Urban Sketching Tutorial: Watercolor Over Pen and Ink

Want to learn how to paint watercolors over pen and ink in your urban sketches? 
It's just like painting landscapes--only easier!

How to Get Started Adding Paint

There are many ways you can chose to start adding paints to your black and white urban sketches. Consider starting in one of these ways:
  • Start at the back and work your way forward.
  • Start at the top or at a corner and work your way down.
  • Begin with the sky.
  • Begin with the trees.
  • Start at your main focal point and radiate out from there.
  • Put a little bit of paint everywhere, then work over the whole painting at the same time.

Try out one or two of these starts. You will quickly get to know which you prefer and what you like best.
Urban sketch of the Wellfleet Harbor Masters house with the sky and background painted in watercolors.
Starting With the Sky and Background
Pen and ink urban sketch with watercolors added to the trees in the sketch.
Starting to Add Watercolor to the Trees