plate no. 6862

Durham Cathedral and Bridge

oilRomanticismcityscapebridgecathedralbuildingsriverfigurescityscape

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and rendering architectural details with a limited color palette. It also provides practice in capturing reflections in water.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the cathedral, bridge, and riverbank, paying attention to proportions.
step 02
Establish the horizon line and the overall composition.
step 03
Apply a thin wash of diluted raw umber or similar earth tone to the entire paper to create a warm undertone.
step 04
Begin adding darker values to the cathedral and bridge, gradually building up the forms with layers of washes.
step 05
Paint the river, capturing the reflections of the bridge and cathedral with horizontal strokes.
step 06
Add details to the figures and the riverbank, using a fine brush.
step 07
Use dry brush technique to create texture on the bridge and buildings.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the values to create depth and atmosphere.

color palette

primary · raw umber · burnt sienna · ivory black

secondary · yellow ochre · payne's gray

Achieve the various shades of brown and gray by mixing raw umber, burnt sienna, and ivory black in different proportions. Use yellow ochre to add warmth and payne's gray for cooler shadows.

techniques

·atmospheric perspective
·dry brush
·layering washes
·rendering reflections
·value control

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details
→Creating muddy colors
→Ignoring the atmospheric perspective
→Incorrect proportions of the architecture

materials

surface · watercolor paper 140lb

required

·watercolor paper 140lb
·watercolor paints (raw umber, burnt sienna, ivory black, yellow ochre, payne's gray)
·round brushes (various sizes)
·water container
·palette

optional