When looking for a something to take a photograph or paint, not only the scenery is important, but also the time of day and lighting. Sunsets are truly amazing when it comes to the trained and untrained eye. They turn the sky from shades of blue to various shades of purples, pinks, oranges, and if you look closely, a whole rainbow of colors.

Sunsets can change the lighting from cool colors into warm colors which can make all the difference when deciding the scene for a painting or photograph. With the changing sky, the shadows of an object also changes. Clouds can also make a sunset interesting for moments when you can see a few rays of sun peaking through some clouds, or as they become dark shapes in an orange and red sky.

No matter what the prominent colors of the sky are, it is always interesting to see the sun slowly sink further down into the horizon. It provides amazing inspiration, and also has so many different colors you can work with along with the surrounding terrain. Fortunately, my grandparents have a house on the beach and I am able to experience many sunsets in the summer with the sun’s reflection on the water and a wonderful scene to sketch from. There are other places like busy streets, barns, mountains and plains which a sunset can make a little more different or interesting by adding those shades in the sky that are usually not present during the middle of the day.

I hope this inspires you to notice the nature around you more, and if you haven’t yet, look at a sunset and really enjoy the colors you may not have noticed before alongside your surroundings. Inspiration not only comes in different places, but also different times of day, and sunsets are a great time for inspiration that only comes for a few hours once a day, so don’t miss it. No two sunsets are the same and your surroundings change each minute the sun goes down.

Featured photo credit: Katie McLoughlin ’20