Church of Santa Maria from Plaza Frederic Rahola, Cadaqués, Girona, Spain

I painted this watercolour looking towards the Church of Santa Maria from Plaza Frederic Rahola in Cadaqués, Girona, Spain. I loved the strong Mediterranean light breaking across the square and the moody sky over the white buildings. My focus was the contrast of the cool walls and the warm roof, with the church tower catching the sun. It is a classic Spanish urban scene with space, figures and long shadows.

I began with a big loose sky wash using ultramarine blue with a touch of lavender and a few soft lifts for the clouds. The distant buildings went in as one simple shape, mainly cool cobalt blue with hints of light red and cadmium yellow in the roof and sunlit wall. I kept edges soft where the light flares and left a few small paper saves for sparkle.

The tree on the left was painted wet in wet with mixes of viridian and spring green, then dark accents made from ultramarine and burnt sienna. I used negative painting to suggest leaves and small gaps of sky. Across the square I dragged in long shadows with ultramarine and a little neutral tint, then dropped in a few simple figures and a tiny dog for life.

My tip for this kind of subject is to design the light first. Keep windows and details very simple, and let some edges melt away so the eye moves to the church and the bright wall. A touch of white paint at the end adds a few sun catches and seagull flicks. If this painting inspires a visit to beautiful Cadaqués, take the sketchbook and enjoy the views from the plaza.