Colorful Color

The Little House 

by Artist Rita Squier 

Original Watercolor Painting

Size: 11x15"

Saunders Waterford 140 lb. Watercolor Paper

MaimeriBlu Watercolor Paint 

Last week's class project.  And what a fun and colorful project it was! 

My Latest Class

Pink Flamingo No. 1
by Artist Rita A. Squier

Original Watercolor Painting
Size: 11x15"

This was my class project for this past Wednesday's watercolor class. It was fun exercise in loosening up while painting.  Which isn't always so easy for some.

Sneak Peak

The Foggy Gazebo

by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Painting

Size: 11 x 15"

Here's a sneak peak at tonight's watercolor painting class project.

I created it in 45 minutes this afternoon, so hopefully I can squeeze it into tonight's two hour class. They'll have to paint fast!

Last Class Project

The Lily Pond

by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Painting

Size: 11 x 15 inches

Last night was the last Wednesday night watercolor painting class for this session. We painted lily ponds.

A Beginner Project

Tuesday's Sheep

Watercolor Painting

Size: 11 x 15 inches

A watercolor landscape we painted in the beginner class a few weeks ago. By learning a few basic techniques, you can create wonderful watercolor paintings.

Last Beginner Class

Tuesday's Barn

Watercolor Painting

Size: 11 x 15 inches

This was Tuesday Night's Beginner Class project. I tried to taylor the colors to those in the palettes of my beginners.

A watercolor project with a twist taken from "Watercolor Techniques" a workbook by Tony Couch.

I love using a variety of projects in my beginner & advanced classes. A few taken from workbooks and many I have developed on my own. This shows them they can learn outside of class with the help of step by step workbooks.

ATC Swap

Last night in my watercolor class, we had an ATC swap. I had my students paint 12-18 little Artist Trading Cards.

Shown here are the 12 cards I painted just for trading in class.

I had everyone spread their cards out at one end of their table for everyone to be able to go around and see what each person painted. I had a class project for everyone to paint last night as well. We began the lesson.

We all had at least one extra card. Half way through class, I had everyone choose which card they thought was their best card and we placed them all in a box. We painted a little more on the night's painting. Then I announced they could all start trading. Each person was able to make at least one trade with everyone else in the class. If you had extras, you could make more than one trade with someone.

At the end of the night, everyone propped their paintings up in the front of class for the critique. After I critiqued each painting, I allowed the critique recipient to chose a card from the box without peaking. The very first person to pick from the box, picked her own card, so I took that from her allowed her to pick again and then I replaced her card in the box. No one else picked their own card.

At the end of the night, as people were packing up and leaving, I decided to peak into the box to see the one card that was left. The card I would take home as my bonus ... it was my own Artist Trading Card!

The top middle card in the photo, the all payne's grey landscape with two trees.

Tuesday's Tips and Technique for Watercolor Painting

Watercolor Classes & Workshops

My tip for this week is take a class!

If you've never painted before in watercolor, a beginner class is for you. If you have painted in watercolor it is fun to take a class or attend a workshop to freshen up your skills and try new techniques. It is an excellent way to get out of the house and be around other artists.

Is that blank sheet of paper intimidating you too much or too often? Check your local artist groups, adult ed programs offered at local public schools, continuing ed classes offered through colleges, you may just find the perfect class for you right in your own neighborhood.

Cheap Joe's Art Supplies offers watercolor classes and lists workshop all over the US. A three to five day workshop makes an excellent vacation. Check it out here: http://www.cheapjoes.com/art-instruction/

Classes are starting up now! Mine just started.