Old Green House in Istanbul Postcard

This watercolor postcard was inspired by an old green house I saw in Istanbul. What caught my attention immediately was not just the building itself, but the way everything around it felt layered into one image: the rounded corner, the worn walls, the cables crossing the facade, the satellite dishes on the roof, the little plants growing out of the structure, and the narrow street turning away beside it.

I’m very drawn to this kind of urban subject, where beauty comes from use, age, and imperfection. This house did not feel polished or staged. It felt lived-in, slightly chaotic, and very specific to its place. That is exactly what made me want to paint it.

Because this piece is watercolor on postcard-sized paper, I had to simplify carefully. I focused on the shapes that give the house its identity: the curved facade, the dark doors and windows, the rooftop equipment, and the contrast between the green building and the blue structure beside it. I wanted the painting to keep that feeling of a real street corner while still staying soft and painterly.

I also like how much the artwork changes depending on the light in the photos. In softer light, the painting feels quieter and more muted. In direct sunlight, the paper texture becomes much more visible, the mint-green tones shift, and the shadows give the postcard a different mood. That change is one of the things I love most about original watercolor works.

This piece is part of my watercolor postcard series, where I translate places, buildings, and small moments into hand-painted miniature scenes. I like the intimacy of this format and the way it lets architecture feel personal.