Before the Next Move (2026) Original Watercolour by Sofiia Kuzmenko

In [Before the Next Move], two men lean over a chessboard while the park carries on around them. Children run along the path, a pigeon steps into the light, and blue shadows stretch beneath the benches. For the two players, there’s only the board and the quiet question of what comes next.

That pause inspired me to paint the scene. In the original watercolor, I used soft washes for the trees and sharper details around the players and chess pieces, where the warm sunlight meets the cool shade. The closer you look, the more of the park you discover.

This original watercolor is for anyone who loves the game, collects figurative watercolor, or simply enjoys the small moments you notice when you slow down.

Materials used:

Watercolour

Details:

• Watercolour on Paper
• One of a kind artwork
• Size: 14.96 x 20.47" (unframed) / 14.17 x 19.69" (actual image size)
• Signed on the front
• Style: Impressionistic
• Subject: People and portraits