plate no. 6006

Kaunas, old houses

Mstislav Dobuzhinsky, 1931

paper, temperaSymbolismcityscapebuildingscityscapehousesstreetfiguresky

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students practice perspective drawing and layering watercolor washes to create depth and texture. It also provides experience in capturing architectural details and atmospheric effects.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and perspective lines of the buildings.
step 02
Apply a light wash of diluted raw sienna or yellow ochre to the entire paper as a base tone.
step 03
Begin layering washes of color, starting with the sky and lighter areas of the buildings.
step 04
Gradually build up darker values in the shadows and architectural details.
step 05
Use a fine brush to add details like windows, doors, and the figure.
step 06
Add the red roof tiles with a slightly thicker consistency of paint.
step 07
Refine the details and adjust the values as needed.
step 08
Allow to dry completely.

color palette

primary · raw sienna · burnt umber · payne's gray

secondary · cadmium red · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre

Mix raw sienna and burnt umber for the warm tones of the buildings. Use payne's gray diluted for the sky and shadows. Mix cadmium red with a touch of burnt umber for the roof tiles.

techniques

·Layering watercolor washes
·Dry brush technique for texture
·Linear perspective
·Color mixing
·Creating atmospheric perspective

common pitfalls

→Overworking the washes and losing transparency
→Not establishing a clear value structure
→Ignoring perspective and creating distorted shapes
→Using too much water and causing the colors to bleed

materials

surface · watercolor paper 140lb

required

·Watercolor paper 140lb
·Watercolor paints (raw sienna, burnt umber, payne's gray, cadmium red, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre)
·Round watercolor brushes (sizes 2, 6, 10)
·Palette
·Water container
·Paper towels
·Pencil
·Eraser