Online Class: Watercolor Painting 101
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11Lessons
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19Exams &
Assignments -
9Hours
average time -
0.9CEUs
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Video Audit
Available
Course Description
"Mastering the Mesmerizing World of Watercolor: A Comprehensive Guide"
Welcome to an artistic odyssey that promises to unlock the mysteries of one of the most poetic and timeless mediums: watercolor painting. This evocative art form, which has whispered the secrets of the great maestros of yesteryears, is about to unravel its magic to you.
Watercolor painting is more than just a hobby; it's an expression, a language without words. While its roots trace back to ancient civilizations, its beauty remains undiminished, proving its ageless charm. The power of watercolor lies in its versatility; whether you're capturing the soft hues of a morning sky or the vibrant burst of autumn leaves, this medium offers a spectrum of possibilities.
However, venturing into the vast universe of watercolor can be daunting. Rows upon rows of art supplies, a plethora of brands, and the sheer diversity of tools can leave beginners overwhelmed. But fret not. Our course is designed to be your guiding light, your beacon in this vast expanse.
Course Highlights:
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A Historical Walkthrough: Understand the rich tapestry of watercolor art's history. From ancient murals to the Renaissance maestros, discover the evolution of this age-old technique.
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Foundations First: We ensure a strong grounding in basics. From understanding the paper's tooth to mastering the dance of wet-on-wet, we've got you covered.
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Demystifying Art Supplies: Navigate the labyrinth of art stores with confidence. We'll break down everything - from choosing the right palette to understanding brush anatomy, like its 'belly-width'.
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Professional Insights: Learn not just from one, but several master artists. Their tips, tricks, and hacks could be the difference between a good painting and a great one.
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Critique & Appreciation: Witness an in-depth analysis of iconic watercolor masterpieces, understanding the techniques employed, and drawing inspiration.
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Hands-On Practice: Engage in step-by-step exercises. Start with simple strokes and gradually transition to full-fledged compositions.
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Interactive Learning: Unlike many courses that rely on passive learning, we adopt an interactive approach. This ensures knowledge retention and provides room for creativity.
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Building a Watercolor Lexicon: Acquaint yourself with essential terminologies. Whether it's understanding 'value' in painting or distinguishing between gradients, you'll speak the watercolor language fluently.
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Community Building: Connect with fellow learners and artists. Share, learn, and grow together in a nurturing environment.
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Tailored for All: This course is a universal fit. Whether you're dabbling out of curiosity, reigniting a lost passion, or considering a professional journey, our curriculum caters to varied aspirations.
Dive into this enchanting world, where each brushstroke tells a tale, where every wash sings a melody. Envision, create, and narrate your stories on canvas. As you immerse yourself, remember: it's not just about the art but also the joyous journey, the therapeutic rhythm of the brush, and the dance of colors on paper.
So, let's embark on this voyage together. Let's paint dreams, let's weave magic. Let the watercolor adventure begin!
Course Motivation
Watercolor is the first form of art that many new artists come across. Watercolor kits are much cheaper than gathering the expensive vials of paint and easier than learning how to mix the perfect set of hues into the color you need when it comes to oil painting. In fact, most elementary school art programs will see each child pick up a brush at least once, soaking it in water, brushing it along little tablets of color, and dabbing the brushes against a thick piece of construction or cold press textured paper. Here young children produce their first tree, their first bird, their first portrait of a friend, before terms like "subject" or "still life" enter the fray.
Watercolor is something that anyone can do, and that can be done pretty much anywhere. And yet, if this form of art becomes ingrained upon the soul as it has done with millions of other people, there are professional tools and techniques that can take your hobby to the next level. Knowing more about watercolor can bring you closer to art in general, allowing you to better understand the paintings you visit at art galleries or museums.
Yes, watercolor is for more than just grade-schoolers learning to reproduce the world around them. In fact, watercolor may be the world's oldest form of painting. Alongside charcoal cave drawings and stone carvings, ancient people would combine water with different forms of pigmentation, blending together a color that could be used to paint upon the walls of caves and upon stone or wooden icons. As civilization developed, so too did this form of art. The Egyptians used watercolor to paint upon papyrus and parchment.
The watercolor paintings many people are first exposed to are not the European works, but those of the Chinese and Japanese masters. In this part of the world watercolor is the dominant artform, while in Europe and the US, oil or acrylicpainting has generally more popular. Here, painting is done on paper but also on screens, to create ornate doorways, wall coverings, and even clothing. Another popular use of watercoloring is in the illuminated manuscripts of Europe, where bright light can pass through the paper and paint to create a brilliant effect. Almost every famous artist has works done in watercolor, but the great books of the middle ages almost all have a famous manuscript done in watercolor, bringing to life their pages in a way that only watercolor uniquely can.
So you see, watercolor is more than a basic form of transforming your thoughts into art. It is not just a stepping stone to more complex artistic mediums. Watercolor in and of itself is one of the most important methods of creating art. By engaging in watercolor painting you are connecting yourself to your ancient ancestors, to the most artistic brilliant minds who ever lived, and to a culture of contemporaries that carry on this great form of art into the future.
Course Lessons
Lesson 1: An Introduction to Watercolor
Introduction to watercolor painting and a brief history.Lesson 2: Getting Started
The tools needed for painting, and some of the options available.Lesson 3: Choosing Your Equipment
This lesson will focus on the three basic elements—your brush, your paint, and your paper.Lesson 4: Working with Color
Concepts of color and mixing paints.Lesson 5: Watercolor Techniques
The basic techniques used in watercolor painting.Lesson 6: Practicing the Principals of Design
The seven design principals and elements.Lesson 7: Basic Painting
The first thing almost all watercolor painters will tell you is that watercolor painting is anything but an exact science.Lesson 8: Steps to Creating Your Painting
Recreating the photograph contained in watercolor form.Lesson 9: More Simple Projects
Different forms of projects.Lesson 10: Five Quick Ways to Improve your Art
Alternative ways of improving your work.Lesson 11: Composition
The importance of composition.
Learning Outcomes
- Describe what water color painting is.
- Identify the equipment you need to do water color painting.
- Demonstrate working with color.
- Demonstrate watercolor techniques.
- Demonstrate practicing the principals of design and basic painting.
- Demonstrate steps to creating your painting.
- Demonstrate mastery of lesson content at levels of 70% or higher.
Additional Course Information
- Document Your Lifelong Learning Achievements
- Earn an Official Certificate Documenting Course Hours and CEUs
- Verify Your Certificate with a Unique Serial Number Online
- View and Share Your Certificate Online or Download/Print as PDF
- Display Your Certificate on Your Resume and Promote Your Achievements Using Social Media
Student Testimonials
- "I thought this instructor was excellent! I learned so much from her and she presents things easily understandable and she communicates better than any other instructor I've had." -- Michele P.
- "This was a good course that I've already recommended to family." -- Barbara W.
- "She is awesome. She helped me a lot. Thank you very much." -- Saritha P.
- "Nancy you do a great job, thank you." -- Maria P.
- "Nancy Fillip was an excellent instructor." -- Lorne W.
- "I love taking the course and I've learned a lot." -- Jane L.
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