This is an introduction to painting in opaque watercolor. “Designer’s Gouache” is a product made originally for interior designers/decorators – to use in renderings for presentation boards for clients. Unlike traditional watercolors, opaque watercolor enables the artist to make corrections easily by painting over their original painting. It is also easier to add texture and highlights with dry brush or opaque brush techniques.

The first session will be focused on making a grayscale strip, from 0% gray to black, in increments of 10%, in one inch squares. We then will paint a landscape in gray scale values. During the second class meeting, we will create a simple color wheel, and apply that color theory to a finished landscape painting.

The student will come to the class prepared with the subject drawn out twice, on separate sheets of Crescent illustration board ready to paint. The instructor will provide a high resolution image for the student to transfer to the working surfaces using either a projector or graphite paper. We will all be working from the same image. This class is suitable for participants with at least intermediate level painting skills using opaque methods such as acrylic or oils. This class would be good for artists who have done some watercolor and want to try this medium.
Please view the supply list to learn what materials to bring to class. If you would like to take this class but find the cost of the paint is prohibitive, you can arrange to use shared materials by sending an email to jill@sonomacommunitycenter.org.

Class Supply List