no bases.
Moraine ridge damming a lake at noon, tents pitched on itA moraine is debris a glacier carried and dropped. The tents give scale; the lake behind is a level sliver.
Peak mirrored in a still lake at blue hour, jetty in frontThe reflection sits straight below the peak and measures the same height. The jetty's planks converge on the horizon.
Scree slope under a cliff at dusk, one goat in frontScree is broken rock piled at a cliff's base. Draw separate stones near you and plain tone far off: texture gradient.
Sea of clouds below a summit at dawn, cairn in frontFrom above, the cloud top rolls like waves. Peaks break through as islands; overlap them and pale the far ones.
Snow cornice on a ridge at noon, ski tracks leading inA cornice is snow overhanging a ridge's edge. Two ski tracks converge toward it and pull the eye in.
Tarn in a cirque at first light, cairn on the shoreA tarn is a lake in a glacier-cut bowl. Its far shore is a thin ellipse; drop the cairn's reflection straight down.
Three mountain ridges at dawn behind one dark pineAerial perspective: distance cuts contrast and turns things bluish. Make each ridge paler than the one in front.
Tree line at dusk with one wind-bent pine close upPast the tree line no trees grow; near it, wind stunts and bends them. One bent pine near, dots of forest below.
U-shaped glacial valley at midday, boulder in frontGlaciers leave straight steep sides and a flat floor. Draw the boulder big and low; diminishing size does the rest.
Valley village under evening sunbeams, spire in frontCrepuscular rays are almost parallel; perspective makes them fan out. Rule every ray back to one hidden point.
Rivers, lakes and waterfalls 17
Braided river on a gravel plain at dawn, lone tent in frontA braided river splits round small islands called braid bars. Channels thin, flatten and merge toward the horizon.
Cypress bayou at dusk with a flat-bottomed boatA bayou is a very slow stream in flat, low country. Vertical trunks and vertical reflections; only the boat is level.
Frozen pond on a winter afternoon, skates on the bankA round pond seen from standing height is a flat ellipse. Put the skates large in a bottom corner to set the scale.
Geyser erupting at dawn, boardwalk leading inA geyser is a spring that erupts now and then with steam. The boardwalk's converging planks deliver the eye to it.
Kettle pond in a meadow at noon with a small wooden dockA kettle is a hollow left by a block of dead ice from a retreating glacier. The dock's edges aim at the horizon.
Meandering river at sunset from a hill, fence in frontAn S curve leads the eye in. Make each bend flatter and thinner than the last until the river is a bright thread.
Oxbow lake beside its river at midday, cow grazing in frontA U-shaped oxbow lake is left when a meander is cut off. From a hill the U flattens into a thin crescent.
Plunge waterfall at noon, figure on the rocks belowThe deep basin under a fall is its plunge pool. Keep the figure tiny and the fall one pale vertical stripe.
Poplar-lined canal at noon with a lock gate in frontOne-point perspective: both banks, the towpath and the tree tops all run to a single vanishing point on the horizon.
Rapids in a gorge in afternoon light, fallen log acrossRapids form where the bed steepens and the water speeds up. Overlap the gorge walls left, right, left, each paler.
Reed bed at dusk with a heron standing in frontDraw single stems round the heron, then let the reeds merge into a plain band of tone: a texture gradient.
Rippled lake at sunset with the sun's path on the waterThe glitter runs straight toward you from under the sun: a broken column, narrow at the horizon and wide at your feet.
River delta at sunset from the air, wing tip in the cornerA delta is typically triangular, built from dropped sediment. Channels branch like a tree; the wing tip frames it.
Stepping stones across a stream at midday, first stone hugeEqual stones shrink and bunch together as they cross. That is diminishing size, and it measures the stream for you.
Still lake at dawn with a rowing boat tied to a postA post and its reflection make one straight line, equal above and below the waterline. Keep the horizon low.
Waterfall dropping in three steps in forest shade, ferns in frontEach step is shorter and paler than the one below it. The ferns are dark and detailed; the top fall is barely drawn.
Weir on a slow river at dawn, willow on the near bankA weir is a low barrier across a river. Hang the willow down one side as a repoussoir and keep the weir line level.
