

September 20th, 2015
Watercolor Class Preview: Lavar gives a live lesson to a live audience, complete with questions from the audience How to paint a realistic dog portrait Why sketching and tracing paper is your safety net if your entire painting falls apart How to create highlights with liquid frisket (also called masking fluid) without ruining expensive brushes How your painting process affects balance Why it's useful to compare the process of painting to the process of building a house How to paint realistic animal fur How to layer your painting for realistic results How to lift paint How to paint delicate areas Why...
Categories: Advanced Lessons , All Lessons

October 20th, 2014
Watercolor Class Preview: How to paint a close-up bird. How to paint a blurry, out-of-focus background. How to paint moss. How to use a spray bottle for special effects. How to paint highlights and shadows. How to use paper towels to protect against splatters. Why you want to finger-paint sometimes. How to paint random brushstrokes that actually look random. When to let gravity paint for you. How to fix paint splatters. How to make yellow "darker," which is easier said than done. How to use a dry brush for special effects. Reference: A photo of a bird and a piece of tree...
Categories: Intermediate Lessons , All Lessons

March 12th, 2015
Watercolor Class Preview: How to use masking fluid/liquid frisket in your watercolor painting What are the qualities of masking fluid and the effects and fine details you can achieve with it Why apply masking fluid with only dedicated old brushes How to use Post-it Correction & Cover-Up 1-Line Tape as an alternative to liquid frisket How to use a rubber eraser or your hand to remove liquid frisket once it dries Why it is best to use a heavier weight watercolor paper when using frisket How to fix any painting mistakes after removing the masking fluid How to have control of the end result of...
Categories: Technique Lessons , Beginner Lessons , All Lessons

April 19th, 2015
Watercolor Class Preview: How to mix and utilize different combinations of warm and cool colors in your watercolor painting What ideal brush sizes to use for the best control Learn a watercolor exercise to practice and experiment with mixing different colors together on a piece of watercolor paper Learn the benefits of leaving your watercolor paper free without taping it down Learn the different qualities of colors and when you might paint with them How to adjust the tone and shade of a color directly on the paper by painting a different color over top of it How to mix warm and cool...
Categories: Technique Lessons , Beginner Lessons , Color Theory , All Lessons

October 21st, 2014
Watercolor Class Preview: How to create special effects with masking fluid without ruining your brush What colors to use for an overcast, snowy, winter scene How to paint a background wash How to take paint off with paper towels How to add texture with a spray bottle as paint is drying How to paint evergreen trees How to paint water How to take off masking fluid without ripping your paper How to glaze painted paper with new paint How to paint boulders How to paint a wooden log How to use a needlepoint brush to paint branches How to plan...
Categories: Intermediate Lessons , All Lessons

January 5th, 2016
Watercolor Class Preview: How to capture a person’s likeness using watercolor paints How to convert a black-and-white picture into a full-color painting How to plan and sketch a person’s profile or portrait How to mix skin color, and determine different values and tones depending on the lighting How to paint crisp edges versus turning edges How to use a scrubber brush to create highlights How to paint a “wrapping” effect for clothing Creating a “lost and found” effect to make a painting more dramatic Learn how to paint folds and wrinkles on clothing How to invent an interesting background out of...
Categories: Advanced Lessons , All Lessons

June 14th, 2015
Watercolor Class Preview: Lavar gives a live lesson to a live audience, complete with questions from the audience How to use watercolor frisket to preserve the white of the canvas to create highlights Learn about the properties of different watercolor paints, paintbrushes, watercolor paper, and illustration boards Learn about the grisaille watercolor painting technique and how to use it in your painting Learn to paint with glazes to create the texture of fur Why it is important to pay close attention when painting the dark shadow shapes of your picture How to fix a mistake by lifting color with a...
Categories: Technique Lessons , Advanced Lessons , All Lessons

April 19th, 2015
Watercolor Class Preview: How to pack your watercolor painting supplies in a carry-on for long-distance travel How to pack watercolor paper without creasing Why use a good-quality watercolor sketchbook for travel How to correctly pack your paints, pallet and paintbrushes in a ziplock bag Why it is always important to be prepared and have all your materials secure while traveling How to prep your pallet with paint before you travel How to pack your watercolor supplies for local, short-distance travel
Categories: Technique Lessons , Beginner Lessons , All Lessons