Experimental Watercolor Friday Alex Shur 9:00 - 4:30 Student Level: All welcome. Advanced students please bring your Beginner’s mind.
Type of Workshop: Process and Project
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In this class we will learn how NOT to become members of the Formal Academy of Watercolorists. We are going to stretch the boundaries of convention and come to see watercolor as the perfect medium for spontaneous expression despite its fussy reputation. By combining experimental methods and a “happy accidents” attitude, we are going to make a series of paintings that reflect our inner vision.
The emphasis will be on exploration, both of the medium and of our inner imaginings. With the aid of music, words and imagining techniques we will discover new imagery and meet parts of our selves that have been whispering to us forever.
We will play with various painting approaches and observe how different grounds interact with our paints and brushes. We’ll learn about color mixing, tints, glazes and ways to make our edges pop. We will scrub, rub and flow our way into an easy relationship with watercolor, discovering it’s potential as a deeply forgiving medium.
Our experiments will become backgrounds where we will find our imagery hiding. We will begin to see in new ways, using lines and color to bring new worlds to life. By working on several pieces at once we’ll allow ourselves to move feely with the process and, ultimately, create a painting that speak volumes.
Supply list:
*4-5 sheets 140 lb cold press watercolor paper 22” x 30” (Fabriano Artistico traditional white preferred)
**Watercolor brushes (assortment of flats, rounds and filberts and one small rigger)
**Oil paint brushes (flat or filbert, and round)
A flat painter’s brush (decent quality - we don’t want it to shed)
Watercolor paints in tubes (professional quality paints rock the hardest)-alizarin crimson; cadmium yellow (medium); cadmium red (light & medium); china white; cobalt blue; ultramarine blue; sap green; yellow ochre; umber and sienna (one burnt, one raw--your choice which)
-and any other colors that move you (except black)
Large tube of titanium white gauche
Any other colors of gauche that you like (great for detail)
Gesso
Golden absorbent ground
Watercolor pallet tray (or mixing tray of some sort)
Drawing pencils –2h, hb, 2b, 4b, 6b
Pencil sharpener (small hand held)
Kneaded eraser
White eraser (Factis are the best!)
Micron pens (black, browns)
Anything you like to make marks with
Drafting tape
2 wide mouth jars
Small squirt bottle
A triangular pallet knife
A cotton rag (cloth diapers are great! Or (non-terry) dish towel)
A drawing board is optional*I like these papers because they are strong & beautiful. If you buy something else, make sure it can stand up to pressure.
**Watercolor brushes have short handles and are soft bristled. Make sure your assortment contains small, medium and larger brushes. Oil brushes are long handled and come in different bristle types. We’re looking for medium stiff natural bristles.
Questions? Email Alex at alex@wingedheels.com
Website: http://www.wingedheels.com