What the course is about

Throughout the course, students will create a series of 10 stunning paintings, each exploring different aspects of city life illuminated by the soft hues of dawn and dusk. Participants will learn to harness both wet-on-wet and dry techniques, enabling them to experiment with texture and depth in their work.

The course will cover various paper types, including high-quality cotton and cellulose, allowing students to discover how different surfaces can impact their artistic expression.

Who will find this course useful

The course is ideal for intermediate artists who have some experience in architectural drawing and wish to enhance their watercolor skills.

It is perfect for those who seeking inspiration to develop a cohesive series of works centered around the themes of light, color, and urban life.

Course program

Lesson 1

Getting to know your teacher

Basic information about the course, greeting from the teacher.

Lesson 2

List of materials

In this lesson I will show you the materials that we will need in the course.

Lesson 3

«Tram in Budapest»

Duration: 1 hour 45 minutes

Let's start our course with the atmospheric yellow tram and in the background we will capture the perspective of the amazing city of Budapest!

You will learn to:

  • create one-point perspective;
  • work with contrast;
  • apply wet-on-wet techniques.

Lesson 4

«Sunny Amsterdam»

Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes

Let's capture a sunny day in Amsterdam and draw bicycles on a bridge.

You will learn to:

  • convey bright sunlight;
  • convey shimmering reflections on the water;
  • simplify secondary details;
  • emphasize and clarify key elements of the composition.

Lesson 5

«Winter city»

Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes

In this lesson we will depict a cityscape and learn how to selectively illuminate buildings.

You will learn to:

  • depict the wet surface of asphalt;
  • integrate human figures into an urban landscape;
  • create unique lighting effects;
  • add texture to surfaces for a more realistic and expressive result.

Lesson 6

How to Avoid Dirt in Watercolors

Master techniques for keeping your watercolor paintings fresh, transparent and vibrant, avoiding dull or muddy tones.

Lesson 7

«Walk in Milan»

Duration: 1 hour 45 minutes

In this lesson, we will focus on a creative approach to depicting architectural elements, moving away from realistic detailing in favor of conveying an overall impression.

You will learn to:

  • create a realistic human figure;
  • understand human proportions;
  • depict architectural elements.

Lesson 8

«Cafe in Paris»

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

In this lesson we will have such a romantic plot. Let's capture this cozy cafe in the capital of France.

You will learn to:

  • analyze photo references and use them as a foundation;
  • work with wet-on-wet techniques;
  • integrate human figures into an urban landscape;
  • establish a focal point in the composition;
  • eliminate unnecessary details.

Lesson 9

«Day in Amsterdam»

Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes

In this lesson we will draw the architecture of Amsterdam in the rays of the sun.

You will learn to:

  • independently create a color scheme for a piece;
  • analyze and adjust the composition of a reference;
  • work with a limited palette;
  • convey bright light and a sense of spatial depth.

Lesson 10

Sketchbooking and Drawing While Traveling

In this lesson I will show you how to document your journeys through sketching, capturing the essence of places and moments on the go.

Lesson 11

«Along the pavement»

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

This lesson will be dedicated to shadows. The central objects in our plot will be a human silhouette and a lantern.

You will learn to:

  • work with backlighting;
  • create cast shadows;
  • maintain soft edges while working wet-on-wet.

Lesson 12

«Winter in Amsterdam»

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Today we are expecting a winter landscape. Let's depict beautiful architecture covered in snow.

You will learn to:

  • paint a winter cityscape, adding elements not present in the photo referenсe;
  • paint reflections;
  • use color to convey the frosty essence of the city.

Lesson 13

«Red church»

Duration: 1 hour 45 minutes

Look what a majestic church we will draw in class today.

You will learn to:

  • work with color and light;
  • work with two-point perspective;
  • simplify complex architectural elements as much as possible.

Lesson 14

«Night street»

Duration: 1 hour

The final painting of the course will be an atmospheric night city.

You will learn to:

  • paint a nighttime urban landscape;
  • work with tone, confidently applying a dark tone in a single wash;
  • emphasize the main elements and exclude unnecessary details from the composition;
  • create beautiful shades and color transitions within dark washes.

