Painting Forms in Nature with Watercolor (six-session workshop)

Adult Workshop | This program is completed

Intermediate to advanced level suggested.

9/14/2022-10/19/2022

2:00 PM-5:00 PM EDT on Wed

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$215.00

$195.00

$15.00

The beauty of natural forms has been a continual source of fascination and inspiration for artists. But how do you capture the fresh spontaneity of nature? This watercolor workshop will allow you to investigate nature's creations using the highly expressive and versatile medium of watercolor. Discover essential techniques through instructor demonstrations, and practice painting from individual objects, still-life setups, and (weather permitting) the outdoors. Students should have some prior experience painting with watercolor.

What you will learn in this workshop:
1. Improve vitality in your mark making and brushwork
2. Interpret the essential visual components of your subject
3. Gain confidence in working with wet art mediums
4. Explore organic approaches to composition
5. Expand your skill in mixing color and tonal values

  • This is an in-person class. Weather permitting, classes will take place outdoors & at off-site locations throughout the Philadelphia region. These locations will be coordinated and announced by the instructor.

    Remaining sessions will meet in our building with strict social distancing protocols and reduced student capacity. Please see our COVID-19 community safety policies.
  • FOR THE FIRST CLASS BRING THESE SUPPLIES:
  • • Rags and Waterbucket
  • • Small round soft brush (#6)
  • • Medium round soft brush (#12)
  • • 1" Flat Brush
  • • Quality watercolor paper, 140lb weight or heavier. Many people like using paper with a cold press finish. This can be either sheets or blocks minimum size 9”x12”.
  • • Sketch book
  • • HB pencil and sharpener
  • • Eraser
  • • Good quality watercolor paint either in tube form or pan form (Winsor Newton, Van Gogh, Holbien, Sennilier are all good brands).
  • • Have at least two shades of Blue, Red and Yellow plus a desired assortment of colors.
  • • Paint mixing tray (this can be part of your paint set)
  • • Painters tape
  • • Masking Fluid (optional)
  • • Sea Sponge (optional)
  • • Spray Bottle (optional)
  • • Color wheel
  • • Gray Scale

Bill Becker is a retired architect. About 30 years ago he took up watercolor painting to find more direct means of artistic expression outside the constraints of his typically client-oriented design practice. Self-taught, at first, he came to realize that progress came more quickly through exposure to good classes and teachers. Over the years he has studied at Fleisher and PAFA and been exposed to numerous different instructors and methodologies.

Through his own struggles with learning watercolor painting he has become aware of the need for a watercolor course that helps build fundamental skills and confidence and has designed his “boot camp” class. Building on the principles of that course, he now offers classes for intermediate and more experienced watercolorists interested in improving their technique while painting landscape and Philadelphia specific subjects.