Cityscapes can feel overwhelming to paint. With so many buildings, windows, rooftops and architectural details, it’s easy to feel lost before even starting.

But convincing cityscapes don’t require perfect perspective or drawing every single detail.

In this class, you’ll learn how to paint expressive watercolor cityscapes by simplifying architecture while keeping the scene believable and atmospheric.

Instead of focusing on complicated perspective rules, we’ll concentrate on the elements that truly make a cityscape work: atmosphere, values, edges, and selective detail.

Through two guided projects, you’ll learn how to approach complex urban scenes with more clarity and confidence.

What you'll learn

In this class, you’ll discover how to:

• simplify buildings without losing realism
• find a strong focal point in complex scenes
• use aerial perspective to create depth
• paint convincing architecture without technical drawing
• control edges to guide the viewer’s eye
• create atmosphere and mood in watercolor cityscapes

These ideas will help you approach not only the projects in this class, but any cityscape you want to paint in the future.

Projects

We’ll paint two cityscape scenes together:

Project 1: Eiffel Tower in Winter
A moody monochrome painting focused on atmosphere, value control, and simplified architectural details.

Project 2: Galata Tower at Golden Hour
A warm and vibrant cityscape where we combine color harmony, simplified buildings, and a detailed focal point.

Both projects are designed to help you practice simplification, depth, and edge control in a relaxed and enjoyable way.

Who this class is for

This class is great for watercolor artists who already have some basic experience and want to feel more confident painting architecture and city scenes.

If cityscapes have ever felt intimidating or overly complex, this class will show you a simpler and more intuitive approach.

Materials

You’ll need:

• watercolor paper (preferably 100% cotton)
• a few watercolor brushes
• basic watercolor paints
• pencil and eraser
• white gouache for final details

A full materials list and color suggestions are provided in the class.

By the end of the class

You’ll have two finished watercolor cityscapes and a practical approach for simplifying complex architectural scenes.

More importantly, you’ll see that cityscapes don’t have to be stressful. They can be expressive, atmospheric, and enjoyable to paint.

Elina Zhelyazkova

Watercolor Artist

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