Transparency from the Heart
a watercolor course
Just like us, watercolor is unpredictable at times, it creates happy mistakes you never expected and often gives us results we can’t replicate. The relationship between water, paint and paper is what gives me the joy I feel when I paint. Add to this what subjects speak to me and “boom”, I’ve got a painting that reflects my heart and my soul.
Join me in learning how to paint from your heart while learning the wonderful medium watercolor.
As artists we know our best work comes from down deep within us. The subject we choose to paint typically has an emotional connection to us and the end result is our soul on display for the world to see. We must become vulnerable and transparent to the viewer in order for our story to be told. The viewer may never realize they are looking at the heart of the artist but they do know when their own heart is touched. They are drawn into the piece and often may never truly understand why, but because we are passionate about our work, our viewers respond. Bearing our heart and soul is a risk we take but the rewards far outweigh the critique we may endure. When one paints from the heart, a bond is formed between the viewer and the artist. Painting is a way our personal thoughts are put into words.
My goal in creating this watercolor class is for you to find your creative voice. I am hopeful it will allow you to become transparent and vulnerable. I want you to connect with subjects that you can’t wait to share with others in a visual way. I truly believe that “out of the heart the artist paints.” My hope for you is through a lot of practice, dreaming and various repetitive techniques honed to perfection you’ll find a deep desire to create. No matter where you are in your creative journey, start listening to your heart and begin bringing out your own stories to be told. Never stop creating! We’ll have fun working through my handy dandy workbooks crammed full of information on supplies, color, exercises for you to learn and practice new watercolor techniques and so much more!
This course is created in three modules - Introduction or beginner, intermediate and advanced. Each module will walk you through information pertinent to learning and preparing you for the next module.
Module One: We’ll start out with the basics is watercolor, color theory , demystify those pesky supplies and practice exercises that will help you learn water to paint ratios, wet into wet make colors dance and so much more.
Module Two: Building on module one - we’ll move on to more techniques that will require a little more style and fines~ all the while learning more about design and composition, why your sketchbook will become more important to you than your phone and design strategies that will ensure you have a well planned painting before you begin that final masterpiece!
Module Three: We’ll focus on more painting techniques but more importantly we will hone in on what it means to develop your own style that tells your very own story. We’ll create a finished painting utilizing all the information we’ve absorbed in our previous two modules and begin to draw out what truly speaks to us. We’ll talk about how your own style will begin to emerge over time and the importance of not comparing your self to everyone on social media!
Woven throughout all three modules will be inspirational pages that will challenge you to dig deep and determine how they are speaking to you personally. This is a key factor in learning how to paint from your heart and show your transparency through your very own style and subjects.
Most importantly we will laugh a lot, enjoy getting to know one another and inspire each other on our creative journey. And always remember - stay teachable!
Module One
Transparency from the Heart - an Introduction to Watercolor
It all begins with your heart - learning to create from your heart is the first step in becoming a better artist. Combined with the understanding of techniques, principles and processes you can find what truly speaks to your heart in a creative way. Whether you love painting or some other creative medium, the information you learn in this course will be applied throughout your creative journey.
In this first module your will learn how water mixes with paint to create colors you would never be able to create yourself. You’ll practice techniques that will lay the foundation for module two, and gain an understanding of color and the important role it plays in the success of your art.
In this workshop you will receive:
• a take home notebook crammed full of information you will refer to as you continue on your creative journey long after our time together is over and I will finally demystify all those supplies you keep wondering about.
• exercise sheets we will use practicing the fundamental skills of watercolor
• project sheets for you to practice on your own in your own time and pace.
I hope you will join me for a fun time of learning, laughter and creating!
Module Two
Transparency from the Heart - Digging Deeper into Watercolor…an Intermediate Workshop
Have you ever wanted to learn watercolor but found yourself feeling too intimidated to take on the challenge? Join me in learning how to paint with watercolors in a way that leaves you feeling proud, hopeful challenged and wanting to learn more.
In this workshop you will receive:
• handouts that include information about design, techniques, composition and more.
• exercises that will help you understand how to take what seems to be an ordinary photo and turn it into a great composition for painting.
• a sketch book so you will begin to understand the reason it will become the window to your soul.
In this workshop we will be focusing on:
* principles and elements of design
* design strategies
* advanced painting techniques such as leaf strokes, petal formations, and more.
* we will discuss how to start a painting by creating a small watercolor sketch, determine your colors and the techniques you will need to know before you start to paint your final piece.
* we will talk more about color and the role it will play in translating the emotions of your story.
Module Three
Transparency from the Heart - Sharing your story through watercolor - an advanced class in watercolor techniques
In this module we will put to task all the information and skills that we learned in the previous workshops. We will create sketches of our subject, develop our color swatch pallets and finalize the layout of our painting.
In this workshop you will receive:
• handouts that include information about advanced color theory and how the colors you choose speak your story.
• exercises in creating your own color swatches utilizing various color mixing techniques on your paper and your palette.
• various composed layouts to help spur your creativity as you begin planning your own painting.
• templates to help you determine why you are drawn to certain subjects and how to visualize these feelings.
In this workshop we will be focusing on:
* planning and laying out your own painting utilizing your own photographs
* sketching out your drawing (no drawing experience required).
* further advanced painting techniques such as wood, sand, water, skies , clouds and more.
* we will talk more about color and the role it will play in translating the emotions of your story.
This class does require a working knowledge of basic and intermediate watercolor skills so if you have not painted with watercolors before then you will need to take the previous two modules before taking this one.
You will also need to bring 4 to 5 photographs of various subjects that your are drawn to paint. Please be sure they are in full color and grayscale!