How to Draw Water with a Pencil
Drawing a realistic-looking drawing of water takes skill, patience, and imagination. Fortunately, a pencil is all you need to start sketching. With just a few simple techniques, anyone can create a water drawing that looks breathtakingly real.
First, figure out your composition. Where do you want the water to be? On the shoreline? In a lake? The overall composition you’re working with will really determine how you approach sketching the water.
Then, take your pencil and draw the basic outline of the water. If you’re sketching a lake or a body of water, use the side of your pencil’s lead for a long curving line. You can also shaded lines here and there to create the illusion of rippling water. Pay attention to the lights and shadows on the surface of the water too – use the shaded side of your pencil to highlight the shadows and the lighter side of your pencil’s lead to depict the lights.
For drawing the perfect sea, use a combination of short, long, and curved lines, letting them overlap at different lengths and angles. This will create a realistic look. If your water drawing is going to be more of a seascape, pay attention to the horizon line, making sure it looks natural.
To create some depth in your water drawing, add some rocks jutting out of the surface. Make sure that you add shadows to the object as well – a few shadows here and there will really make the rocks stand out. If you’re drawing a shoreline, add some small waves and ripples around the rocks.
Another important technique is to draw small circles of white highlighting the water. This will create a shimmering effect that looks incredibly realistic when done properly.
If you’re feeling a bit daring, you can take your drawing one step farther and add some droplets. A few tiny circles of white near the surface of the water will look like little water droplets, adding a touch of realism to your drawing.
One last detail you should consider is color. Using colored pencils will help accentuate the details you drawn with your lead pencil. Blue, green, and brown all look great when used as water-coloring accents.
So, there you have it. With just a few simple techniques, anyone can draw water with a pencil. Now, grab a pencil and start drawing your own beautiful water creations!