Coasts, cliffs and islands 16
Basalt column shore at dusk with a wave breakingCooling lava can crack into polygonal columns. Their tops are polygons near you and flat slivers further off.
Coastal dunes with marram grass at evening, fence half buriedMarram grass grows on coastal dunes. The fence posts shrink, close up and sink into the sand as they recede.
Fjord at dawn with a rowing boat on the near shoreA fjord is a long, narrow sea inlet with steep sides cut by a glacier. Overlap the walls left and right, paling each.
Headlands receding along a coast at dusk, grass in frontA headland is a high point of land pushing into the sea. Stack four of them, each smaller, paler and less detailed.
Iceberg at midday with a small boat beside itTypically about one-tenth of an iceberg shows above water. The boat gives scale; hint at the pale mass below.
Lagoon behind a barrier island at dawn, palm on the near shoreA lagoon is shallow water cut off from the sea by a reef or barrier island. Set the horizon high to show its shape.
Lighthouse on a headland at blue hour, bench in frontBlue hour is twilight with the Sun well below the horizon. Three flat tones: dark land, mid sky, one bright lamp.
Low island on the horizon at sunrise, buoy in frontPut the horizon a quarter of the way up and let the sky have the rest. Clouds get smaller and flatter toward it.
Mudflats at sunset with a line of mooring postsMudflats are left bare between tides. Wet mud mirrors the sky, and the evenly spaced posts shrink and close up.
Salt marsh creeks at low tide at dawn, stranded boat in frontA salt marsh floods with each tide. Its creeks zig-zag away, and every turn is thinner and flatter than the last.
Sand spit curving into a bay at noon, seen from a duneA spit is a sand bar built out from the shore by longshore drift. Let its curve sweep the eye from corner to centre.
Sea arch at midday with a kayak passing throughWhen a sea cave erodes right through a headland it leaves an arch. The kayak in the opening tells you how big.
Sea cave mouth from inside at sunset, figure on the sandWaves cut sea caves. From inside, the dark walls frame the view on every side, so the bright opening does the work.
Sea cliffs at noon with a clifftop path and one walkerA walker a few millimetres high gives the cliff its height. Figures used this way in a landscape are called staffage.
Sea stack at sunset with a gull on a rock in frontA stack is a steep column of rock left standing in the sea by wave erosion. Draw it contre-jour, as a flat dark shape.
Tombolo to a small island in low sun, bicycle in frontA tombolo is a sand or shingle bar that ties an island to the mainland. It is a ready-made lead-in line: taper it.
Deserts, canyons and plains 17
Alluvial fan below a canyon mouth at dawn, shrubs in frontSediment fans outwards from a narrow canyon mouth. Draw the fan as part of a low cone, with curved contour arcs.
Badlands at evening with a dry creek bed leading inBadlands are soft rock cut into steep gullies with little growing on them. Low sun gives every rib a cast shadow.
Canyon from the rim at dawn, twisted juniper in frontThe juniper is your repoussoir. Behind it the walls overlap in turn, each paler, and the rock layers stay level.
Crescent dune at sunrise with footprints leading inA barchan is a crescent dune whose two horns point downwind. Light the long slope, shade the steep slip face.
Desert rock arch at sunset framing a distant mesaA natural arch is rock with an opening worn through it. Use it as a dark frame and keep the mesa inside it pale.
Dry wadi at midday with a stranded tree trunk in frontA wadi is a riverbed that usually holds water only after heavy rain. Its banks wind away as an S curve of shadow.
Grass steppe at noon under a big sky, lone yurt in frontA steppe is a grassy plain with no closed forest. Give the sky four-fifths; clouds shrink and flatten near the horizon.
Hoodoos at sunrise with a trail winding between themA hoodoo is a tall thin spire under a cap of harder stone. Near ones show cap and neck; far ones are just strokes.
Inselberg on a plain at sunrise behind one acaciaAn inselberg is a lone rock hill rising abruptly from a level plain. Put the horizon low and the tree to one side.
Mesa at noon behind a roadside cactusA mesa is a flat-topped hill with steep sides under a cap of harder rock. Rule the top level; the cactus frames it.
