Here's the things to know about Watercolor...
It can be unpredictable.
And that can be the Magic of it !
Be mindful that working with outside temperature that is too hot, too cold or just too humid can affect the way your paint handles and dries.
It is helpful to work on a Watercolor block for better control.
Because one of the important things in painting in Watercolor is to preserve the surface integrity of the paper, it is desirable to be confident in your drawing skill and not use an eraser to compromise your working surface
The workshop is casual and meant to be enjoyable, so a good suggestion would be to have a basic drawing course under your belt, if you need a refresher
or have not taken a Watercolor workshop before. read on...
Watercolor workshops
when non artists think about maybe doing some painting, they think Watercolors may be a simple way to begin. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Remember what you started with in kindergarten ?
Unlike oil painting, Watercolor paint uses 'water' as a vehicle.
To contain water, you use a 'container', right ?
When you paint with Water, there is no 'container'.
You learn to control what the medium can do, to a degree...
but, some of the best parts come in uncontrolled strokes,
which is the beauty of it.
You can then produce mood and a sense of space.
You learn to predict the varying of what colors sink in,
what colors stain and the timing of the drying surface before more paint can be added to get different effects,
You let the Watercolor respond to the water, water is energy,that's your vehicle. Water is in every cell of our body.
And the amazing, happy accidents begin to appear and bloom and mix...
And the best parts frequently are unplanned and as you gain experience, they are somewhat predictable. You learn how to get certain effects and other times it's fun to produce surprises.
But, what isn't much fun and it see it sometimes in my workshops, is when someone is struggling to draw from life
and all they've done previously is trace or project or copy photographs.
None of that takes place in a en plein air art workshop.
So, if you're thinking about taking an art workshop and painting from life, you need to practice drawing from life. Filling in between the lines does no justice to the delicate beauty and sensitivity of a Watercolor painting. ©JR Baldini
