Watercolor Journey with Julia Zilbert

Lesson 3

Light Subjects to Loosen Up Your Hand

This lesson is for anyone who's afraid of doing it "wrong." We're going to paint insects — they're the perfect subjects to help you loosen up. There are endless shapes, lines, and colors in the insect world, so... you really can't mess it up!

In this lesson:

• we’ll learn how to paint wet-on-wet, starting from a blotch, without fear and without a pencil;
• let’s let go of control and trust ourselves;
• let’s use watercolor as a way to relax;
• let’s make painting a part of our everyday life — just like any other creative habit.

Lesson 5

In the Harbor Before the Storm

Duration: about 2 hours and 35 minutes

Everything goes still before a storm. We'll try to capture that powerful pre-storm feeling. We'll work with a limited palette, building a composition between the sky, water, and architecture.

In this lesson:

• we’ll learn how to work on wet paper to create mist and clouds;
• let’s pick a minimal, unique palette for a stormy sky and water;
• let’s simplify the city scene but keep the mood and depth;
• let’s bring together the sky, architecture, and reflections into one beautiful, unified painting.

Lesson 7

A Sunny Hour Over the Vittoriano

Duration: about 2 hours and 50 minutes

Italy sure knows how to shine. Here, the light brings out the architecture and turns shadows into real events. In this scene, we'll find scale, rhythm, and silhouette — and see how you can paint a complex city view in a light and poetic way.

In this lesson:

• let’s simplify a complex architectural scene while keeping the rhythm and scale;
• let’s practice building up shapes with patches of color instead of lines, working in a few layers;
• let’s play around with warm light and its contrasts;
• let’s learn how to guide the viewer’s attention using tone and color.

Lesson 9

At Dusk by the Waterside

Duration: about 2 hours and 10 minutes

An evening Spanish church is a great excuse to turn a dark reference into a watercolor filled with light, air, and the quiet of dusk.

In this lesson:

• we’ll learn how to paint wet-on-wet, adding tone to the underpainting;
• let’s practice building architecture with shapes — no pencil, no extra details;
• let’s figure out how to paint calm water and reflections;
• we’ll figure out when to stop and how to pick up where we left off later — all without losing that fresh watercolor look.

Lesson 11

A Winter Evening in Bucharest

Duration: about 2 hours and 50 minutes

In this lesson, we’re heading out for an evening walk through a snowy city. We’ll paint glowing facades, people strolling by, and add some neon touches to make the scene feel lively and modern.

In this lesson:

• let’s sketch out the foreground architecture in a loose and simple way;
• let’s create depth in the distant city using shapes and silhouettes;
• let’s bring our scene to life: add some people, cars, and falling snow;
• let’s bring our composition to life with some contrasts and spots of light.