Foundations for Mastering Watercolor Painting

Course Trailer and Images

I recommend watching the trailer as it gives you a good overview of what to expect.

About the Class

“The best watercolour course I have seen…I need a structured better approach than the typical watch-me-paint courses, that explain nothing about quality of paints and mediums and how they affect the final result. Brilliantly narrated, videos quality are amazing and super explanatory. 6 stars!” - Joao C.

NOTE: This is not a hands-on painting course.

3.5 Hours of Video Lessons
12 Student Resources (Downloadable)

An excellent starting point for new watercolor painters, this class examines how water media paints compare and helps you fully understand what is happening when working with this particular paint.

Experienced artists often find it fills in holes in their understanding.

Watercolor painting at its core is built upon pigment, water, and a painting surface, and in order to master the medium, you need to thoroughly understand your materials. This course is designed to give you an in-depth look at the properties of each material used in the watercolor painting process. With this understanding, beginners will have an easier time learning techniques and experienced painters will be better equipped to perfect their skill and solve potential problems. This isn’t a hands-on painting class, but rather is a lecture-based course containing information you aren't likely to find anywhere else.

The History of Watercolor
- The Evolution of Watercolor
What is Watercolor?
- Introduction and What is Paint?
- How Paints Differ
- Transparency Demonstration
- Lifting & Re-workability Demonstration
- Paint Flow Demonstration
The Properties of Pigments
- The Properties of Pigments
- Pigment Weight
- Pigment Size
- Paint Transparency
- Tinting Strength
- Putting it All Together
- Where to Find Pigment Information
The Properties of Water
- The Properties of Water
- Cohesion & Surface Tension
- Adhesion
- Temperature
- Water Demonstration
The Properties of Painting Surfaces
- Painting Surfaces
- How Paper is Made
- Paper Weight
- Paper Texture
- Paper Formats
- Alternative Surfaces
- Paper Presentation
- Manufacturer Websites
Supplies
- Introduction to Supplies & Studio Tour
- Paper
- Paints
- Palettes
- Additional Supplies
- Some Final Thoughts
- Applying the Knowledge (Painting Demo)
Bonus Videos
- How Paint Quality Impacts Results
- How Paper Quality Impacts Results