Mixed media Cityscape

Hello everyone, brrr it’s been a bit cold here lately (it’s winter I here you cry) I know! It’s just been so mild that the cold feels a bit of a shock, lol. Well it’s that time again for my inspiration for Country View Crafts current theme of city/landscapes. I cannot believe we are over half way through January already, time definitely flies.

For my second piece I chose to paint a cityscape, now be gentle with me as this is very much a first. I don’t own any city/landscapes stamps so my choices were very limited, and as neither are a particular interest to me, a very big challenge. (One of the reasons I love this theme so much is that it really challenged me) nothing like a good challenge to get you creative muscles working. 

There really are so many faults with this piece but I’m pleased with it!

So I started by roughly sketching my buildings and street. I lost perspective along the way,

 I didn’t use a reference photo as I wasn’t going for realism, and quite like the whimsy feel.

I then added a water glaze all over my page and let it soak in while I mixed my paints. I used Sennelier watercolour tubes but you could use

either Prima watercolour pans or Jane Davenports. Any watercolours would do!

The colours I used for the sky were: Quinacridone Gold - a very warm yellow Sennelier yellow deep - cooler but still warm Sennelier red. For the buildings I mixed various blues greys and purples, using a mix of the primary colours varying the amounts of each to hues and values I was after. The blues I used where Pthalo and ultramarine. 

I plan to do a video on mixing greys and browns so watch this space!

Anyway now my colours are mixed I start adding the colour to the wet glaze, dropping in the different colours to the sky area. Once dry I start to block in the buildings, using lighter values at the back and darkening them as I come forward. 

I want a very loose paintily style so after adding a glaze of colour I add lots of clean and splashes to add texture.

Building up more layers

And more

Once it was completely dry I added some oil pastels in areas to added depth and the figures walking. I then used a black ink with a dip pen to add details to my buildings etc. 

Another way you could add buildings is to cut them out of magazines and collage them onto your piece or even cut them out from coloured card/paper, cut the shapes stick them in place and the windows doors with a pen.

I hope you have been inspired to take part

Hugs xxx