During the week, I try to make time for a small sketch every evening. I do not need to travel far to find something worth drawing. Evening sketching is also a great exercise because the light changes so quickly. You have to decide fast what you want to capture, what you can simplify, and which details are worth keeping. For these sketches I chose colored pencils, and they felt like the right choice for working quickly while still playing with layers of color.
If you missed my previous post about sketching in the zoo you can find it here.
See my pencils set here.
Sunset Between Houses
For this sketch, I captured the houses with the sunset glowing behind them. The most challenging part was definitely the sky because its colors were changing while I was drawing. My version became much more dramatic than the real scene, with stronger purples, oranges, and darker tones. Looking back, I think a softer and more gentle sky would have balanced the sketch better. Still, this is exactly why quick sketching is so useful. You notice what works, what you would change, and what you want to try again next time.
Trees
This scene had so much greenery that trying to draw every leaf and branch would have taken forever. Instead, I simplified the landscape and focused on the main shapes of the trees and plants. I used several shades of green colored pencils to keep the sketch interesting while making all the colors work together. My goal was not to create a detailed botanical drawing, but to capture the feeling of the place quickly. I think the loose lines and layered greens gave the sketch the expressive look I wanted.
Hiding House
Here I noticed a house almost hiding among the trees and greenery, and I really liked that composition. I kept the sketch loose and expressive again, letting the plants surround the house instead of trying to define every little detail. The sky in this scene was much calmer and gentler than in my first sunset sketch, which created a softer mood. I also continued experimenting with different shades of green, mixing them together to make the drawing feel both colorful and harmonious. It became one of those quiet everyday scenes that I probably would not notice as much if I were not looking for something to sketch.
Sunset
For this sketch, I decided that the sunset itself should be the main subject. I simplified the trees, houses, and other details because I did not want them to compete with the color in the sky. At this point of the evening, the light was changing incredibly fast. So, there was no time to overthink the composition. I had to focus on the most important shapes and colors and let everything else stay loose. That fast decision making is one of the things I enjoy most about evening sketching because it forces me to trust my first impression.
Street Light
Even after the sunset disappeared, I still had a little time to sketch in the twilight. This time I focused on the street lights, the darker buildings, and the deep blue evening sky. The glowing lamps immediately changed the atmosphere and made the street feel completely different from the same place just a few minutes earlier. I tried to capture that transition from daylight into night instead of adding too much detail. It felt like the perfect final sketch for the week, showing not only a place, but also the end of the day.
These evening sketches reminded me that a short walk can become its own little sketching adventure. The changing light makes every evening different, even when I pass the same houses, trees, and streets. Colored pencils worked especially well for this kind of quick sketching because I could layer colors, create atmosphere, and keep everything spontaneous without carrying many supplies.
