Watercolor Techniques

Unlock the mesmerizing world of watercolors in this immersive art class designed for absolute beginners or intermediate artists. This class offers a diverse range of techniques to elevate your artistic journey.

This 4-week class is for anyone interested in the magical medium of watercolor. It will unlock all the mysteries of this not-always-so-easy-to-understand medium. It covers all the basics. 

Through demonstrations, sketching, and painting, the instructor will focus on all the fundamentals of watercolor, materials, brush handling, layering, texture, timing, and composition. Students will study master watercolor paintings to understand the techniques and processes employed for successful paintings.

Students will be able to express their ideas and creativity through classic watercolor techniques, wet into wet, wet into dry, washes, glazes, value, and color. In addition, we will experiment unity, contrast, dominance, repetition, harmony, balance, and gradation.

Subject matters will include still life, portraits, and landscapes. Each class will receive dedicated attention from the instructor and will conclude with a group critique, during which each student will evaluate and respond to their own work and that of their peers.

After completing the course, students will be able to conceptualize and create watercolor artwork, apply classic watercolor techniques to achieve desired results, and utilize references from life or photographs to paint both representational and abstract images. 

Students will be able to make informed decisions about watercolor materials and tools and develop a more critical eye for art in general.

Class Breakdown: 

Class 1

The “mother” wash, materials review, glazes, silhouettes, negative painting

Class 2

Value scale, textures, surface variation, brushwork

Class 3

The color wheel, warm colors and cool colors, primary colors, secondary colors, tertiary colors, limited palette

Class 4

Wet into wet technique, dry on wet technique, lift off techniques, hard and soft egdes

Materials are not included; you’ll receive the materials list upon registration.

About the instructor: 

Will McGaul has been a professional art instructor since 2011. Will has exhibited in California and Florida. He is a member of the Miami Watercolor Society and the Gold Coast Watercolor Society. Will loves to share his passion for drawing and painting in his classes and workshops, and at the same time, simplifying the process and making it fun.