Oasis at dusk with date palms and a well in frontAn oasis is a fertile patch in a desert. Dark palms against pale dunes: the value contrast gives you the depth.
Salt flat at noon with one bicycle parked on itA salt flat is the white crust left when a pool evaporates. With nothing to overlap, the horizon line is everything.
Sand sea at dusk with a camel train on a crestAn erg is a broad sea of wind-swept sand. Overlap crest behind crest, and keep the camels tiny for scale.
Slot canyon at midday with a shaft of light on the sandSlot canyons are often more than ten times deeper than wide. Curving walls overlap; save white for the one shaft.
Straight desert highway at noon, mile marker in frontOne-point perspective. Both road edges and the centre line meet at a single vanishing point on the horizon.
Two buttes at sunset with a fence post in frontA butte is smaller than a mesa: steep sides and a small flat top. Draw both contre-jour, as flat dark shapes.
Yardangs at sunset with long shadows and one walkerYardangs are wind-carved ridges, three or more times as long as wide. They lie parallel, so they converge.
Fields, hills and farmland 17
Avenue of trees at noon with a cyclist halfway downAn avenue is a straight road between two rows of trees. Trunks, crowns and verges share one vanishing point.
Drumlin field at evening with a farm track winding throughDrumlins are egg-shaped hills moulded by ice; a swarm is called basket of eggs country. Overlap the humps.
Dry stone wall climbing a hill at dusk, gate in frontDry stone walls hold together without mortar. The wall is a lead-in line that also maps each dip in the ground.
Escarpment edge at sunset over a plain, bench in frontAn escarpment is a long steep slope between two levels. From the top the horizon sits high and the plain is bands.
Hedged fields from a hilltop at noon, stile in frontHedgerows mark field edges. Seen from above, each field is a flatter sliver than the last as they near the horizon.
Hill town above olive terraces at evening, cypress in frontThe cypress is a repoussoir down one side. Houses are plain boxes, lit on one face, climbing and overlapping.
Limestone pavement at noon with a wind-bent hawthornBare limestone cut by cracks into blocks, like paving. The cracks converge, and the blocks flatten with distance.
Ploughed field at dawn with furrows running to a barnFurrows are parallel, so they converge on one vanishing point. Put that point where the barn stands.
Polder canal at dawn with a windmill far offA polder is low land enclosed by dikes. Dead flat: a level horizon, ruled ditches that converge, a huge sky.
Rice terraces at sunrise, farmer on the nearest wallTerraces step down a slope like a staircase. Each flooded paddy mirrors the sky, and each wall follows a contour.
Ridge and furrow pasture in low winter sun, sheep grazingMedieval ploughing left long ridges and troughs. Low sun stripes them with cast shadow, which bends over each rise.
Round hay bales at sunset with one bale close upThe bales are one size, so their shrinking measures the field. Long cast shadows all lie in the same direction.
Sunflower field at noon with one flower head close upA texture gradient: one head drawn fully, a dozen simplified behind it, then dots, then a flat band of tone.
Tor on a moor at dusk with a pony in frontA tor is a free-standing rock outcrop on a rounded hilltop. Dark pony, mid-tone moor, pale tor: three value steps.
Vineyard rows at golden hour, crate of grapes in frontGolden hour light is redder and softer than midday light. Rows converge, and long shadows stripe the ground.
Wheat field under a storm sky, dirt track leading inThe usual values flip: the sky is darker than the land. Let the pale track cut into the field as your lead-in.
Windbreak of poplars across flat fields, tractor in frontA windbreak is a row of trees planted to shelter crops. On flat land it is a band of verticals on the horizon.
Forests, snow and ice 15
Autumn woodland pond at noon with a leaf-strewn bankTrunks reflect straight down. Break each reflection with a few level strokes where floating leaves sit.
Bare winter trees on a ridge at sunsetContre-jour again. Draw the ridge and trees as one dark shape against the light, with no detail inside it.
Birch grove at midday with a fallen trunk in frontNearer trunks are wider and start lower on the page. Overlap them, and run the fallen trunk back into the grove.
