Beginner Lessons

Watercolor Class Preview: How to create a mixed media painting. How to work with gesso. How to create textures with tissue paper. How to paint on tissue paper. How to pour paint onto paper. How to tilt your paper to drip your paint for special effects. How to paint shadows. How spray bottles help you paint trees.

Watercolor Class Preview: Why 300 lb paper is sometimes a better option than 140 lb paper. How to paint close-up flowers. Why certain brushes are more suitable for certain jobs. Why tilting your canvas can create special effects. How to balance a loose look with a more refined look. How to paint a close-up rose from start to finish. What negative painting is and how to practice it. How to make adjustments by lifting paint. How to use the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to bring back a white area. How to scrape highlights onto leaves. How to avoid overworking your painting. Reference Photo  ...

Watercolor Class Preview: How to practice painting washes, an essential and common technique. How to transition colors in a wash.  

Watercolor Class Preview: How to tape down your watercolor paper without ripping paper later. How paint travels on wet paper versus dry paper and why that matters. How watercolor paper is different than regular paper. How to paint gradients and properly transition colors. How to paint layers the right way to influence colors. How to paint a leaf from A-to-Z, complete with sun and shadow. When to use a hair dryer. How to paint soft edges. How different levels of brush wetness affect your painting. How to "paint" whites properly.    

Watercolor Class Preview: Why most amateur painters only use 2 paint consistencies and how you can use 4. How to manipulate paint into 4 consistencies. When to consider changing your paint consistency as you're painting.  

Watercolor Class Preview: What to look for when buying a watercolor palette. Why "tinting strength" makes the difference between mixing colors and mixing mud. How to select your paints for your palette. Why "paint personality" is more important than paint brand. Why a spray bottle is your most important color mixing tool. Why you shouldn't always clean out your palette. How to prepare your paints for painting. How to pick up paint on your paintbrush. Hint: most people get it wrong.    

Watercolor Class Preview: How to elevate your canvas to paint a sky with clouds. When to paint with your canvas upside-down. How to paint a horizon. How to make the foreground pop out against the background. How to create the illusion of depth. Why you'll choose a larger canvas over a smaller canvas. How to transition colors. How to create texture. How to pick colors for sky and water. When to let your painting dry before painting the next step. How to paint shadows. How to paint a white boat. Why dry brushes are useful for painting water. How to paint small...

Watercolor Class Preview: Why you should tilt your paper to create different effects. Why speed is critical for creating initial color washes. How to paint a street scene. Why brush wetness influences color transitions. How to paint people. How warm and cool colors can create the illusion of depth. How to paint dogs. How to paint buildings. How to fix mistakes. When to wait for paint to dry before taking the next step. How to properly paint backgrounds. How to paint cars and integrate them into the scene. Why paint consistencies are key for street scenes. How to create textures. When to...