Creative Aging: Watercolor for Beginners & Beyond

In this 9 - week series, participants will explore the fundamentals of drawing and the techniques of watercolor painting in order to begin and complete portrait, still-life and landscape paintings. Participants will also study the work of well-known artists’ drawing and watercolor painting techniques. The instructor will demonstrate how to complete each drawing or painting in specific stages by emphasizing what is key. Participants will be encouraged to ask questions and also share their own expertise. Following the class, the instructor will send class notes via email, along with a homework assignments to prompt regular practice between classes.

Learning Goals

DRAWING • the fundamentals of drawing: shapes, angles, proportion, value, relationships

WATERCOLOR PAINTING • color wheels and color mixing • the importance of water in watercolor painting: how to apply varying amounts of water and paint to achieve a variety of watercolor effects, including wet/dry, wet/wet, glazing, erasing • preserving the white of the paper

ARTISTS, PAST AND CONTEMPORARY • brief biographies of artists and their approaches to art making • group discussions of recommendations of art events in New York City and beyond, including online offerings by museums and libraries.

WATERCOLOR SUPPLY LIST Watercolor Paper 140 lb. cold press (CP) paper or 90 lb. cold press (CP) Watercolor Paint Small individual tubes or pan sets, should include: Yellow, blue and red, preferably 2 of each color Watercolor Brushes, synthetic 2 round (pointy-tip) brushes: one medium-large and a smaller one for details Other white plastic palette or plate for mixing paint #2 or HB pencil pencil sharpener eraser ruler paper towels water container (recycled food containers are perfect) water.