In this workshop, Dan will teach you techniques that help solve the mysteries of watercolor. You will learn how to work with the watercolor medium, including wet-on-wet, wet-on-dry and luminous washes through a series of smaller studies and Dan’s approach of “see it, simplify it, and state it”.
The class is fun and fast-paced. Participants will watch demonstrations and then apply the concepts to their own work through hands-on painting. Dan also uses friendly back and forth critiques for constructive feedback.
This class is watercolor only and does not include Dan’s technique of combining acrylic with watercolor.
Teaching artist: Dan Wiemer
Level: Beginning to Intermediate
Class size: 20
Participation fee: $235
Supply list:
Many people already have supplies that are fine. Bring those; you can impress your neighbors and your teacher.
WATERCOLOR PAINTS: I use a fairly traditional collection of colors. If you have others you enjoy working with that’s fine, bring them. Mine include cerulean blue, cobalt blue, ultramarine blue, raw sienna, burnt sienna, Cadmium or winsor red, alizarin crimson (or permanent rose), Sap green, viridian and Paynes gray or neutral tint that I often use for value studies. You may have some wonderful new colors to show me! It is easier for watercolor artists to have the paints already squeezed into and dried in a plastic palette with a lid. I recommend you do this process several days prior to the workshop.
BRUSHES: Bring several different size brushes. I prefer round brushes but you can also bring flat brushes.
PAPER: Sheets or blocks are fine, just make sure it is 100% rag (cotton). No student-grade paper for your sake and mine. Student grade paper leads to more frustration and pain than the money you save. There are many fine rag papers. I recommend 140# Arches cold pressed or hot pressed because this can handle the repetitive masking process of the technique you will learn. Softer papers are not sufficient for this process. All of our studies will be 11x15 quarter sheets or smaller. If you have trouble finding 140# Arches paper, Dan will have some available for purchase.
OTHER: Pencil, sketchpad or copy paper, soft eraser (Magicrub) or something like a white eraser, container for clean water, roll of paper towels, board or piece of Masonite to tape down loose paper, masking tape.
If you already have a watercolor palette, don’t spend a whole lot of money or change your palette for this workshop,