Betsey MacDonald: Light Fantastic - 4 Week Watercolor class (Intermediate/Advanced)

Description:

To me, every square inch of a painting space is about light and dark. Understanding light is the foundation of our art. Without it there is no contrast, no color, no vision. In this class we will continue to explore light and how it emerges through color theory. Join us to investigate how the variety of watercolor techniques, particularly the use of transparent layers will allow us to create our own light inspired visions. This class is a continuation of “See The Light” but newcomers are more than welcome.

Objectives:

• Acquire skills with a variety of watercolor painting techniques
• Learn about color theory and clean color mixing and layering
• Learn to better see the light as it creates highlights and shadows
• Create a variety of values using simply the addition of water to watercolor
• Create a variety of values through the use of colors
• Improve observational skills through painting from life
• Take and manipulate better reference photos
• Use value/color to render objects in light and shadow
• Understand how values can be used to create form
• Render objects by selectively and knowledgably using color
• Observe, critique and discuss student work and master paintings
• Gain a greater appreciation of how light and painting are connected

Materials student will need to provide:  Watercolor set (an inexpensive tray is fine but a set of tubes with palette is great, too), variety of brushes, masking fluid, watercolor block or pad(at least 140 lb, 8x 10, 12 x 16, 16 x 20 or a few sheets with a gator foam board for stapling or some other support or 300 lb paper which doesn’t need mounting , hot or cold press or even rough can work, jar or two for water, spray bottle, sponge or two, #2 pencil or mechanical pencil, paper towels. Several printed 8 x 10 photos taken by the student of light on the subjects of choice. I will be bringing grapes and oranges etc for the first class

Materials provided by instructor: Grapes and oranges, napkins for the first class