Paul Raymonde, tutor at ‘La Terazza Atico’ Watercolour Painting Holidays in Barcelona, shares with us his top tips for painting Urban Landscape out of doors.
1. Don’t be intimidated by a complex scene. Keep a cool head and simplify, simplify, simplify. Many beginners think they won’t be able to paint a complex scene full of people, trees, cars etc. You can do this simply and effectively by just seeing and painting them first as shapes. Think about the details last.
2. Watercolour is painted in layers (washes) that when thin are transparent. When you have sketched the scene simply in pencil apply the first layer. This is the colour wash. It should be done quickly and loosely and it just states the basic colours of the main background objects (as if they were in full light – ie: don’t paint any shadows yet). Make sure you fill the paper- it gives you confidence!
3. The second wash will be for the shadows. This may include buildings or trees silhouetted against the sky or the shadows on objects or cast by objects. Shadows, to be interesting should be created in transparent washes of variegated greys. Alternate between warm and cool tones. It is important to judge the ‘values’ (lightness against darkness) in this layer. You can do this effectively by squinting your eyes hard at the scene. This reduces everything you see to light and dark shapes. This layer will bring your background into 3D.
4. So far we have only painted the background. Now you add the details to your painting to bring it into focus. Put in the people, lampposts, windows, chairs and tables, etc. These can be dark or bright and painted in strong thick paint. Dry brush is particularly effective. Don’t forget the shadows cast by these objects too.
5. Use the largest brushes you can get away with and use tube colours rather than pans or you will not be able to pull enough thick paint off for the bright, dark details.
Not many painting holidays offer the excitement and challenge of plein-air cityscape painting and where better to pursue this than Barcelona.
Paul Raymonde and his wife Angela spoil their guests for a week in the luxury of their beautiful penthouse apartment and Paul takes them on an inspiring week of tutored urban watercolour painting.
Light, warmth, the bustle of café life, palm trees, beaches and stunning architecture, Barcelona is the perfect romantic cityscape. Paul teaches both beginners and improvers how they may capture the vibrant scene quickly and effectively in paint.
Paul says that the aim is to paint in pure watercolour as opposed to ‘Urban sketching’, which tends to be pen and ink drawing that has then been coloured.
For more information please visit http://www.la-terraza-atico.com
I’d like to claim the prize painting holiday with Paul Raymonde by stating that the fourth picture in this article is in fact Gaudi’s ParK Guelle. Good article. 🙂
Haha, well spotted John! Better get packing 😉 Thanks for reading, I think Paul has some great thoughts on painting urban landscape – as a printmaker/oil painter who is on the verge of trying some watercolour soon, I was interested that he favoured tubes over pans. Not sure I would have thought of that myself! Which do you usually opt for?
Oh it has to be tubes every time Lisa. Poking about with a good brush in a half empty pan, can’t do the brush much good. I wish I was able to use freshly squeezed pigment every time but it would be so expensive.
I have a palette with largish colour wells and squeeze it in and allow it to harden after painting. I suppose it is like using pans but the surface area is a good deal larger.
Sometimes certain pigments crack when they have been allowed to dry. I remedy that with a few drops of glycerine and gum arabic to keep them semi-moist.
I’ve been meaning to try Jacksons own watercolour pigments and will when my current supply gets low. I know some painters who have used them and the results and opinions of the colours have been very good.
I really love the Lowry style painting , simplicity is the key, though the tall monument should
perhaps have a shadow otherwise I think it’s lovely.