Landscape Painting Watercolor Class
Eight Classes With Outside Class Work
Sundays, January 10 – February 28, 2021 – 1 to 3 pm Eastern Time
Fee $375
Learn basic ideas and techniques that make great landcape paintings.
Landscape Painting In Watercolor
This class teaches the basic techniques, concepts and skills needed to create landscape (and seascape) paintings that just “look right”. The key to creating convincing landscape paintings depends on a convincing depiction of three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional surface! Artists have used some fundamental concepts and techniques to create the illusion of space for centuries – we cover them in this class.
The class is eight weeks long. Each week there will be pre-class assignments supported by downloadable info sheets and video tutorials. Some pre-class work will be submitted for review by the instructor prior to class. Other assignments will be reviewed in class.
The online class is conducted via ZOOM videoconference service. ZOOM link for the class is sent upon registration and again in a weekly class email.
Class Schedule
Jan 10, 2021 – Week 1 – Planes Of Space
The “layers” in a landscape scene are transformed into flat shapes on our paper. We can begin to simulate space and distance with flat planes and well-placed overlaps. It’s a simple concept but there are ways to make them more effective. We cover those this week.
Jan 17, 2021 – Week 2 – Perspective
The farther away an object is, the smaller it appears to be. Linear Perspective is a system that helps recreate this effect on our paper. The color of distant objects is affected by the atmosphere.
Aerial Perspective is a set of easy to remember rules that help us capture this effect. We’ll go over the basics of each, and learn how to use them effectively in a painting.
Jan 24, 2021 – Week 3 – Basic Shapes and Construction
We want the subjects in our landscape painting to look right! Starting your drawing with simple shapes will help get everything to look right. Combined with good overlaps, plus linear and aerial perspective, you’ll be able to construct even complex scenes quickly and with much less stress! This week we introduce 4 simple shapes that can be used to construct virtually any element for your landscape paintings.
Some pre-class work this week will be submitted to the instructor for comment and critique before class.
Jan 31, 2021 – Week 4 – Light and Form
Showing light and form requires a combination of well constructed shapes and well-placed value. We’ll continue to work with simple shapes from Week 3, and apply a simple way to place value to show light and give the illusion of three-dimensional shape. We’ll also work with textures, show how to easily create them in watercolor and start thinking about something known as “edge condition”.
The pre-class work this week will be submitted to the instructor for comment and critique before class.
Feb 7, 2021 – Week 5 – Basic Composition
Now we know how to draw our composition, draw the elements, place them in space and show light and form. This week we’ll cover basic composition which will give you a framework and set of simple rules on how and – more importantly – where to place them in your picture plane for best, most eye-catching effect.
Feb 14, 2021 – Week 6 – Focusing The Eye
At this point we’ve covered a great deal that will help your landscape paintings. This week we’ll pull all of it together and expand on our Basic Composition work with ideas and techniques that help create a focal point and main theme in your painting.
Feb 21, 2021 – Week 7 – Pulling It Together
We’ve covered a lot in six weeks. This week, we’ll focus on process with a step-by-step method of creating a painting. This is helpful as a way to organize your thinking as you integrate these skills into your own painting process and will allow you to think about one thing at a time.
You’ll be working with a composition of your own this week – either the one you started with in the first class or a completely new one. The pre-class work this week will be submitted to the instructor for comment and critique before class.
Feb 28, 2021 – Week 8 – Practice, Practice, Practice
In the last class, most of the work will be your own. We’ll take another week to follow our painting process through from initial idea through completed work.
The pre-class work this week will be submitted to the instructor for comment and critique before class.
Materials:
Download a comprehensive suggested watercolor materials list. Use it as a guide – no need to purchase everything on the list. Working with what you are used to will help your learning. I’ll make suggestions for good supplementary materials during class.
Questions About the Class?
About The Instructor
Tony Conner is an accomplished watercolorist and and experienced instructor. His energetic approach to teaching and enthusiasm for the watercolor medium are combined to create classes that are both fun and informative. He excels at providing information and insights to individual students – meeting them where they are and helping them get to where they want to go.
Professional Memberships
- Signature Member - New England Watercolor Society
- Signature Member - Vermont Watercolor Societies
- Artist Member - Salmagundi Club
- Artist Member - North Shore Arts Association
Tony works from his studio in Bennington, Vermont.