Street Scene - Tonal Values & a Touch of Colour

Strong light, bold shadows, and an atmospheric street scene... what's not to love?

In this tutorial, we'll explore how to look at and interpret a subject as a painting. This isn't about copying the subject exactly, but rather learning how to see as an artist, and how to create a painting.

Step by step, we'll work on a small tonal study alongside a larger main painting with some colour. The subject is largely tonal, making it a great way to explore the relationship between tone and colour in a very manageable way.

Along the way, we'll cover:

• How to interpret and simplify a subject into a painting
• Using a quick tonal study to plan a larger piece
• Seeing and grouping tonal values into clear shapes
• Introducing colour, some muted and some a little stronger, while keeping tone as the priority
• Simple wet-in-wet techniques and an easy-to-follow watercolour process
• Creating atmosphere, depth, and strong light through tonal contrast

A great tutorial for anyone wanting to become more confident with tone, colour, and turning everyday scenes into compelling paintings.