Intermediate watercolor painting class: new cycle

Earlier this week i started the first of 10 classes in painting with watercolr aimed at somewhat more than rank beginner painters. The first two were a gas. I had intendied to work on still life for 2-3 sessions as i think that they are superb for teaching a variety of techniques and learning to see shapes rather than objects. I tend to run these classs as a democracy and by a scant margin (8-1) the class voted to move on to landscape painting half-way through the first 3- hour session..........sigh. 

So off to landscape world. We covered values, flat washes, graded washes, variegated washes andtackled  this simple figure in landscape painting. This allowed us to talk about and perform scraping back to white, tying a figure into the landscape, preserving whites, learning about reflections, and creating texture with splattering, spritzing and all sorts of shenanigans.

Here is my demo painting from Thursday replete with way too much techniquey stuff but pretty still pretty cool, if i must say so myself. 

"Lone Angler" (11"x15").

"Is It Me You're Looking For"

Here is the final product of the demo I started at the day-long workshop for WRAP about a month ago. It technically should be labelled a mixed watermedia painting as there are some small areas of  watersoluble crayons. It is about 17"x 20" on 300# hot press paper, Arches brand.

"Alone Together"

This painting has had its ups and downs, starts and stops, trials and tribulations, and even somebrief moments   of joy. The end result is definitely less than the sum of its pieces. In analyzing the entire process, i think the mistake I made at the very beginning set the tone for the entire process. I pickeda fairly  rough cold press paper.......i almost always use hot press for my figurative/portrait work. The surface threw me off from the beginning and from there, as they say, it was history.

I know when I go back in a few weeks it probably won't be quite the rubbish I feel it is now. It really is a bit of a shame as i was very enthusiastic about the pose(s). However, as i have said many times before, it is more about the process than the product. To that end this is a raving success as i can hardly enumerate the things i learned whilst pondering and painting this piece. Lastly, I found I really don'tlike painting  pieces that are this big.

So, here is "Alone Together" (17"x30"). Enjoy, comment, trash, and even praise if you are so inclined.

A little diversion never hurts........

I find it relaxing to paint a small, 1/4 sheet or so landscape whenever i think i need or just want a break from my main interest, figurative works.  They seem to go together fairly quickly. The larger brush strokes, etc. loosen things up a bit.

We are going to paint this as an excercise in the more advanced watercolor class i am teaching in about 3+ weeks. Lots of technique in a smallish package......flat wash, variegated wash, graded wash, preserving whites, losing edges, atmospheric perspective, clouds, rain, a little bit of dark accents......you get the idea.

This photo reference is courtesy of Frank Eber.....thank you Frank.

"Gathering Storm", (10"x14").

Weekend workshop

Last weekend we had our local WRAP (Wisconsin regional art program) exhibition for the western part of the state. Along with the show, participants could also attend the 5-hour workshop entitled, "Painting people in watercolor". I had the honor this year of being the workshop teacher. It was a great   afternoon. I certainly learned alot, which i think is almost always to case for the presenter, and i hope the participants did as well. It was basically watch what i do then you do it sort of day. Lots of demonstration of techniques and one on one teaching with each of the 13 students. The end result was a demonstration painting that was in a curious state of (non) completion. Somethings overly finished while some completely under developed. This, in order to show folks as much as i could in the time alloted, and thus allow the possiblility of finishing their works at home later.

My thanks to participating painter Tim Mc Allister who took some "in process" photos. So, below are the steps of the painting both during and after the workshop.

Frank Eber returning to La Crosse for watercolor workshop

We are so fortunate to be hosting Frank Eber for a return engagement of his popular atmospheric watercolor landscape workshop. This year it will be 3 days and be entirely a studio experience.

Please contact me if you have questions or would like to register.

The flyer for the workshop is below:

Paintings of Greater La Crosse area done by Frank following his visit in september last year.

Atmospheric watercolor landscape painting: a studio workshop with frank eber

what: a 3-day intensive study of watercolor landscape painting with award-winning artist frank eber.. This will be a studio workshop.

where: lacrosse, wisconsin (studio gallery 1311, 1311 market st., la crosse)

when: june 13-15, 2016

cost: $300 for the 3-day workshop

curriculum: in this workshop Frank will share advanced watercolor techniques based on tonal values that create atmosphere, balance and unity in your work. learn to manipulate tonal value, color and edge. basic watercolor background washes will be covered, as well as time sensitive and challenging wet-on- wet and dry-on-wet approaches in landscapes, cityscapes or street scenes. there will be discussion and demonstration on composition, direct color mixing, positive and negative painting. 

registration and information: the workshop will be limited to 10 students. contact bob witte ( 608-386-1764; witte5730@aol.com). to register forward name, address, phone number, email address, (either email above or snail mail below) and a check for $100 deposit made out to studio gallery 1311 and sent snail mail to studio gallery 1311, 1311 market street, la crosse, wi 54601

note: some watercolor experience required. students must have a basic understanding of the watercolor medium.

"Her better half: midwestern gothic": finished painting

Actually, i finished this a few days ago and neglected to post it here until now. It is about14"x15" in size.