Watercolour for Beginners - 4 Week Online Course (Recording)
***Note that this course is a recording from the live sessions which took place in Jan 2023 - once you purchase you will be sent a handbook with the recordings and all extra teaching materials so you can follow along at your own pace.***
This 4 week watercolour course offers an opportunity to learn the basics of watercolour painting through a series of playful online sessions. Classes are also recorded for those wanting to practice in their own time.
Watercolour painting is a broad medium and takes many forms. Often used to capture pretty florals and sweeping washy landscapes, this course will unpick some of the more twee aspects of its reputation and help you develop your own approaches under the guidance of a professional. You will build confidence through simple, playful techniques to discover the joy of painting.
Course Structure
Week One: Colour mixing, brushwork, line and shape.
Week Two : Washes, blending, tone and shadow. Botanicals focus.
Week Three: Working from observation, composing an image. Focus on painting animals.
Week Four: Landscape painting focus - build a composition and explore your style.
Who is my teacher?
Katie is a watercolour illustrator with over 10 years experience teaching creative workshops alongside her practice. Her approach is inclusive and always playful, with a focus on helping others develop the confidence to relax, discover the joy in painting and not get hung up on perfection.
Praise and testimonials from previous courses with Katie:
“I love, love, love Katie’s watercolour workshops. They are pure escapism and I’m learning new skills too. I’d thoroughly recommend these classes to anyone.”
"Taking the live online classes each week holds me more accountable than other online classes and I love being able to ask questions - Katie is great at personalising things to suit her students. Being able to join class from home also creates a liberating space to practice painting without the pressures of comparing your work to others (which in the past has always been my downfall!)'
‘I have been trying to paint with watercolours for a while, often in either a very detailed controlled way, or in a loose messy way that always seems to lack depth and interest. The way you paint showed how you can showcase the looseness and spontaneity, through strong shapes and colours. ‘
'What a fantastic watercolour course you created for us. I really enjoyed every class, both for having the time to paint with other people and for providing techniques that meant I ended up with some super paintings I didn’t know I could do.’
For this course you will need the following materials:
- A decent set of paint brushes (some rounded/pointed and some flat. See below for links)
- Watercolour Paper at least 280gsm thickness. (A4 or larger is best - you can buy these in pads - see link below.)
- A watercolour tin set, or a set of paint tubes. (See link below)
- A water glass and some kitchen roll or toilet roll .
- Masking tape/washi tape.
- A laptop or desktop computer to watch.
I sell a starter kit on my website HERE which has all the materials you need to get started.
Notes on Materials:
If sourcing your own supplies do try to shop locally and support small businesses.
Some links to materials I recommend:
Paper: It's very important to have watercolour paper. I use Daler Rowney Aquarelle paper in an a3 jumbo pad, but you can get smaller pads- it has a good texture and holds a decent amount of water.
Paints - I use a set by a very old brand called Schmincke Horadam which I would recommend only for people wanting to get more professional - they are expensive but the pigment is the best! Windsor and Newton offer a much more affordable but good quality sets. Their Cotman travel set is a good starting place. I also swear by the 'koh i noor Anilinky set' which has some of the most vibrant pigment I have come across. I will no doubt be using these during the class.
Brushes: Your brush collection will grow over time when you figure out the shapes and styles you like. I recommend a Da Vinci Nova brush in a size 8/12 to start with along with some flat headed brushes. Try to get a selection of rounded brushes with a good point and some larger flat headed brushes.