Ultra Loose Watercolor Cityscape Demo: Unleash Your Wild Side

In this tutorial, I will guide you through the process of painting a mesmerizing cityscape using ultra-loose watercolor techniques. Watercolor painting can be both thrilling and challenging, especially when aiming for a loose and expressive style. Striking a balance between having a vision and allowing room for spontaneity is crucial to create captivating watercolor artworks.

Below you will find the finished art image, a list of some ideas to think about before paint hits the paper and finally a video demo where I paint the loose watercolor urban inspired artwork.

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Let's dive into Ultra Loose Watercolor Landscape Tips

Before diving into the painting process, let's cover some essential steps to set the groundwork for your masterpiece:

1. Composing Your Vision

Take a few minutes to analyze the scene and arrange large shapes into a compelling composition. Look for interesting perspectives, leading lines, and focal points that will draw the viewer into the painting.

2. Choosing Your Focal Point

Decide on a focal point or an overall plan for how you want your audience to explore the cityscape. This could be a prominent building, an intriguing alleyway, or any element that captures attention.

3. Grasping Values

Consider the value hierarchy and determine where you want to place the darkest and lightest values. This step is essential to create depth and contrast in your artwork.

4. Picking Your Palette

Choose between a chromatic (color-focused) or tonal (value-focused) color palette. Experiment with various color combinations to evoke different moods and atmospheres.

Now that we have our guidelines set, let's dive into the captivating cityscape painting process. Remember, while I'll be demonstrating my approach, there's plenty of room for creativity and experimentation. Embrace the fluidity of watercolors and embrace any exciting opportunities that arise during the painting process.

Materials Used:

• Holbein paints: Cadmium red light, alizarin crimson, Cobalt blue, ultramarine blue, cadmium yellow lemon, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, neutral tint.
• Brushes: Princeton Neptune pointed round #12, #6, Rigger #3/4″, Silver brush black velvet jumbo (medium).
• Paper: Fabriano Artistico, bright white, 140 lb. cold press, 11″ x 14″.

Here's a great article that covers all the best watercolor materials I use and recommend for all levels. Have a look!

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It's video time!

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