Lesson 15

Course conclusion

Our course has come to an end. Let’s summarize it and listen to some advice for further creative development!

Darya

Mitta

Watercolor artist

  • I’ve been teaching art since 2016;
  • Participant of the international festivals among watercolor artists "Fabriano in Aquarello 2018" and "2nd International Watercolor Society India Biennale 2017";
  • I hold a Master's degree in Design from the Moscow Institute of Arts and Industry (Russia), with a specialization in Object-Spatial Environment Design;
  • I completed an additional professional course in Typography at the British Higher School of Art and Design.

Instructors
Works

Teachers
works

Course materials

1. Paper:

  • 100% сotton Watercolour paper 300gr grain fin or torchon. I'll use 30x40cm or 20х30сm.

2. Paper for sketches

3. Pencil B or 2B, eraser

4. Plastic board to fix the paper on it

5. Brushes:

  • big flat brush (goat);
  • small flat synthetic brush;
  • round brush natural hair or mix (number 10);
  • medium and small round synthetic brushes.

6. Colors:

  • Quinacridone sienna;
  • Transparent yellow or Cadmium yellow;
  • Black mars;
  • Quinachridone violet;
  • Indanthrene blue or Ultramarine;
  • Paynes grey;
  • White.

7. Hair dryer

8. Spray

9. Paper towels

10. 2 cups for water

Tariffs

Standard
 
  • 15 lessons: theory + practice + developmental exercises
  • 10 Diverse Cityscapes
  • Machine translated subtitles: English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Greek, Polish, Portuguese, Hungarian, Chinese, Indonesian
  • Course Unfreeze
  • The opportunity to watch the analysis of other participants' artworks
  • Access to course materials without time limits
  • Review of your artworks and answers to questions in the comments for 60 days from the start of the course
  • Personal one-hour online consultation with a course expert
  • > +20 bonus dollars! Can be used when purchasing a course at the next marathon. Valid for 3 months
200 $
$ €
SIGN UP!
Plus
 
  • 15 lessons: theory + practice + developmental exercises
  • 10 Diverse Cityscapes
  • Machine translated subtitles: English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Greek, Polish, Portuguese, Hungarian, Chinese, Indonesian
  • Course Unfreeze
  • The opportunity to watch the analysis of other participants' artworks
  • Access to course materials without time limits
  • Review of your artworks and answers to questions in the comments for 60 days from the start of the course
  • Personal one-hour online consultation with a course expert
  • > +20 bonus dollars! Can be used when purchasing a course at the next marathon. Valid for 3 months
250 $
$ €
SIGN UP!
Premium
 
  • 15 lessons: theory + practice + developmental exercises
  • 10 Diverse Cityscapes
  • Machine translated subtitles: English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Greek, Polish, Portuguese, Hungarian, Chinese, Indonesian
  • Course Unfreeze
  • The opportunity to watch the analysis of other participants' artworks
  • Access to course materials without time limits
  • Review of your artworks and answers to questions in the comments for 60 days from the start of the course
  • Personal one-hour online consultation with a course expert
  • > +20 bonus dollars! Can be used when purchasing a course at the next marathon. Valid for 3 months
500 $
$ €
SIGN UP!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

I can't draw at all. Should I take the course?

Of course you should! The course is designed so that it starts with simple paintings and then progresses to more complex ones, allowing you to smoothly integrate into the process and achieve high results!

The course will also be beneficial for experienced artists. You will further refine your technique and enhance your visual understanding.

At the end of the lesson, you will upload a photo of your work. The teacher will have the opportunity to leave textual, graphic (annotations on the drawing), as well as audio comments on your work.

At the bottom of each lesson, there will be a comment section where you can ask any questions related to the learning process.

If you have a plan without feedback, it will depend on your personal pace at which you complete the lessons.

With plans that include feedback, we actively conduct lessons for two months from the moment you "unfreeze" the course.

Overall, I recommend taking the course at a relaxed pace. Enjoy the process more!

It's never too late to learn to draw. In our school, 30% of students are over 50 years old. They enjoy drawing, developing their skills, creative thinking, and rejuvenating their spirit and mind!

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