plate no. 6595

St. Germain near Tunis

August Macke, 1914

watercolorExpressionismcityscapecityscapebuildingsmountainsvegetationfigurebalcony

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand color mixing for landscapes and how to create depth with layering watercolor washes. It also provides practice in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes.

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: mountains, buildings, and the balcony structure.
step 02
Apply a light wash of diluted blue for the sky, allowing it to dry.
step 03
Paint the mountains with a mix of green, yellow, and a touch of blue, varying the tones for depth.
step 04
Block in the basic shapes of the buildings with light washes of yellow, white, and hints of red for the roofs.
step 05
Add the greenery around the buildings with varying shades of green and blue.
step 06
Paint the balcony structure with light gray washes, adding details like the railings and posts.
step 07
Add the figure and other details in the foreground with darker, more saturated colors.
step 08
Refine the details and add shadows to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · cerulean blue · yellow ochre · cadmium red

secondary · sap green · burnt umber · titanium white

Mix greens by combining blue and yellow. Vary the greens by adding small amounts of red or umber. Create grays by mixing complementary colors (blue and orange).

techniques