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Architectural Sketching with Watercolor and Ink
Domestika

Architectural Sketching with Watercolor and Ink

Master the art of architectural sketching through watercolor and ink techniques that bring buildings to life. Learn perspective fundamentals, dynamic composition, texture creation, and color mixing while creating stunning urban landscapes. Transform how you capture architecture by combining loose ink sketching with expressive watercolor washes to portray the character and mood of any place. Learn More
Sharable Certificate

Verified digital certificate of completion

Lessons : 20

Module : 6

Architectural Sketching with Watercolor and Ink
Course available on

Subject

Duration

2 – 5 hours

Total Enrolled

165K+

Course Level

Beginner

Who should enroll

  • Watercolor artists wanting to tackle architectural subjects with confidence and proper perspective understanding
  • Urban sketchers seeking to move beyond simple line drawings into expressive mixed media work
  • Professional illustrators needing architectural rendering skills for client work or personal projects
  • Art students learning fundamental perspective and composition principles through practical application
  • Hobbyists who love painting buildings but struggle with technical accuracy and depth
  • Travelers wanting to capture places through sketching rather than just photography
  • Anyone frustrated with flat, lifeless architectural drawings who wants to add mood and character
  • Creative professionals seeking a meditative practice that combines technical skill with artistic expression

Not recommended if you…

  • Those expecting digital illustration or Photoshop techniques. This focuses entirely on traditional watercolor and ink media.
  • Complete beginners wanting basic watercolor fundamentals first. While no experience is required, comfort holding a brush helps.
  • If you need CAD, technical drawing, or architectural drafting skills, try professional architecture software courses instead.
  • Artists seeking abstract or experimental watercolor styles. Hillkurtz teaches representational architectural rendering.
  • People without time for practice. Watercolor skills require hands-on repetition beyond just watching lessons.

Overview

Most people photograph buildings. Artists experience them.

Architectural sketching forces you to slow down, notice details invisible to cameras, and translate three-dimensional spaces onto paper with depth and emotion. Storyboard artist Alex Hillkurtz, whose cinematic eye has shaped films like Argo and Almost Famous, teaches you his approach to capturing not just what buildings look like, but how they feel.

This course cuts straight to what matters: perspective fundamentals that actually make sense, composition techniques borrowed from cinema, and the watercolor skills needed to paint light, shadow, and atmosphere. You’ll learn to sketch loosely with ink and fountain pen, then layer watercolor washes that give your work professional depth.

Hillkurtz brings his film industry background to every lesson. He shows you how to find vanishing points and horizon lines quickly, create texture through color layering, and mix colors that capture specific moods. The final project pushes you to complete a finished architectural painting that demonstrates real technical growth.

Perfect for watercolor artists wanting architectural skills, urban sketchers seeking structure, or anyone tired of flat, lifeless building sketches. No previous watercolor experience required, just a willingness to see architecture differently.

What You'll Learn

  • Perspective Fundamentals – Understanding vanishing points, horizon lines, and how to apply one-point and two-point perspective to architectural subjects
  • Dynamic Composition Techniques – Using cinematic principles to frame buildings, choose viewpoints, and create visual interest beyond accurate representation
  • Ink Sketching Methods – Loose, confident line work with fountain pen and waterproof ink that captures architectural details without stiffness
  • Watercolor Wash Techniques – Layering translucent color to build depth, create atmosphere, and establish light-to-dark value relationships
  • Color Mixing Strategies – Creating custom color palettes that convey specific moods and accurately represent architectural materials and lighting conditions
  • Texture Creation – Using watercolor techniques to render brick, stone, wood, glass, and other building materials convincingly
  • Shadow and Detail Application – Multi-layer approach to adding shadows, architectural details, and finishing touches that bring paintings to life
  • Thumbnail Sketching – Quick compositional planning method used by professional artists to test ideas before committing to final paintings
  • Materials Selection – Choosing the right brushes (round, flat, mop), papers, paints, and inks for architectural watercolor work
  • Complete Project Workflow – From initial pencil sketch through ink drawing to finished watercolor painting of an architectural subject

Taught by : Alex Hillkurtz

Storyboard artist Alex Hillkurtz brings a unique cinematic perspective to architectural sketching, honed through decades working on major Hollywood films including Argo, Almost Famous, and It’s Complicated. Born in England and raised in California, he currently lives in Paris where he continuously explores the city’s hidden architectural corners through sketching and painting. His background in visual storytelling for film gives him an exceptional eye for composition, lighting, and how to capture not just buildings, but the emotional experience of places. Hillkurtz believes sketching offers an antidote to our rushed modern lives, providing a deliberate practice that reveals unexpected stories in the spaces we inhabit.

Review

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More Info

Language :

Dutch, English, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish, Spanish (Latam), Turkish

Support Available?...

Yes!

Course Demand Is

Medium

Resources Available?...

Yes!

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Enroll

165K+

Duration

2 – 5 hours

Level

Beginner

Subject

Course available on

Summarize : Master the art of architectural sketching through watercolor and ink techniques that bring buildings to life. Learn perspective fundamentals, dynamic composition, texture creation, and color mixing while creating stunning urban landscapes. Transform how you capture architecture by combining loose ink sketching with expressive watercolor washes to portray the character and mood of any place. Learn More

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