Street Scene at Evening Time

Watercolor painting of an evening street scene.

Introduction

In July of 2019 I was browsing the photos on my cellphone and one image caught my eye. I liked it so much I couldn’t resist attempting a painting of it.

Version 1

What I like about this painting is how you get some of that warm orange light of the sky in the white bands of the crossings on the roads and this looks very dramatic because all of the ground is shrouded in a deep dark shadow. I thought this would be a one off painting but then I did version 2.

Watercolor painting of an evening street scene. Version 1.

Version 2

So I decided to have another go and I wanted to have more little highlights in the shadowy area of the ground as well as a little more variety of color in the shadows. But I think the previous painting, which is much simpler is better, it just seems to be farm more powerful and effective. Also I don’t think the sky is powerful enough in this painting. But I do like it.

Watercolor painting of an evening street scene. Version 2.

Version 3

I am very happy with the sky in this painting. I wanted to make it much more powerful and brighter and I think I have achieved that in this one. I also like the use of colors for the shadowy buildings such as the use of a warm orange and a cool blue. That said I still think the first one, which is super simple, is the best one. I like this painting though. I think the buildings in Japan sometimes look very interesting because each building is so different to the one next to it – unlike the Western world where the buildings next to one another can be almost like copies. Although that irregular pattern of the buildings in Japan is not always beautiful sometimes it can at the very least create an interesting skyline which I think happened with this painting.

Watercolor painting of an evening street scene. Version 3.

Version 4

I attempted one more painting and this became the painting for the time-lapse video. I think I should make the ground a lot darker. But for now this is the end of this small series. I think though the idea of figures half disappearing into the shadows is exciting and I might return to this painting to work on painting such figures.

Watercolor painting of an evening street scene. Version 4.

Time lapse video of painting no. 4.

Happy painting,

Gareth.

PS Comments are welcome. I can’t always reply but I do read them. I’d love to know which painting is your favorite and why. And if you have any ideas for a title please let me know as I might make that the actual title – choosing a title is so difficult.

PPS You can see my gallery of city scenes here.

Buy a Giclee print of this painting on Canson Aquarelle Rag (watercolor paper), 8 x 10″ (20.3 x 25.4 cms), $60 (includes shipping). Full refund if damaged during delivery. Please include the title of the painting – in the caption at the bottom of the painting.

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