Description
PAINTING LOOSELY in WATERCOLORS
Instructor – Angela Wrahtz
JUNE 3, 10, 17
10am – 2pm
Members: $60
Non-members $120
A sure way to improve your watercolor skill is by painting more loosely. In this 3-session class you will learn ways of using wet-into-wet techniques to achieve exquisite blends of color and a variety of edges, from lost and soft to more defined, resulting in stunning and spontaneous art. Designed to meet students at whatever level they are currently at, from beginner to more experienced and advanced painter, this class will initially get you out of your comfort zone and reward your courage! The only real requirement is that you come with good paper and a willingness to let go.
June 3 We will paint our first floral work in analogous color scheme and practice conditioning the paper before we start — the essential ingredient to getting the colors to flow just right. By the end of class, you will have a stunning piece of art that will surprise you. An inspiration photo will be provided and a drawing for you to capture the most important lines.
June 10 We will build on the skills learned in the first session, reviewing the beginning strategy of conditioning the paper and then launch into a still-life painting incorporating fruits and flowers. Again, the focus will be on the flow of paint and a variety of edges, and on fine-tuning our timing of working when the moment is correct to get the best result. A new inspiration photo will be provided and a drawing for you to capture the most important lines. We will talk about how to analyze a photo and decide the best way to translate the edges in the photo into new edges in your painting.
June 17 We will do our third loose watercolor painting using a wet-into-wet technique. For this session, you are encouraged to bring in your own inspiration from your stash of images you’ve always wanted to paint. If you prefer, there will be another inspiration photo and drawing provided for practice.
ARTIST BIO Angela is an award-winning artist living in the Northwest. Her principal medium is watercolor with mixed media, blending traditional techniques and unexpected experimental methods (such as acrylic marbling) which give her work a unique energy. Angela has won numerous top awards at juried competitions, including, in 2023, Best of Show at WSO’s Spring Experimental Exhibition and People’s Choice Award at OSA’s Spring Annual Water Media Juried Show. She was the top-selling artist at the 2024 Celebration of Creativity Fine Art Show and Sale, and she has served as a juror for various art associations and the Oregon State Fair Fine Art Show. Angela has a BA from Hiram College (Ohio) and an MA from the U. of Michigan. She enjoyed a career in publishing in the Bay Area before relocating to Oregon, where she teaches art and volunteers in the community. www.angelasarthouse.com.
SUPPLY LIST
- PAPER 3 pieces of good quality watercolor paper: 11” x 15” (i.e., “quarter sheets”), or larger if you are used to painting large. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ITEM IN YOUR SUPPLIES LIST. Lesser quality paper just won’t work. I use Arches cold-pressed 140lb natural or bright white.
- PAINTS I use M. Graham but bring whatever you have.( The guild has sets of paints you may borrow, to supplement what you bring.)
- Please have a warm and cool options for your primaries:Reds (Quin Red or Quin Rose)
Blues (Ultra Blue and Phthalo Blue)
Yellows (Azo Yellow and Hansa Yellow)
Also bring other colors you love for mixing, like Nickel Quin Gold, Pyroll Orange, Phthalo Green, Dioxizine Purple, Burnt Sienna or Quin BS, White and Payne’s Gray.
- BRUSHES An assortment of brushes. It will be very helpful to have a wide wash brush for conditioning your paper. This can be a 2” natural hair brush or a hake brush. Generally, you want a large brush that can load a lot of water and is soft so it won’t scratch your paper. You’ll also want a mop brush (i.e., a #20 round, again that holds a lot of water and paint) and an #6 or #8 round with a good point for detailed work to finish the project.
- OTHER
- A surface to tape your paper to such as a Masonite board or gator board
- An old towel to dry up excess water and paper towels for lifting
- Water container
- Pencil and eraser
- Artist tape (white) or, if you need a more budget-friendly option, blue painter’s tape works
INSTRUCTOR WILL BRING full-color copies of Inspiration piece for the project and corresponding drawing to trace down.
