Some light breaks the surface of the water, and some is scattered off the surface. How much of that reflected light comes to us can depend on a number of things, especially how much the water is moving. Take a minute to examine the surface, using the provided checklist as a guide. Frequently, water is in motion and we don’t get a clear reflection, but we can see bits and pieces through the ripples. A few quick strokes can give the illusion of a reflection with very little effort!

Observation Checklist

• How clear is the water?

• Am I seeing anything under the surface?

• Is the top still, or is it moving?

• If there are ripples or waves, how big are they?

• What direction is the water moving? If there are ripples, what pattern are they making?

• Are there shadows cast on the water’s surface?

• Do you see anything reflected in the surface?

• Is that reflection broken up, or more like a mirror reflection?

Reflections hinge on where an object meets the water. Far away objects that don’t touch your reflective surface hinge on where they would hit the surface if it continued and intersected with them. Sound complicated? Don’t worry, you don’t need to do math. When in doubt come back to observation. I have utilized the “fake it ’til you make it” approach to reflections, as they are something that can often have undefined edges and aren’t the full focus of a sketch, making it the perfect thing to fake.

Reflections don’t always appear in the most expected places. We expect to see them in mirrors, windows, and water, but they can also appear on floors, or glossy tiled ceilings. Maybe it has recently rained and there is a thin layer of water on the asphalt, or maybe you are looking at a recently buffed museum floor. This type of reflection can be fun both to replicate and to imagine and include in a sketch, even if you don’t see it in front of you. The reflection may be dull and undefined, or it may be an exact copy, depending on the surface you are seeing (or, what makes sense for your sketch.). When in doubt, look at the edges of the reflection to guide you.

Cityscapes are often full of reflections; window glass provides a great opportunity to explore reflective surfaces. Some skyscrapers may be entirely covered in shiny surfaces, or you may just have small windows reflecting light. Let’s start with observation.

Observation Checklist

• What color is the window?

• Is the window lighter or darker in value than the wall it sits in?

• Are the reflections in the windows uniform, or varied?

• Do I see shapes of anything reflected clearly in the surface? Can I figure out what is being reflected?

• Can I see anything through the glass, on the inside of the window?

Even when you aren’t doing a closer study of a window, you can use reflections of far-off windows in your sketches. Some may reflect sky or nearby objects and appear as different colors from a distance. When dotting in windows, changing color or value can help add a nice detail and texture to a sketch. I sometimes call this visual noise—something that just adds a little detail and interest to a sketch but doesn’t necessarily require a lot of work. You never have to match window for window what you see, but just taking a second to observe can inform that choice. On a part of a building in shadow, a window may still be reflecting sky and be seen as a pop of light on an otherwise dark wall. The same idea can be used in night sketches to show windows that are on or off (or, are lit with different types of light). In lieu of reflections, windows may look different whether they are open or closed or have different colored curtains! Little things like this can help give life to a sketch, and give a better sense of lighting, with very little effort.

When observing windows up close, we sometimes see full reflections and other times we just see through to the interior. Often, it’s a mix of both. I usually take a minute to piece together what I’m seeing: Is it reflection, or is it interior? If I’m seeing a reflection, I start by trying to figure out what is being reflected.

“This landmark shop is now a Turkish restaurant but all the original features are intact. Most Sydneysiders have a soft spot for the garish pink and purple enamelled shop facade on busy Enmore Road, and I found it irresistible. The background was brown, lime green, yellow ochre, and other dull colors. You can see traces of it in the top right corner and in the window reflections. The other side of the street was sunny, but I was in the shade.”
—Alex Snellgrove

Reflections on sculpture and other three-dimensional objects can be especially fun to render! Reflections can tell the viewer about the shape of an object. Musical instruments are a great example of this. Depending on the level of shine of the object, this may be anything from a soft highlight to indicate a subtle shine, to a full, detailed colorful reflection of the object’s surroundings. Reflections, like shadows, can help give an object in a sketch volume to visually sculpt a scene.

Flat windows, while made of glass, sometimes miss out on a fun aspect of shaped glass or water: refraction. Light bends as it travels through a glass shape (or liquid) and can come out in unexpected ways; we still see shadows, but we can also get more focused light. Often, translucent objects are also reflective, which means you have to consider how reflective they are in addition to what you are seeing through them.