Modern Techniques for Watercolor Cityscapes

Get to know your teacher Roberto Zangarelli, who begins the course by telling you a bit about himself and his career in the arts. He also shows you some of the masters of watercolor who have inspired his work and influenced his style.

Before you start painting, go over the materials you need for your project, like different types of paper, brushes, and colors, and learn some basic techniques for working with watercolors. Roberto explains the concepts of diluting paint, positive and negative painting, and blurring structure or shape. Then, see how to take a reference photo for your painting.

Now it's time to start working on your project. Draw a sketch outlining basic shapes and define the main tones to help you organize the upcoming coloring process. Transfer your sketch to watercolor paper and, once your drawing is ready, choose a color scheme and paint the first washes.

Finally, discover how to highlight details and give your piece a 3D look using gouache. Roberto shows you how to work with shadows to create volume and contrast as well as bring out the light in your scene. To tie everything together, see how to create a simple passe-partout to frame your work.