plate no. 0657

Odessa harbour

watercolor, paperRealismcityscapeharborboatsbuildingsseaskytrees

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and loose watercolor washes. It's a good exercise in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and values.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 6 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: horizon line, buildings, boats, and trees.
step 02
Apply a light wash of diluted yellow ochre across the sky and sea areas.
step 03
Add a slightly darker blue wash to the sea, concentrating the color near the horizon.
step 04
Paint the buildings with a mix of burnt sienna and yellow ochre, varying the intensity for depth.
step 05
Use a mix of green and brown to loosely paint the trees and foliage, focusing on shapes rather than details.
step 06
Add details to the boats and harbor using a fine brush and darker colors like burnt umber and red.
step 07
Use dry brush technique to add texture to the buildings and foliage.
step 08
Add final highlights with touches of white or light yellow.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna

secondary · viridian green · cadmium red

Mix ultramarine and burnt sienna for grays and shadows. Use yellow ochre as a base for many of the lighter tones. Mix viridian green and yellow ochre for natural greens.

techniques

·wet-on-wet blending
·dry brush
·atmospheric perspective
·watercolor washes

common pitfalls

→Overworking details
→Using too much water
→Creating muddy colors
→Ignoring value differences

materials

surface · watercolor paper 140lb

required

·Watercolor paints (yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, viridian green, cadmium red)
·Watercolor paper 140lb
·Round watercolor brushes (sizes 2, 6, 10)
·Water container
·Palette
·Pencil
·Eraser