Sophisticated Simplicity in Watercolor (Online Course) Fall 2024 w/ Mick McAndrews
October 28 to November 18 (Mondays), 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM, Eastern Time
**All sessions are live and will be recorded, students do not have to be present. All recordings will be available to students for 3 months after the final session, after 3 months the recording will be deleted.
Please check your email spam/junk folder for your Zoom invite.
DEMO: https://youtu.be/PwhxI9MtHFw
Course Description
During this watercolor course we will paint a variety of subjects using plenty of water and pigment to exploit the wonder and intrinsic beauty of watercolor. We will focus on the importance of developing interesting shapes, value contrast and design, edge variety, and more!
The course setting is relaxed and accommodating to all.
Additional areas of discussion will include:
Simplifying the scene
Working from reference material
Use of artistic license
Developing strong compositions
Atmospheric perspective
Visual language
The sheer joy of painting
Course Outline
Week 1
Welcome / Setting Expectations
Design and Composition
Demonstration painting
The role of the artist: Shape maker, symbol collector, entertainer
The amateur is afraid of boldness; the professional is afraid of timidity.
There’s nothing wrong with being in kindergarten as long as you don’t stay there.
Great designers are eliminators
Week 2
Shapes, values and edges
Keys to painting loose and juicy
Demonstration painting
The moment you’re afraid… do it! Production is more important than success!
I don’t want it true – instead I want a beautiful lie.
Don’t demand more competence of yourself than you have earned!
Week 3
The importance of good drawing skills
Understanding perspective
Basic color theory
Demonstration painting
Your marks must be sure, not timid.
Think MORE and paint LESS.
Failure is a function of success. Without failure it is not possible to measure gain.
Talent is acquired, not inherited.
Week 4
Composition: Putting it all together!
The vignette
Demonstration painting
You get the facts from nature but you get art from artists!
The discipline endured is the mastery achieved.
No talent can survive the blight of neglect.
Work is a prayer, and it’s the only prayer that deserves to be answered.
Course Materials List
NOTE: This supplies list is a guide and I do not expect the purchase of new and expensive painting supplies for the workshop. If you are comfortable with the paints, brushes and paper that you currently use they should be fine. I do, however, use a few boutique colors that you may want to consider: Jaune Brilliant #1 and #2 and Lavender by Holbein.
Reference Material: Bring photos sketches, etc., for subject matter.
Materials – Palette, paper, brushes, paint, board, masking tape or bull-dog clips,
sponge (inexpensive household variety, the larger the better), misting spray bottle,
tissues or paper towel, pencil, soft or kneaded eraser
Paints (Winsor Newton, Daniel Smith, Holbein, etc.)
Yellow: Cadmium Yellow Light, Yellow Ochre, Raw Sienna, Quinacridone Gold
Orange: Red Orange (Holbein)
Red: Cadmium Red Light or Pyrol Red
Brown: Raw and Burnt Umber, Burnt Sienna, Brown Madder
Blue: Ultra-Marine, Cobalt, Cerulean, Cobalt Turquoise, Lavender (Holbein)
Green: I mix greens but a good one out of the tube is Perylene by W&N
Black: Neutral Tint
White: Chinese White, Jaune Brilliant #1, White Gauche
Brushes
Mix of flat, (1”, ¾”, ½”), and round, (6, 10, 12), mop, (squirrel or synthetic hair), and
rigger brushes. Quality will vary greatly as will price but today’s synthetic brushes are
good quality and reasonably priced.
Paper (Arches, Saunders)
I use acid free pure rag paper by manufacturers such as Arches and Saunders, 140 lb.
rough texture. Weights, (140lb, 300lb, etc.), and textures are a matter of personal
preference and painting style.
Suppliers:
Cheap Joe’s, Dick Blick, Jerry’s Artarama – paint, paper, brushes, etc.
Sun Eden Artists Gear, En Plein Air Pro – plein air equipment
Escoda, Winsor & Newton, etc. – brush brand