plate no. 1007

Vydubychi monastery

Yuriy Khymych, 1958

watercolorRealismcityscapebuildingtreescityscapearchitecturemonasterydome

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering transparent washes and creating depth through atmospheric perspective. It also provides practice in rendering architectural forms with watercolor.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the building and the tree lines.
step 02
Apply a light wash of diluted yellow ochre and burnt sienna to the foreground and building areas.
step 03
Add a second layer of slightly darker washes to define shadows and forms on the building.
step 04
Paint the background hills with a mix of blues and browns, keeping the washes light and transparent.
step 05
Use a fine brush to add the details of the tree branches, varying the thickness of the lines.
step 06
Add small touches of yellow and orange to represent leaves on the trees.
step 07
Strengthen the shadows in the foreground with darker washes of burnt umber and indigo.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to the building and trees to create depth and interest.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue

secondary · burnt umber · indigo · cadmium yellow

Mix yellow ochre and burnt sienna for warm tones. Combine ultramarine blue and burnt umber for cool shadows. Dilute colors with plenty of water for transparent washes.

techniques

·wet-on-wet blending
·dry brush texture
·layering washes
·atmospheric perspective
·lifting

common pitfalls

→Overworking the washes and losing transparency.
→Making the colors too opaque and muddy.
→Not leaving enough white space for highlights.
→Making the tree branches too uniform and symmetrical.

materials

surface · watercolor paper 140lb

required

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

optional

·palette knife
·masking fluid
·ruler

Use high-quality watercolor paper to prevent buckling and allow for multiple washes. Experiment with different brush sizes to achieve a variety of effects.

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