Watercolor Joy! (for beginners and casual painters who want to jumpstart their practice)

Watercolor Joy!

(for beginners and casual painters who want to jumpstart their practice)

With Deborah Nedelman and Sarri Gilman

A four-session class

Fridays 1-3 pm: April 29, May 6, May 13, May 20

Suggested donation: $5-$10 per session if you are able

We invite your playful spirit to enter the magic world of watercolor. No experience with watercolor or painting or drawing is necessary. A beginner’s mind and a few supplies (list below) are all that is needed.   

Watercolor painting can be confounding until you learn some basic techniques that unlock the magic of the medium. This class is designed as a journey of discovery. We will introduce you to a wide range of materials and styles, and we will encourage you to follow your curiosity. In each session we will offer opportunities for experimentation and learning. We’ll explore color and venture into lights and darks; we’ll dip into shapes and layering and experiment with textures. By the end of the four weeks, you will have a collection of souvenirs from your journey. You’ll find yourself able to look at watercolor paintings—both your own and those of others—and recognize how the painter achieved their result, and you’ll have a toolbox of techniques you can use to move forward on your own. This class will awaken the playfulness in your soul and introduce you to the meditative calm of deep seeing.

Limited to 15 students

All must have proof of vaccination and wear a mask

You need to bring a small set of supplies to the class (see list below)

Sarri Gilman and Deborah Nedelman are playful painting partners. Sarri is a psychotherapist, SoulCollager, writer and journaler. Sarri has been facilitating workshops for over a decade. Deborah is a retired psychologist and a writer of fiction who has taught writing classes for over a decade.

They began their avid journey into the world of watercolor as an antidote to the stresses of the pandemic and have become passionate about the medium. As painting partners, they have been drawn to nature where they find infinite inspiration. Their joyful experiences have led them to want to share its magic with others. Deborah and Sarri have similar approaches to facilitating workshops, though their individual watercolor styles are different, and they encourage everyone to have their own unique journey. “This is the class I wish I could have taken when I was getting started,” says Deborah.

Supply list: You need a small set of supplies for the class. You can buy the following supplies at Casey’s Craft or online at art supply stores like dickblick.com

· Paper: Canson Cold Press Spiral Bound watercolor heavy weight paper journal, 140 lb  paper. Journal size 7x10 or smaller. ($10) (If you already have a watercolor journal that’s fine, but the paper must be 140 lb and cold pressed. Not all watercolor paper is 140 lb and cold pressed. If you don’t know what you have, please buy the Canson journal. It’s great to practice in, inexpensive with good paper. (available online at dickblick.com)

· Watercolor brushes: 2 round watercolor brushes size #2 and #8 inexpensive synthetic brushes for watercolor. Both round brushes should come to a good point. 1 flat brush – also called a chisel blender size 6 (casey’s craft or online)

· Watercolor paint: we are using quality watercolor paint - we picked a palette you can also travel with in the future. The sets are either pans or tubes. It is best to have pans if you want to take your paints outside or travel with them.

Daler Rowney 12-piece watercolor set. ($15) (awesome starter set of colors) (available online at dickblick.com: “Daler-Rowney Aquafine Watercolor Half Pan Sets”)

Other watercolor pan sets we recommend are by Sennelier, Winsor Newton, Daniel Smith, Holbein. (available online) We love all these brands. You can get a bigger set with more colors if you want, but please stick to these recommended brands. The quality of the paint makes a big difference and many other paint brands add chalk which means the watercolor won’t move the same way.

· 1 black micron pen .05 (casey’s craft)

· 1 pencil HB (casey’s craft)

· 1 grey gum eraser or a white tombow or mono eraser- these erasers are designed to work on watercolor paper (casey’s)

· 1 small spray bottle for water. The bottle can be small 3-4” or whatever you have at home. (caseys or drug store)

· 1 white ceramic dinner plate to mix paint on (thrift store)