Boardwalk through a bog at dawn, cotton grass in frontPlanks are equal, so they thin and crowd together as the boardwalk runs toward its vanishing point.
Forest clearing at dusk with a cabin, woodpile in frontDark woodpile, mid-tone cabin, pale sky gap above the trees. Three value steps carry you from front to back.
Forest path in morning fog with one trunk close upFog is aerial perspective turned up. Near trunk dark and detailed, next ones grey, the furthest barely there.
Frozen waterfall in a gorge in the afternoon, ice climber on itHanging ice is a curtain of vertical strokes. The climber, no taller than a fingernail, sets the height.
Giant conifer trunks at midday with a hiker at the baseLook up: the trunks lean in toward a vanishing point overhead. The hiker at the base is your staffage.
Pollarded willows along a ditch at winter dawnPollarding cuts a tree's upper branches, so it grows a dense head of shoots. Knobbly fists on posts, shrinking.
Snow-covered field at noon with a single line of tracksAlmost blank paper. The tracks start wide apart at your feet and close to a dotted thread: that is the depth.
Snowdrift against a fence at sunrise with long shadowsWind sculpts a drift like a dune against anything that stands still. Long cast shadows slide over its curve.
Snowy pine forest edge at dusk with a fence in frontThree tones: white ground, mid-grey sky, dark band of trees. The fence posts shrink toward the wood.
Sunbeams through a forest canopy at dawn, ferns in frontThe beams are parallel, but perspective fans them out from the sun. Lift them out of a mid-tone with an eraser.
Taiga skyline at blue hour with a frozen lake in frontTaiga is conifer forest, mostly pines, spruces and larches. One jagged dark band between pale lake and sky.
Tundra with patterned ground at midnight sun, antler in frontFreezing and thawing sort tundra soil into geometric shapes. Foreshorten them until they are thin slivers.
How it works
These landscape drawing ideas are whole set-ups, not loose nouns: a landform, a time of day and one object for the foreground. Each of the 100 hints names the depth trick the scene practises, from aerial perspective to a repoussoir, and the landform terms were checked against Wikipedia. Tick a scene once it is drawn and the page keeps your list.
Read the full guide
Every scene practises one way of making depth
Flat paper gets depth from a short list of tricks, and each hint names one. Overlap shapes. Shrink equal things, such as fence posts, as they recede. Run parallel lines to a vanishing point. Pale the distance, which is aerial perspective. Park a dark tree at one edge as a repoussoir. Add a tiny figure for scale. As landscape sketch ideas they fit into ten minutes.
Six kinds of country and three levels
The 30 easy scenes are two or three flat tones, such as Sea stack at sunset with a gull on a rock in front. The 28 hard ones stack many planes or put a pattern into perspective. For acrylic landscape painting ideas, tap Deserts, canyons and plains: mesas and buttes are flat bands of opaque colour. Landform and level combine: Coasts, cliffs and islands plus Easy holds five.
Thumbnail first. Draw three matchbox-sized boxes, three tones each, and move the horizon every time. Enlarge the best.
Squint at the drawing. If foreground, middle ground and distance merge into one grey, darken the front and pale the back.
They double as scenery painting ideas: block in the sky first, work forward plane by plane, and paint the foreground object last.
Questions and answers
Which scenes suit a beginner?
Try Straight desert highway at noon, mile marker in front, which is three ruled lines meeting at a point, or Two buttes at sunset with a fence post in front, a pair of flat dark shapes against a pale sky. Both need only line and one flat tone.
Do the set-ups work in charcoal, pastel or paint?
Yes. A set-up is a composition, so as landscape art ideas they work in pencil, charcoal, ink, pastel or paint. Charcoal suits the fog and mist scenes, where edges dissolve. In colour, follow the rule in the hints: distance makes things paler and bluer.
What is the difference between a mesa and a butte?
Size and proportion. A mesa is a flat-topped hill with steep sides under a cap of harder rock, and a butte is smaller. By a geographers' rule of thumb a mesa's top is wider than the hill is tall, and a butte's top is narrower. Draw the mesa as a table and the butte as a post.