Watercolor of the Door on Rua de 31 de Janeiro
2025-09-20
Watercolor of the Door on Rua de 31 de Janeiro was born last Saturday. It happened during the 88th USK Portugal Norte meetup, part of the (A)riscar o Património project. The rain didn’t help much in the morning. But by the afternoon, I’d finished this illustration of a door that really caught my eye while walking through central Porto.
The meetup’s theme was exactly that, doors and windows. Or, more precisely, “Architectural Heritage: Windows to the Past and Doors to the Future”. We wandered through central Porto, close to São Bento Station, just to look at and admire the doors and windows around there.
The Door at Number 190
Heading down Rua de 31 de Janeiro, the door I picked was the one at number 190. Like I’ve said before, this architectural mix in the city fascinates me, this meeting of old and new.
Right in the middle of the block, there’s a beautifully restored building, its facade still well kept. All the details and ornaments are still there, carrying the sophistication of a grand era. This watercolor of the door on Rua de 31 de Janeiro ended up capturing that contrast pretty well.
Painting This Watercolor of the Door on Rua de 31 de Janeiro
I kept this scene in my sketchbook, between pens and watercolor, right alongside the rest of the USK Portugal Norte group. It was a good Saturday of urban sketching, even with the rain being stubborn in the morning.