plate no. 5155

Many figures in the streets of Haarlem

watercolor, paperRomanticismcityscapecityscapebuildingsfiguresstreetchurchhorse

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in perspective drawing, watercolor layering, and rendering architectural details. It also provides practice in depicting figures in a believable urban environment.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light pencil sketch outlining the main buildings, church, and street perspective.
step 02
Establish the sky and distant church with diluted washes of blue and gray.
step 03
Begin layering washes on the buildings, starting with light browns and ochres, gradually building up darker tones.
step 04
Add details to the buildings, such as windows, brickwork, and architectural ornaments, using a fine brush.
step 05
Paint the figures and horses, paying attention to their proportions and placement within the scene.
step 06
Add shadows and highlights to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Refine details and adjust values as needed.
step 08
Add final touches, such as street textures and subtle atmospheric effects.

color palette

primary · raw umber · burnt sienna · Prussian blue

secondary · yellow ochre · ivory black · cadmium red light

Achieve the various browns and grays by mixing raw umber, burnt sienna, and Prussian blue in different proportions. Use yellow ochre to warm up the browns and ivory black to darken them.

techniques

·watercolor washes
·dry brushing
·layering
·perspective drawing
·rendering details

common pitfalls

→Overworking the washes, leading to a muddy appearance.
→Incorrect perspective, making the buildings look distorted.
→Inaccurate proportions of the figures and horses.
→Lack of value contrast, resulting in a flat and lifeless painting.

materials

surface · watercolor paper 140lb

required

·watercolor paper 140lb
·watercolor paints (raw umber, burnt sienna, Prussian blue, yellow ochre, ivory black, cadmium red light)
·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6, 8)
·flat brush (size 1/2 inch)
·palette
·water container
·paper towels
·pencil and eraser

optional

·masking fluid
·ruler
·kneaded eraser
·watercolor pencils

Use high-quality watercolor paper to prevent buckling and ensure good color absorption. Experiment with different brush sizes to achieve varying levels of detail.

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