plate no. 9755

Streetview of Shanghai

watercolorImpressionismcityscapecityscapebuildingstreesfigurestramrain

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in loose watercolor washes and capturing atmospheric perspective. It also provides practice in rendering complex shapes with simplified forms and expressive brushstrokes.

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: buildings, trees, figures, and tram.
step 02
Apply a light wash of diluted ochre and brown to the sky and foreground, letting it blend and create soft edges.
step 03
Add the building shapes with a diluted mix of blues, purples, and browns, allowing the colors to bleed slightly.
step 04
Paint the tram and figures with bold, simplified shapes using reds, greens, blues, and yellows.
step 05
Use a fine brush to add the bare tree branches with dark brown or black, varying the thickness of the lines.
step 06
Add reflections in the wet street using the colors of the buildings and vehicles, softened with water.
step 07
Strengthen the shadows and details with darker washes, focusing on the areas around the figures and buildings.
step 08
Add final touches like splattering white paint for rain or highlights.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · yellow ochre

secondary · alizarin crimson · sap green · payne's gray

Mix blues and browns for the building shadows. Use diluted washes of ochre and sienna for the atmospheric background. Add crimson to sienna for the tram.

techniques

·wet-on-wet blending
·dry brush
·atmospheric perspective
·color layering
·splattering

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, impressionistic feel.
→Using too much water and creating muddy colors.
→Making the tree branches too uniform and symmetrical.
→Not capturing the atmospheric perspective, making the background too sharp.

materials

surface · watercolor paper 140lb

required

·Watercolor paints
·Watercolor brushes (round and flat)
·Watercolor paper (140lb or heavier)
·Water container
·Palette
·Pencil
·Eraser
·Masking tape

optional

·Palette knife
·Masking fluid
·Spray bottle

Use high-quality watercolor paper to prevent buckling and allow for better blending. Experiment with different brush sizes to achieve varying levels of detail.

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