It is no secret that I am fascinated with lighthouses, especially the lighthouses of the Outer Banks. Ever since my childhood, I have been enamored with them. The allure of their beauty and design and the stories of their caretakers have always captivated me. Drawing these lighthouses has been a refreshing escape from my usual winter and beach scenes.
Four of the lighthouses of the Outer Banks are similarly constructed. For example, Bodie Island, Currituck, Cape Lookout, and Cape Hatteras are similar in shape and materials. The only noticeable difference is their base and height. Additionally, the distinct color patterns set each one apart. Have you ever wondered why lighthouses are painted with different colors and patterns?
Before we had GPS, ship captains used the stars to navigate. However, during the daylight hours, the captains could determine their location along the coast by the paint color and pattern of the lighthouses. At night, each lighthouse also had a unique light pattern which also aided the captains to determine their location.
Not all lighthouses are alike. Take for example the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse in Manteo, NC. This lighthouse resembles a beach house more than a lighthouse and if you were not paying attention you could easily overlook this beauty.
At approximately 75 feet, the Ocracoke Island Light Station is a short lighthouse compared to the others on the Outer Banks. One of my most popular pieces to date was of the Ocracoke Island Lighthouse.
So now I have each of the lighthouses as an individual layer in Procreate. This means I can copy the drawing of a lighthouse into any setting I chose without having to draw again the lighthouse.