198 Landscapes and townscapes | SUBJECTS
PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE
Here, simple washes provide a neutral background
for adding more intense tones that draw attention to
the central building, where ink lines focus on details.
Loosely sketched local detail sets the scene.
Lift clouds
with bleach
3
Urban
textures
Apply grains of
salt to the wet,
at wash on the
side wall and
road, to create
the effect of
urban textures
of concrete and
stone. Leave to
dry completely
before removing.
2
Initial tones
Continue to
add lighter tones,
keeping the
same colors but
adjusting the tone
on each one while
the painting is
still wet. A warm
foreground helps
lead the eye
down the road to
the cooler blue.
1
Neutral
backdrop
Make a quick
sketch of the
main elements
to note solid
shapes, with the
foreground tree
framing the edge.
Paint graduated
washes for the
sky to create a
neutral backdrop.
Drawn detail
To focus on your main areas
of interest, render architectural
features in a little more detail
on top of at washes by
outlining or drawing them
with a ne brush or ink pen.
Buildings
RECORDING LANDMARKS AND VIEWS
Using a pared-back style to record an urban
scene encourages you to simplify the view
and make a feature of a particular building
that may have caught your eye. Record
surrounding details that provide a setting,
using a simplied style lled with strong
color and outlining features for impact.
Sketching guidelines
Approach the scene by simplifying the elements to
a shorthand, using loosely drawn and colored local
elements to provide a setting, suggesting perspective
with simple lines, and sketching in details and features
with a pen to add focus at the end.
Local elements
Simply drawn gures, cars, trees,
and street furniture give quick
reference points for proportion
and scale when setting the scene.
Perspective lines
Observe linear perspective
on buildings with simple lines
without being too accurate;
enough to give a sense of depth.
US_198-199_Towns_Urban_Maria_Monteil.indd 198 02/04/2020 3:35pm