This class is for you if…
- You are a new to watercolor
- You’ve tried watercolor, but haven’t painted for a while
- You get into trouble painting in watercolor on your own
- You feel as if there are gaps in your knowledge
I plan to cover: best practices, materials, set- up, a variety of washes, altering edge quality, water management, color basics, image transfer methods, a variety or resist techniques preservation of whites, ways to reclaim whites when they are lost and layering color.
So often in our hurry to make pretty pictures, we skip the basics. It’s possible to get started and paint without really knowing what you’re doing, but at some point, the gaps in your knowledge can hold you back.
Here’s what you need:
Materials List:
- Spray bottle with heavier mist and one with fine mist
- Arches paper (worth every penny!)
- My Six basic must have colors artist grade tube colors 2 triads
- Mechanical #2 Pencil
- Kneaded eraser
- White wax crayon within reach
- Masking fluid if desired to preserve whites
- Watercolor Sketchbook for notes and exercises – I recommend a Aquabee or Canson Mixed Media
- Pen for taking notes
- 2 small water containers one for clean water and lifting and one for cleaning brushes- dirty water
- My Six basic must have colors artist grade tube colors 2 triads
- Assorted brushes:A 12 inch round brush 10-inch round brush, hake wash brush, synthetic liner/rigger brush
- 2 spray bottles- one with a heavy mist/fine mist
- A board to paint on
- Prop for board- Toilet paper roll or Something to create a slight tilt under your board
- 2 inch Wide masking tape, painters tape, or clear packing tape
- Black Sharpie marker
- Salt within reach
- Masking fluid – Pebeo drawing gum is my recommended brand (link)
- Small bottle of white acrylic paint- any brand
- Small plastic applicator bottle (optional)
- Soap
- Plastic bottle cap/or small round plastic palette with clean available wells
- Natural sponge or small portion of clean household natural sponge
- Mr Clean Magic Eraser (Dollar Store brand ok, but get the type without soap or scrubber surface)
- Paper towel and/or Kleenex
- 1 Safety razor blade
- Stencil or Clear plastic transparency sheet…more on this during classes
Best practices
- Work on a slight tilt when possible
- Use good paper for best results- Arches
- Use good brushes- not necessarily most expensive (I have some at studio if you want to come by)
- Use professional quality paints rather than student grade or cheap watercolors (if cost is an issue, buy fewer colors and mix like crazy!)
- If working from a reference photo, put it where you can see it or work from a tablet
- When coming to class, bring a sketchbook for taking notes/handouts