Sketching Long Shadows and Warm Highlights: Capturing Late Summer Light

One of the most magical aspects of late summer is the golden hour – that fleeting time when shadows grow long and the world is bathed in warm, glowing light. For artists and sketchers, capturing these effects can elevate your work with atmosphere and mood. Here’s how to sketch long shadows and warm highlights effectively.

Why Long Shadows and Warm Highlights Matter

Long shadows add depth, contrast, and directionality to your sketches, while warm highlights bring in a sense of light, time, and temperature. Together, they create a compelling narrative of the time of day and season in your artwork.

Tips for Sketching Long Shadows

1. Observe Shadow Shapes

   Notice how shadows stretch across surfaces. They are often distorted versions of their objects, becoming longer and more abstract as the sun lowers.

   

2. Use Confident Lines

   Draw shadow edges with confident, clean lines to define their shape clearly in your sketch.

3. Simplify Values

   Reduce shadow areas into a single value block rather than shading every nuance. This keeps your sketch bold and readable.

   

4. Think About Direction

   Make sure all shadows align with the light source. In late afternoon or early evening, shadows will typically angle sharply.

Tips for Adding Warm Highlights

1. Choose Warm Tones

   Use colors like yellow ochre, raw sienna, and light orange to capture the warmth of golden hour.

2. Don’t Overuse Highlights

   Place highlights only where the light is strongest – on edges facing the sun or reflective surfaces like glass, metal, or water.

3. Layer Gently

   If working in watercolor, glaze a warm transparent layer over areas catching the light. In ink or pencil, lightly cross-hatch with warm-colored pencil over your sketch.

Practice Exercise

1. Go outside during golden hour.

2. Quickly sketch the scene, focusing only on:

   • The longest visible shadows.

   • The brightest warm highlights.

3. Limit yourself to 10-15 minutes to keep your sketches loose and energetic.

Final Thoughts

Learning to sketch long shadows and warm highlights will transform your art by adding drama, realism, and atmosphere. It teaches you to observe light intentionally, capturing moments that feel alive and grounded in time.