In this one-time class designed for students to experiment with watercolor, students will briefly review 4 essential watercolor painting techniques (dry on dry, dry on wet, wet on dry, and wet on wet) to understand their effects in watercolor painting. Our Night Sky painting makes significant use of wet-on-wet, which is an unpredictable but really fun technique to use. We will talk about basic color theory and how to mix paint to create different colors, as well as different ways of holding a brush to achieve different effects in painting.

We'll discuss other techniques such as various kinds of washes (flat, graduated, and variegated) and how to layer color before moving together into the basics of how to create a night sky. I will demonstrate a few techniques for learners to try, walk them together though creating the basics of the night sky and tree landscape, and then we will spend the rest of class time painting together.  Students are not required to finish the project by the end of class or to share their work (they can if they would like to, but it is not required.)

Students will be able to choose what watercolor colors they use throughout the class as this class is more about learning and playing with various techniques than in using the "right" colors or having something look an exact, specific way. Learners will be encouraged to experiment in this class. Watercolor can be intimidating, and this class is designed to show some of what watercolor can do without the pressure of completing a specific project within a time deadline, hence the more exploration-based nature of the class. I also want learners to play with color and technique; maybe a learner wants to add planets or the moon to their night sky, or the Northern Lights -- maybe they're really into blues and greens. My goal is for them to learn some basic techniques, see how a watercolor painting comes together, and hopefully get inspired to see what happens.

We will not as a group complete an identical project in this class, but I will walk learners step-by-step through basic techniques, including masking (which helps provide a crisp unpainted margin on the borders of the painting). Learners will be encouraged to choose and use whatever colors they like. Again, the goal of the class is for learners to begin to engage with watercolor in whatever ways capture their interest. For some, that might be starting a specific project of their own design. For others, that might be trying out different ways of using the watercolor paint and seeing what it does as it dries. 

Learners do not need to be familiar with watercolor to complete this class, but they should be willing to experiment with paint and try out new things, and able to hold a brush on their own or with help. Again, this class is designed to be a fun and low-pressure way to simply engage with watercolor without fear of "messing up" or "doing it wrong" -- the fun is in experimenting and seeing what you can do with the paint! Learners who are more confident with watercolor but haven't experimented with wet-on-wet painting, or would like to paint with others, are also welcome in this class.

My teaching style has been described as interactive, encouraging, and supportive. I use images that I have created that I display via the camera during class rather than using a slideshow. I encourage questions from learners, either verbally or via the chat depending on the learner's level of comfort with interaction, and learners are always welcome to interact in whatever way is most comfortable for them. I believe in meeting students where they're at, especially for art classes, and want them to have fun playing and experimenting with watercolor paint in a supportive classroom atmosphere. 

If your learner is totally new to watercolor, I recommend taking my Let's Experiment With Watercolor: Basic Techniques to Try class before taking this class, as it will give your learner a chance to practice in more depth and experiment more fully with what their watercolor paints can do.