From the archive
Let's draw a rocky-shore lighthouse
Treat this as one small practice round: build the subject lightly, notice the shapes, then darken only the lines that help the finished sketch.
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01
Block the tower and shore
Draw one light center axis, taper a tall lighthouse tower around it, and set two broad rock ledges along the bottom.
Sketch tip: Ghost the center axis first. A quiet vertical guide keeps the tower from leaning while the rocks can stay pleasantly uneven.
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02
Build the lantern room
Add a small boxy lantern room and shallow cap roof on top of the established tower.
Sketch tip: Keep the roof a little wider than the lantern room. That tiny overhang makes the top read clearly without adding fussy detail.
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03
Sweep in the water
Draw three shallow curving wave bands across the foreground, letting them tuck behind the existing rocky point.
Sketch tip: Ghost each long curve twice, then pull it in one relaxed stroke. Vary the gaps instead of making evenly spaced stripes.
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04
Place the tower details
Add two horizontal stripe bands on the tower and a few simple window dividers in the lantern room.
Sketch tip: Wrap the stripe edges gently around the taper. If they stay perfectly flat, the tower can start to look like a paper cutout.
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05
Add the sky cues
Place one small cloud and a narrow light beam reaching from the already drawn lantern room toward the upper right.
Sketch tip: Leave the beam light and open. Its direction matters more than filling the whole sky with pencil.
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06
Settle the lighthouse sketch
Darken the keeper contours and deepen the existing tower, rocks, waves, stripes, panes, cloud, and beam with restrained blue-gray and warm pencil accents.
Sketch tip: Stop before adding boats, birds, or a giant sunset. The tower, rock point, and three wave bands already make the coastal scene feel complete.
