sketch. The character of towns requires an appreciation of
landscape, but vegetation is rarely a dominant element in
the scene. Normally the structure of land form, the
pattern of landscape and the geometry of planting are the
essential ingredients. As landscape and architecture are
closely interwoven within towns and the city edge, the
principles already mentioned for drawing the urban
elements can be applied to the natural ones.
Hence, seek out patterns and structures within the
landscape as you would with buildings, and represent
them broadly. See the trees and hedges as enclosing
‘rooms’, as brick walls are in the urban scene. Tall trees,
especially if columnar in shape, can be depicted as
landmarks rising above the background townscape. In
Continental cities the spires of churches are often set in
competition with the cypresses planted in the nearby
graveyards. Similarly, the parallel lines of trees planted
along a city street can have a formality nearly as great as
that of the enclosing buildings. The perceptive eye of the
artist should pick out these qualities of form and
geometry, and represent them clearly in the sketch.
The modern landscape often contains straight lines
and bold arrangements. The urban fringe is frequently
filled with large-scale engineering structures that contrast
with the old cottages and farmsteads of former times.
Modern bypasses, electricity pylons and reservoir dams
often stand right at the edge of the city. The difference in
scale and the strict geometry of the new structures are
worthy of a carefully drawn sketch. The new landscapes
of the twentieth century are crowded into the green belts
around most cities. Their modernist lines, smooth
surfaces and strictly controlled vegetation contrast
pleasantly with the landscapes of earlier generations.
The modern landscapes of reservoirs, airfields and
science parks can all be explored, understood and
enjoyed through freehand sketching. The scale and speed
of modern life is well captured in the new landscapes of
the urban edge. As in much townscape drawing, an
understanding of perspective is important, especially as
many characteristic landscapes of the twentieth century
are made up of parallel lines. Straight field edges, railway
and electricity lines, the geometric pattern of modern
forestry, all require a good grasp of perspective if they are
to be accurately represented.
These parallel landscapes often overlap older field
boundaries or the ancient alignment of a country lane.
Hence the modern elements can be drawn alongside an
earlier order, making not only an interesting drawing, but
also highlighting the historical processes that shape our
landscape. The patterns of different geometries, of old17.2
Perspective plays a large part in
landscape drawing. This view of
a water works outside Glasgow
exploits the strange geometries
of such places.Landscape 143