Using Design to Enhance Watercolors

Using Design to Enhance Watercolors with Pete Morris

This one day workshop is designed for those who would like to gain a better understanding of how to properly use design to enhance watercolor paintings from a photo reference. Through value sketches students will learn to plan for their finished painting through arranging composition, cropping, and outlining values within the picture. Famous artists will be referenced in order to give inspiration for color, style, and arrangement within the scene.

Supply List:

Paper: A watercolor sketchbook, small is good, 5x7 or larger, arches 140 lb cold press paper. A few sheets or in a block. Any size you are comfortable with is ok, but bigger than postcard size. 11x14 or half sheet size would be ideal.

Paint: At least 3 colors of artist grade transparent watercolors. The brand is not important but it needs to be artist grade, not student grade. The three colors need to be yellow, red and blue. Other colors can be mixed from just these colors. Specifically I use gamboge, yellow ochre, and quinochridone gold in the yellow range. Prussian blue and Ultramarine in the blue range. I use alizarin Crimson, brown madder, and vermillion in the red range. You can use any of these, but make sure you have at least one yellow, one red and one blue.

Brushes: 1 inch flat brush, synthetic or sable, 12 round brush, synthetic or sable, a fine tipped brush for details, synthetic or sable.

A water container and a plastic palette. Bring any watercolor supplies you are currently using.