Gambles Window, Aurora

Some of my students asked how to paint brick, so here is an example. This is a window in the old Gamble's building in downtown Aurora.

I don't usually paint in all the bricks. I prefer to "suggest" them. But I wanted the brick to be "boring" so that the interest is on the window.

First I painted in a base wash of burnt sienna/some reds/some quin gold. Before it dried I sprayed a fine mist over it to get some texture.

I used a ruler and different colors of watercolor pencil to get the bricks done. I darkened the shadows. Later I painted over many of those lines with paint, but I needed to see my lines.

For the top window I dulled it with blues and oranges so it would put the attention on the lower window.

The hardest part for me was the arch of bricks, getting them right so they won't look weird.