Modern Techniques for Watercolor Cityscapes
A course by Roberto ZangarelliWatercolor Artist and Illustrator
A course by Roberto Zangarelli, Watercolor Artist and Illustrator
Learn watercolor techniques that capture the essence and atmosphere of a city to make urban illustrations from a photo
Have you ever looked at your city from a different angle? Or discovered something new in the same old places? Cities are an unlimited source of inspiration and situations worth immortalizing, and watercolors are the perfect tool for capturing that essence and atmosphere.
Learn basic watercolor techniques for painting urban landscapes from a photo alongside watercolor artist Roberto Zangarelli. Discover the materials and how to depict a scene of your choice on paper and recreate the lights, colors, and sounds of a city.
What will you learn in this online course?
14 lessons & 12 downloads
Watercolor techniques: dilution
6 minutes, 37 seconds
Watercolor techniques: positive, negative and destructuring
12 minutes, 32 seconds
The range of colors
3 minutes, 19 seconds
First wash: light
10 minutes, 12 seconds
Second washing: the structure
9 minutes, 25 seconds
The gouache
15 minutes, 13 seconds
What's included in this course?
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.
What is this course's project?
Paint an urban landscape based on a photo in watercolor.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Anyone who wants to learn the art of watercolors to paint an urban landscape and capture the essence of a city.
Requirements and materials
Basic drawing skills will be helpful, but not necessary. The materials for this course include watercolor paper, brushes, watercolors, a palette knife (optional), masking tape, and a kneaded eraser.
Reviews
- 1 month ago
Bonnes explications . Cours très intéressant qui ouvre des perspectives .
- 1 month ago
Loved the course, very easy to follow, thanks!
- 2 months ago
Questo corso mi ha aiutata ad aprirmi a nuove possibilità espressive con l’acquerello e cercare di superare la paura dell’imperfezione.
- 3 months ago
Increíble este curso
- 4 months ago
Muy profesional, necesitaba aclarar algunas dudas, técnicas. Mu gustó mucho, gracias
In addition to painting, he runs his own graphics agency and opened a studio-gallery in collaboration with other artists where he displays his art and teaches his craft.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- Presentation
- Sources of inspiration
- U2
Fundamentals
- The materials
- Watercolor techniques: dilution
- Watercolor techniques: positive, negative and destructuring
- The choice of the subject
- U3
Sketch and painting
- Tonal sketch and drawing
- The range of colors
- First wash: light
- Second washing: the structure
- U4
Gouache, shadows and finalization
- The gouache
- Shadows
- Enhancement of the focal point
- Finalize and exhibit
- FP
Final project
- Modern Techniques for Watercolor Cityscapes
What to expect from a Domestika course
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FAQs
Yes, this course is designed for those who already have a basic knowledge of watercolor and want to deepen advanced techniques in urban painting, composition, and developing a personal style.
You’ll need watercolors, brushes in various sizes, watercolor paper (preferably cotton), gouache, a palette knife, blotting paper, and mounting tools like mat boards.
You’ll learn how to create urban landscapes with watercolor, manage dilutions, develop textures, work with light and shadow, experiment with deconstructed techniques, integrate gouache, and professionally present your artwork.
Yes, the course covers both approaches: painting outdoors en plein air and using photographs to plan and create urban watercolor landscapes.
You’ll learn to use dilutions, water drops, palette knives, and gouache to create texture and manage light and shadow contrasts, adding depth and realism to your urban scenes.
Yes, the program includes exercises and strategies to experiment with techniques, deconstruction, and color synthesis, encouraging you to develop your own artistic language.
A high drawing skill isn’t required: the course also teaches techniques for painting directly without pencil and simplifying shapes with tonal sketches and quick studies.