What the course is about

In this course, students will create 8 expressive architectural paintings while exploring an atmospheric approach to the city - not as a rigid structure, but as a living environment shaped by light, color and mood.

The focus is on softened geometry, fluid watercolor washes and an intuitive sense of perspective that allows architecture to feel vibrant and dynamic. Participants will learn how to use layering, dry brush textures, selective detailing and negative space to create depth and guide the viewer's eye - letting visual rhythm and emotion take priority over strict precision.

Who will find this course useful

This course is suitable for both beginners and intermediate artists who want to strengthen their fundamentals in architectural watercolor. It will be especially helpful for those looking to improve clean washes, balanced compositions and their understanding of light and shadow in urban scenes.

It is also valuable for artists with some painting experience who wish to develop greater confidence in perspective, spatial depth and expressive texture techniques when working with architectural subjects.

Course program

Lesson 1

Getting to know your teacher

A short welcome from the teacher along with an introduction to the course - its structure, key goals, and the creative journey you'll be taking throughout the program.

Lesson 2

List of materials

In this lesson, we will review the materials you will need to complete the course.

Lesson 3

How to Build a Composition Using Light and Shadow

Discover how layering can go beyond blending tones to bring unity to your composition through light and shadow. This lesson focuses on shaping clear tonal masses and using contrast with intention to guide the viewer's eye, build depth, and create a strong visual impact - even with minimal detail.

Lesson 4

My artistic journey: Development of a Personal Style

Explore the artist's journey and how architectural thinking informs his approach to urban scenes. Discover how working with form, space, and proportion helps capture atmosphere - and how to balance precision with expressive freedom in your painting.

Lesson 5

A monumental building on the pier

Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes

This lesson is devoted to finding a balance between form and the sense of space in an urban landscape. You will learn to see architecture not as a set of details, but as a holistic image, working with tonal relationships, scale and light to create a scene with a sense of time, movement and human presence.

You will learn how to:

  • focus on atmosphere using loose washes and softened edges;
  • use light as a key compositional tool through contrast;
  • shape expressive architecture with fluid lines and subtle color accents;
  • convey scale and movement with small human figures.

Lesson 6

Towers over the river

Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes

In this lesson, we'll explore the balance between precision and freedom - where architectural structure meets the natural fluidity of watercolor, allowing the paint and water to shape the scene alongside you.

You will learn how to:

  • build a solid foundation in watercolor techniques;
  • control pigment, water, and brushwork effectively;
  • use washes, blending, and texture to enhance expression;
  • create depth, capture light, and unify your composition;
  • strengthen your color understanding and apply techniques with confidence in your own work.

Lesson 7

City tram

Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes

This lesson is about working with space and overall impression. We learn to leave space in our work, not to overload the scene with details, and to trust watercolours to create soft transitions and textures.

You will learn how to:

  • use light and shadow as the foundation of your composition, even without relying on color or detail;
  • create depth and perspective through tone alone;
  • suggest atmosphere with soft edges, blurred forms and loose brushwork;
  • experiment with unconventional techniques like using paint straight from the tube or your finger for texture;
  • capture the rhythm and movement of a city scene without detailed drawing.

Lesson 8

Night City Lights

Duration: 2 hours 55 minutes

This lesson focuses on capturing the feeling of a city after dark, where light becomes the main storyteller. You'll explore how illuminated windows, reflections, and glowing streets can suggest movement, atmosphere, and urban rhythm using loose, expressive watercolor rather than precise detail.

You will learn how to:

  • paint atmospheric night cityscapes in watercolor;
  • create luminous city lighting using warm tones and depth;
  • use expressive techniques, including paint straight from the tube and finger-applied texture;
  • suggest movement without rendering every detail;
  • prioritize mood and atmosphere over strict realism.

Lesson 9

The arch at dusk

Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes

In this lesson, we'll draw a city at dusk using light and reflections as our main tools. Instead of precise detail, we'll work with mood, contrast, and composition to create a cohesive, emotionally engaging urban scene.

You will learn how to:

  • prioritize mood over perfect realism;
  • suggest forms instead of detailing everything;
  • use warm light against a stormy sky as a strong focal point;
  • create movement with blurred figures and fluid brushstrokes;
  • structure the scene with clear contrasts and balanced dark values.

Lesson 10

Venetian dome

Duration: 2 hours 20 minutes

This lesson is about capturing the mood of Venice through light, tone, and atmosphere, using soft edges, simplified forms, and expressive reflections instead of detailed architectural drawing.

You will learn how to:

  • build a cityscape through strong light–dark contrast rather than fine detail;
  • use mid and dark values to separate architecture from a pale sky;
  • create soft, broken edges while keeping forms clear;
  • work with a limited, muted palette to achieve a calm, misty atmosphere;
  • establish a clear focal point supported by secondary elements without visual clutter.

Lesson 11

A cosy waterfront

Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes

Today we'll be painting a calm, cosy waterfront scene. You'll learn how soft layers, subtle shadows, and blurred planes can create depth and atmosphere while keeping the architecture light and the water alive with gentle reflections.

You will learn how to:

  • convey atmosphere using loose washes and soft edges instead of fine detail;
  • organize the composition through light and value;
  • let light lead the scene rather than heavy linework;
  • use foreground elements like bare trees to frame the view and guide the eye across the river.

Lesson 12

Mountain Waterside Panorama

Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes

This lesson explores how to create an atmospheric cityscape where architecture and nature interact, using depth, light, and reflections to convey space and emotional balance rather than precise detail.

You will learn how to:

  • create depth with softer, cooler, less detailed distant elements;
  • paint loose sky and water using wet-in-wet techniques;
  • keep the scene balanced with a limited palette and subtle warm accents;
  • contrast soft washes with drier, sharper strokes in key architectural details.

Lesson 13

Course conclusion

You've reached the final chapter of the course. Let's look back on your progress and explore how to keep growing as an artist.

Wiktor

Mielniczuk

Watercolor artist

  • I have been teaching art—primarily watercolor painting and design—since 2003.
  • For over two decades, I have combined a professional architectural career with my passion for art, creating thousands of paintings and sketches.
  • My architectural projects have won awards in competitions throughout Poland and have been successfully realized.
  • I participate in international exhibitions and workshops worldwide (including Italy, Spain, China, France, and Switzerland), and my work has been featured in numerous art magazines and catalogs.

Instructor's
Works

Course materials

1. Paper:

  • Arches paper Grain Torchen 300g, 36x51 cm (14x20 in)

2. Drawing tools:

  • Pencil: 2B, eraser
  • Hardboard to fix the paper on it

3. Brushes:

  • Da Vinci Synthetic 4, 10, 20 + 20 flat brush

4. Colors:

  • Watercolors Schmincke Horadam Aquarell tube 15ml
  • Purple Magenta, Ultramarine finest, Chinese White, Cobalt Turquoise, Chromium Orange, Burnt Sienna, Ivory Black, Green Earth, Permanent Green

5. Other:

  • Paper towels
  • 2 cups for water

Pricing

Standard
 
  • 13 lessons: theory + practice + developmental exercises
  • 8 expressive architectural paintings
  • 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 workshop. Valid for 3 months
200 $
$ €
SIGN UP!
Plus
 
  • 13 lessons: theory + practice + developmental exercises
  • 8 expressive architectural paintings
  • 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 workshop. Valid for 3 months
250 $
$ €
SIGN UP!
Premium
 
  • 13 lessons: theory + practice + developmental exercises
  • 8 expressive architectural paintings
  • 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 workshop. 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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