Watercolour at home: colour and washes

What is the course about?

This online course will introduce you to the fundamental approaches in using and manipulating watercolour. You will be informed by the work of artists, both historical and contemporary and shown visual examples that will help gain and building confidence in approaches relating to mark-making, washes and layering of colours. This course will support your knowledge and practice of this delicate and complex painting medium. Through a combination of Discussions, videos and prior information, you will engage in a series of short practical activities, enabling you to employ a variety of basic and essential watercolour techniques.

This is a live online course. You will need:
- Internet connection. The classes work best with Chrome.
- A computer with microphone and camera.
- Earphones/headphones/speakers.
We will contact you with joining instructions before your course starts.

What will we cover?

The practical exercises delivered as part of this course will focus on different approaches to applying and utilizing watercolour, enabling you to explore a range of painting techniques.

As part of the course you will cover:
• Mark-making techniques using a range of brush applications
• Wet-in wet watercolour applications
• Layering techniques and approaches
• Different watercolour techniques to paint landscapes
• Different watercolour artists to support the development of your techniques.
• Use and manipulation of basic watercolour materials.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

• Create watercolour paintings that demonstrate different applications and techniques.
• Create watercolour landscapes using washes, layering and brushwork.
• Acquire knowledge of different watercolour paints, brushes and materials.
• Develop your knowledge of artists who manipulate watercolour in different ways.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

The course is for beginners or those looking to refresh their skills in working with watercolours.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

Examples of artists, techniques, materials and approaches will be shown/discussed as preparation and introduction to the practical activities which will involve painting from observation as well as photo-based support and will be supported through one-on-one and group discussions.

Preparatory information/discussions relating to exercises will be supported using Google classroom.

You will have the opportunity to engage with your tutor and the rest of your online learning community using live sessions on zoom and on google classroom.

Online resources will be available on google classroom for you to acces, view and download.

Google classroom which will be used for; class communication, as a repository for class resources, including handouts, shared research suggestions, classwork etc. On enrolment you will be given codes to access this. The research and preparation before each session will be available on google classroom as information, images and handouts.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

You will need to have a suitable working space eg a well lit desk/table top, board and somewhere to put completed work/ work in progress.

Watercolour paper or a watercolour pad (A4, A3 or larger)
Basic set of Watercolour paints [either tubes or pans]
Watercolour brushes (flat and round) in the following sizes: number 8 and Number 16
Watercolour or mixing palette
Jar/Pot for water
HB or 2B pencil,
uncented wax candle (to be used for wax resisting techniques
Tissue paper.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

We offer a range of online Watercolour workshops that have a focus on building specific skills and techniques. For full details and more information about all our online art and design courses, please visit our website at www.citylit.ac.uk.