When drawing a landscape, it is important to remember that objects become LIGHTER and BLURRIER as they get further away. They become DARKER and CLEARER in the foreground.

Let's sketch these misty cliffs of Ireland and try to remember this principle as we do.

Supplies:

Willow or vine charcoal
Compressed black charcoal
Charcoal pencil
Kneaded eraser
Charcoal paper
White pastel
Ruler (not in kits)
" Ireland Cliffs" Photo Reference (see below)

1. Using the vine or willow charcoal, sketch the shapes of the cliffs. Start with the one in the front, and work your way back. Make sure that they get smaller as they get further away.

2. Using a ruler and charcoal pencil, lightly
draw the horizon line to the right of the cliffs.

3. Using the white pastel, lightly color in all the parts of the scene that are misty. This includes the sky, the four back cliffs and most of the water.

4. Using a clean finger, smudge the white
pastel without messing up the charcoal drawing.

5. Using the charcoal pencil, fill in the cliffs, starting with the smallest one. Use the pointy tip of the pencil, not the side. Keep your strokes even and light. Make the smallest one the lightest, then next one a little darker, and so on.

6. When filling in the middle cliff, add some
darker areas as you see them on the photo
reference.

7. When filling in the second cliff from the left, make it about the same darkness as the middle one. Add shadows where indicated on the photo.

8. Using the SIDE of the compressed charcoal, evenly fill in the front cliff. Do not smudge.

9. Using the photo as a guide, add dark
shadows using the side of the compressed
charcoal.

10. Using the white pastel, add highlights to each of the cliffs where indicated. Use short, firm strokes.

11. Using the tip of the white pastel, draw in the white waves in the water. Look at the photo! Don't make these up!

12. Using the tip of the charcoal pencil, lightly
add some darker areas to the water where
indicated on the photo. Use short, light strokes.