artist mentioned in program: Sorolla, Potthast, Sargent
Demo Materials: 9x12 panel oil (see supply list on website for typical colors used) No special colors required.
Watercolor Notes: transparent watermedia artists should pre-draw in pencil some light lines for window squares and shadow lines. No need to put in every detail (such as clapboards or window divisions) I really like the "cheaters white" option of putting in a very light wash in burnt umber or cobalt for "light & white" objects when using watercolor. Then you can "paint around the lines" in essence saving the light. Optically when dry this looks like pure white. See cityscape demo in watercolor for windows and wash ideas, also for practice mixing grays.
UPCOMING CLASSES 2026 (usually first Wed. of each month)
Apr 1 Light and shadow
May 6 Flower & gardens (plein air?)
Jun 3 Mountains & distance
July 1 Perspective (easy ways!)
Aug 5 Critiques of past lessons, perspecive and distance focus
Sept 2 Foliage & Garden - Shape & Design
Oct 7 Foliage & Garden - Color
Nov 4 TBA
Dec 2 TBA
Jan 6 TBA
PROBLEMS PAINTING WHITE
- Achieving sparkling and believable white is a huge challenge
- How to do the mechanics of "saving the white" of the paper in watercolor work
- Can "gray-mush" be fixed when it shows up in art
- What is the brightest white, is it warm or cool, and what does that even mean
WHITE ART SOLUTIONS
- Zooming in to reference often helps to clarify the color cast (warm and cool)
- Isolating an area also shows that "white" is in fact, shades of gray, never pure white
- Stay with tried and true media so you know your materials
- Use a limited palette (try the gray day or humble studies in the program to practice)
- Photos really lie with white objects, it's better to paint a china cup or simple white object in sun from life if you want to learn
- Don't stress about shape or perspective, in our lesson plan see how the building is squared up to the viewer (no perspective lines, it's just cubes)
- Try 2 or 3 value notans of master artworks (Wyeth would be a good one to try)
- Work larger, the above painting is 12x9, this gives you room to mix/save clean white.
- Watercolorists should try "cheater's white" or a very pale wash to build on, or paint around. I like this much better than masking fluid.
- Other media should plan to have thick impasto white (tinted warm or cool), or 2-3 layers for thin media like gouache or fluid acrylics.