Thursday, October 10, 2013

Watercolor Beginnings -- A Two Day Workshop with Arena Shawn


Winter Light,  Watercolor on Arches 140# Rough Paper , 5"h x 7"w, 2012

I will be teaching a 2-day workshop at the Odd Fellows Lodge located at 342 Georgia Street, Vallejo, California on the two Sundays of 10/20 & 10/27 between 1 and 4 p.m. On the first Sunday We will be discussing the different types of materials normally used for watercolor painting: paper, brush and colors. This will be followed by demonstrations and hands-on practices of of four basic watercolor techniques  flat wash, graded wash, wet-in-wet and dry brush. On the second Sunday you will learn how to paint a simple but atmospheric landscape using these four techniques you've just practiced. We will also discuss the visual language of color, design and composition, with practices on mixing the rainbow of hues using a limited palette. 

Watercolor demonstrations, class discussions, one on one instructions and critiques are all part of this introductory class. I will also have handouts, color and instructional charts for sale, as well as prints and cards.

You can see more details of the class on the registration page. The name of my class is "Watercolor Beginnings".


Winter Solstice,  Watercolor on Arches 140# Rough Paper, 5"h x 7"w, 2013

This class is ideally suited for anybody who has never picked up a paint brush, or those who has dabbled with watercolor and want a comprehensive review as well as some new insights. You will be taking home a little gem of landscape painting and send it as a holiday card to your friend and family. Come and enjoy a comprehensive introduction to the expressive medium of watercolor in a positive and supportive learning environment! Here you will find inspiration, motivation and information to improve your watercolor skills.

If you have your own materials (brush, paper, paint and palette) you are welcome to bring them. Otherwise with a material fee of $20 you will get a square and a round brush, two sheets of watercolor paper (size 9" x 12"), a plastic palette with painted squeezed into them, ready to be used! Just come and have fun!


Braving the Storm, 
Watercolor on Fabriano Artistico #140 Cold Press Paper , 5"h x 7"w, 2013

I have shown some sample of images of possible landscape projects in this post that we will be working on during the workshop. They are all pretty small (approximately 5" x 7" in size) and utilizes an extremely limited palette (mostly just Cobalt Blue and Quinacridone Burnt Sienna). You will be trying your hands painting one of them during this workshop!


In the mean time, if you have an image of a beautiful landscape, or a flower you like, or anything you might want to see painted, please email them to me at arena.shawn@gmail.com. I will paint them and post them here. From every 10 paintings I make from them, there would be a random drawing, and the lucky winner get to take a original back home for free! Interested? Then send me your photo!

You can now buy high quality Giclee prints of many of my sold paintings, both on paper and canvas, as well as some note cards with my paintings here:







4 comments:

  1. if I lived closer i would be there in a shot. Your work is wonderful and I love the emotional reaction I get to Winter Light.

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  2. Hi Julie, it was very kind of you to leave such an encouraging comment, although I am not sure there would be anything that I can teach you. You are such a talented and accomplished artist! I love looking at your paintings almost daily, reading your blogs especially the part that you talk about the thoughts and techniques behind each piece done, and I have learned so much from them! I have no doubt that one of these days I will try to take a class from you, because I really love the way brushstroke and textures, colors and shapes juxtapose and weave into each other on your paintings, and I am so curiously to learn how it is done one stroke after another. Thanks for taking time to comment.

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  3. I am an admirer of your work and recognize your icon immediately. I was thrilled to see you are following my blog! Thank you for your encouragement! It would be an incredible experience to take your workshop! I wish I lived in your area.

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Thank you so much for taking time visiting and commenting on my blog! Your feedback and encouragements are things that keep me going with I am feeling down or frustrated... I will try my best to reply to every comment ASAP but sometimes life gets in the way and I am a bit slow in my response. I would like to apologize if that happens...

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