Watercolor Practice Class January

Watercolor January Practice Class

With Ellen Santoni

Tuesdays, January 10, 17, 24 & 31, 2023

9 am to 11 am

Suggested donation: $5-$10 per class day if you are able (donations go to our future teachers fund to allow us to offer classes after our current grant runs out.

For covid safety we require mask wearing.

This class is for people who have had a basic introduction to watercolor painting or have a regular practice. In each class watercolor painter Ellen Santoni will offer one or two techniques with practice activities. This way you can grow your repertoire of skills and increase your joy in the magical process of painting with watercolors. We will work both indoors and outdoors depending on the weather, and enjoy painting in the company of others. You don’t have to have extensive experience with watercolor painting to take this class.Limited to 12 studentsAll must have proof of vaccination and wear a mask (unless we meet outdoors)You need to bring a small set of supplies to the class (see list below)

Ellen Santoni has been making art for as long as she can remember. She has a BFA in illustration. After college she had a 42-year career in marketing and advertising. Three years ago, she moved to Whidbey Island and restarted her journey with art. Watercolor is her chosen medium and her only medium. She says: “I love the unpredictability, the way the colors mix and blur, and the fluidity of the process. Ellen is a member of Whidbey Island Sketchers and Bellingham Sketchers, and she takes classes at Create Space and with local artists.

Art supply list for returning students: bring a pear to the first class in addition to your regular watercolor supplies

Art supply list for new students: 

1. Bring a picture of a landscape that you like to the first class--preferably a photograph, not a painting. You can cut it out of a magazine. 

2. 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; 1/2 inch flat brush; 3/4" mop or 3/4 "cat tongue soft brush--available for$13 from Casey's Craft.IF YOUALREADY HAVE BRUSHES, BRING A SECTION OF YOUR BRUSHES RATHER THAN BUYING NEW ONES.

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.·IF YOU ALREADY HAVE TUBES OF WATERCOLOR PAINT, BRING THEM RATHER THAN BUYING NEW ONES.

Also:

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)

Paper towels or a rag for getting water off of your brushes.