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Watercolor Painting Tutorials

Student Critiques: Wash Series Final Urban Landscape

Final session of the Wash Series: three student critiques of the urban landscape project, with tips for washes, depth, and loose watercolor.

Robert Joyner | Garage Studio Artist & Art Educator

Robert Joyner | Garage Studio Artist & Art Educator

— 2 min read
Student Critiques hero image with studio floor image and feedback symbol

In this final lesson of the Watercolor Wash Series, I review three student versions of the urban landscape project. Each piece shows how washes can create mood and movement, and we look at what’s working and where improvements can be made.

In case you missed them here are the wash series links, I highly recommend you watch them if you want full explanations for how this piece was created!

👉 Wet-in-wet watercolor series
👉 Wet-on-dry watercolor series

👉 Want step-by-step lessons? Visit the Watercolor Hub for tutorials and free courses.

Critique 1

Strong value gradations with nice color bleeding through the middle section. Adding a few details at the base of buildings and softening some edges would create more depth and help the yellow building stand out even more.

Critique 2

Good handling of shadows and perspective, but watch out for heavy outlines. Dark lines can make things feel like a coloring book if they aren’t tied into shadows. Letting washes connect and bleed will keep the painting loose and natural.

Critique 3

A very free and expressive wash. Shapes feel varied and the flow is lively. Just be careful with perspective and avoid white outlines around cars or buildings — small touches like connected shadows or a hint of detail can make the scene more believable.

Closing

This urban scene brings together everything from the Wet-in-Wet and Wet-in-Dry Wash Series. From the first mingling washes to the bold finishing strokes, it’s a demonstration of how advanced wash techniques can shape an expressive cityscape.

Continue Learning

👉 Next stop: check out my Free Watercolor Painting Course or browse the Watercolor Tutorials Hub to keep building your skills.
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Affiliate Disclosure: Some links are affiliates, and I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend materials I use regularly, often from Blick Art Materials. Your support keeps my tutorials free and ad-free—thank you!

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