Design Principles in Watercolor

Adult Class | This program is completed

All levels welcome, recommended for beginners.
9/12/2024-11/21/2024
2:30 PM-5:30 PM EST on Th
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$315.00
$285.00
$32.00
$20.00

Design Principles in Watercolor

Adult Class | This program is completed

We will use compositional tools such as principles of design and color theory to open doors in your watercolor painting. These tools are relevant to both representational and abstract picture making. This course is both foundation-level and a means to take your work to the next level. We will work on paint handling, color, and drawing. We will learn to plan a work using the principles of design and color theory (harmony, rhythm, balance, dominance, contrast, etc). We will troubleshoot and develop strategies to make images clear, expressive, and complete. These concepts are tools that help manifest the poetry in painting. These concepts will be presented in the flow of class, while you are painting, so that these ideas will be presented in the context of your own work, as the ideas become immediately meaningful. The lessons will be practice-driven rather than academic. The goal is for you to make your work, the compositional tools are a means to that end. We will work from still-life objects and live models. You are also welcome to work on pieces in progress (compatible with watercolor), variations on your or others’ past work, photographs, and/or abstract or conceptual subject matter. The course’s lessons will adapt to suit the work you want to make.

What you will learn:
1. We will handle paint, water, brushes, and paper to expressive, articulate effect.
2. We will develop and carry out a strategy.
3. Learn the basic principles of two dimensional design.
4. Awareness of color interactions: harmony, saturation, and complementary.

Please note: Class will not meet on Thursday, October 3 in observance of Rosh Hashanah.

  • • Paint: Watercolors, Tubes and/or Pans (they are interchangeable and inter-mixable). A basic set of 10 pan or tube “artist quality” colors is good. Reputable brands include Daniel Smith, Windsor and Newton, Schmincke, Sennelier, Van Gogh, and Holbein.
    - Recommended colors: Ultramarine Blue, Lemon Yellow, Permanent Rose, Viridian, Cadmium Red, Cadmium Yellow, and Pthalo Blue, Dioxazine Violet,Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Raw Umber, Burnt Umber, Lamp Black, Chinese (Zinc) White
    - Optional colors: Cobalt Blue, Cerulean Blue, Aureolin Yellow
    - Optional: Gouache basic painting set. Same colors as above. Or, a basic set of ten colors.

    • Brushes. Get brushes sold as watercolor brushes. Some softer made for acrylic brushes will work. Oil painting brushes are not recommended.
    - Small round soft brush (#4, 5, or 6). Medium round soft brush (#10, 11, or 12). 1” Flat Brush
    - Optional: #18 mop brush, #0 or #1 round brush
    - Optional: water brush (the kind that stores water inside the shaft)

    • Paper: Watercolor paper. Any paper marketed as “watercolor” paper will work. Arches Aquarelle is best commonly available brand.
    - Weight: I recommend 140lb (aka ~300gsm) weight in general. However, if you are working larger than 16x20”, intend to get your paper sopping wet, or just like a heavy paper, you can get 300lb paper. And, if you are going to pre-stretch your paper on a board or stretcher bars and not work too big, you can get away with 90lb (180gsm) paper.
    - Surface: I recommend cold press in general; but for portraits or other delicate subjects, you might consider hot press. And, you if you like assertive, physical surface in your work, consider Rough.
    - Form factor. Individual sheets, a pad, or a block.
    - Size. Recommended minimum size 9”x12”.
    - Alternatives. “Cover” or printmaking stock (eg Rives BFK, Sommerset Velvet… ~300gsm) can be used and has a different visual appearance.

    • Drawing board, if you are using individual sheets or pads; you will need to attach the paper to something rigid. If you are using a block, the block alone will suffice. You can also tape your piece to the desk, but you may want to be able to move the piece around while working; a board would allow this. Some drawing boards are available in the studio for use during class.

    • Rags or paper towels. Brown paper towels are available in the studio.
    • Two jars for water
    • Sketch book, for compositional thumbnails, color swatches, notes, etc.
    • H, F, or HB graphite pencil
    • Pencil sharpener
    • White plastic eraser
    • Paint mixing tray (this may be part of your paint set). (Try to get the kind where the water does not bead up on the surface.)
    • Optional: Painter’s (blue) masking tape, or similar.
    • Xacto or Olfa snap-off knife
    • Masking Fluid (optional)
    • Sea Sponge (optional). Or any sponge or anything that is absorbent. Working with subtraction is important to my approach.
    • Spray Bottle (optional). This is helpful for wetting pan colors or to keep a painting wet longer without having to touch the piece with a brush.
    • Color wheel (optional). Though my favorite color wheel is online at color.adobe.com (to be discussed in class)

Albert Fung