plate no. 3039

Landscape with red houses

Oleksandr Bogomazov, 1911

watercolor, paperPost-Impressionismlandscapelandscapehousesbuildingshillsskytowers

suitable for beginners

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and understanding color relationships to create depth and form. Students will also learn about layering watercolor washes to achieve desired color intensity and subtle variations.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 6 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the buildings, towers, and landscape features.
step 02
Apply a light wash of yellow to the towers and some of the houses, allowing it to dry.
step 03
Paint the roofs of the houses with a mix of blue and purple, varying the intensity.
step 04
Add red to the bodies of the houses, creating variations in tone with more or less water.
step 05
Paint the red 'roads' or pathways, ensuring clean edges.
step 06
Apply washes of green and yellow to the landscape, layering to create depth.
step 07
Add blue and purple washes to the background hills and sky.
step 08
Refine details and add shadows to enhance the form of the buildings and landscape.

color palette

primary · red · blue · yellow

secondary · green · purple · white

Mix blue and yellow to create greens for the landscape. Vary the intensity of the reds by adding water. Mix blue and red to create purples for the roofs and background.

techniques