EP #19: Adrián Marmolejo | Painting as a Problem to Solve, Style & Fundamentals | Wet On Wet Podcast

In this thoughtful and deeply grounded episode of the Wet On Wet Podcast, host Sunil Kalbandi sits down with Adrián Marmolejo, an internationally respected Spanish watercolor artist based in Granada, known for his powerful cityscapes, architectural clarity, and disciplined approach to watercolor.

Trained as an architect, Adrián brings structure, perspective, and problem-solving into a medium often associated with delicacy and spontaneity. In this conversation, he explains why he believes that painting is ultimately a problem you have to solve, and how an artist’s style naturally emerges through years of practice, observation, and decision-making rather than shortcuts or trends.

This episode moves beyond surface-level technique and visual effects, focusing instead on fundamentals such as drawing, perspective, tonal control, simplification, and the mindset required to grow as an artist over time. It is an honest, experience-driven discussion that will resonate with watercolor artists, painters, and students at every stage of their journey.

Guest — Adrián Marmolejo

Profession: Watercolor Artist, Educator
Medium: Watercolor
Style: Architectural figurative watercolor, tonal realism

Known For:

• Large-scale watercolor cityscapes
• Strong architectural perspective and depth
• Tone-first approach over color
• Painting wet-on-wet on massive formats
• Treating painting as a structured problem-solving process
• Clear, fundamentals-based teaching philosophy

Based in: Granada, Spain

Website: https://adrianmarmolejo.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adrianmc_art/

Host — Sunil Kalbandi

Website: https://kalbandi.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunilkalbandi
Podcast: Wet On Wet Podcast

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Key Insights from the Episode

• Painting is not imitation — it is problem-solving
• Drawing and perspective form the skeleton of strong painting
• Tone matters more than color in creating depth and clarity
• Style is your personal way of solving visual problems
• Simplification comes from experience, not reduction
• Physical watercolor work holds growing value in a digital age

Concepts & Artistic Philosophy Discussed

Painting as problem-solving
Approaching every painting as a series of decisions involving composition, values, perspective, and simplification.

Drawing & perspective fundamentals
Why strong drawing is essential for figurative and architectural painting, regardless of style.

Tone over color
Focusing on values, grays, and light relationships rather than excessive palettes.

Two-layer watercolor thinking
Using light and medium values first, followed by shadows to connect the painting.

Large-scale watercolor practice
Working wet-on-wet on massive formats and adapting materials, brushes, and process accordingly.

Style through practice
How personal style develops naturally through repetition, experience, and reflection.

Art education & fundamentals
Why mastering basics should come before conceptual freedom or stylistic experimentation.

Materials & Approach Mentioned

• Watercolor as a transparent, decision-driven medium
• Reduced color palette focused on tonal variation
• Two-layer wet-on-wet process
• Perspective-led composition
• Arches & Saunders Waterford paper
• Physical painting as a long-term artistic practice