Beginners Watercolor Workshop

These are some beginning watercolor exercises I had people do in a recent 3 hour workshop.  The students were pretty much rank beginners or had never tried watercolor before.  It was set up in a local library as part of their learning series with student grade paper and paint supplied, and it worked fine for an introductory class. I emphasized that if they really want to continue to learn to paint watercolors, it's important to get artist grade paper and paints and a few good brushes.  The right tools for a trade make a huge difference!

Below are samples of what I demonstrated on good paper. 

Started with washes to learn properties of watercolor and how it acts on paper, letting two colors fuse together.

I demonstrated four ways to use the washes; clockwise from top-negative painting, salt and cling wrap for texture, dragging spattered paint our from a central puddle, and masking off.

I painted some bachelor button flowers and a feather incorporating some of the techniques- wash, cling wrap and splatter.

Everybody had fun including me! Sorry I don't have pictures of everyone and their work; the time went fast and before I knew it they were packed up and leaving, and hopefully inspired to give it a try another time.