plate no. 8765

Copenhagen, Denmark

Ivan Albright, 1967

oilMagic Realismcityscapebuildingscityscapestreettreesfiguresvehicles

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in loose watercolor washes and capturing architectural details with expressive brushstrokes. It also encourages simplification of complex scenes and creating a sense of depth through atmospheric perspective.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main building shapes and street layout, focusing on perspective.
step 02
Apply a light wash of diluted yellow ochre and burnt sienna to the buildings as a base layer.
step 03
Add darker washes of brown and gray to indicate shadows and architectural details.
step 04
Paint the sky with a diluted gray wash, blending it softly into the buildings.
step 05
Add details to the street with quick, loose brushstrokes, representing cars, figures, and reflections.
step 06
Use small touches of red, green, and blue to add pops of color and visual interest.
step 07
Define the trees with dark green and brown washes, allowing the colors to blend and bleed.
step 08
Add final highlights and details with a fine brush, using white or light yellow.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · raw umber

secondary · payne's gray · cadmium red · sap green

Mix yellow ochre and burnt sienna for the building's warm tones. Use payne's gray diluted for the sky and shadows. Mix greens from sap green and raw umber.

techniques

·wet-on-wet blending
·dry brush
·layering washes
·atmospheric perspective
·expressive brushstrokes

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, expressive quality.
→Creating muddy colors by over-mixing.
→Failing to establish a clear sense of perspective.
→Not allowing washes to dry properly before adding subsequent layers.

materials

surface · watercolor paper 140lb

required

·Watercolor paper 140lb
·Watercolor paints (yellow ochre, burnt sienna, raw umber, payne's gray, cadmium red, sap green)
·Round watercolor brushes (sizes #2, #6, #10)
·Water container
·Palette
·Masking tape
·Pencil
·Eraser