Rocky Mountain Watercolour Workshop

Title: Rocky Mountain Watercolour

Type of Course: 2 Day Workshop

Dates: Feb 1st and 2nd, 2024

Running Time: 10:00am – 2:30pm

Audience: Beginner/Intermediate Adult

Course Description:

In this workshop we will study the shapes and forms found in our beautiful Rocky Mountains. We will practice seeing and drawing the shapes before applying our watercolor to the page.

Depending on how quickly the group moves along we may complete two pieces in our two-day workshop.

What Students will Learn: 

• The key to realism in watercolor is a good drawing.
• A good drawing is the product of careful observation so we will be studying the typical shapes and shadows found on a mountain side and sketching the same.
• We will be learning and practicing drawing value sketches before tackling our watercolors.
• Once we have a good drawing in place we will learn and practice basic washes. Many students struggle to learn how much water to apply. We will do some practice washes before applying them to the painting itself. We will then learn hard edge and soft edge techniques as we apply additional layers of paint.
• We will maintain focus on the all-important shadows, so we don’t miss the big picture as we are drawn into the detail.

Student Supplies:

• Notebook and pen
• Water bottle and lunch
• Paper: Arches 140lb, cold pressed (3 – 4 ¼ sheets) Please use the Arches paper as other papers will not hold up to some of the techniques we will be using. For economic reasons you are welcome to paint on ¼ sheets. You are welcome to paint larger or smaller.
• Please bring some scrap pieces of watercolor paper to practice our washes on.
• A Support Board: Plywood, Polystyrene board, Gator board or some other sturdy board that won’t bend or warp sized larger than the paper you are using. I use ¾” plywood so I can stretch the watercolor paper and tack it down with staples. Optional: For wet-on-wet approach I also use PVC Foam Board.
• Suggested Brushes: Your favorites – a wash brush (1 ¾”), a 1”/1.5” flat, A few flat and round brushes # 5/6, 10/12, synthetic/ sable. My favorite brush is Michael Solovyev’s Solo mini calligraphy brush.
• Paints: Artist quality tubes (student quality generally have too much filler, not enough pigment.) I use Winsor & Newton and Daniel Smith brand.

Suggested Colors: These are some of my ‘go to’ colors but every artist has their favorites. Please don’t feel obligated to add to your current palette if you are happy with your current colors.

• Alizarin Crimson
• Cadmium Red
• Aureolin Yellow
• Cadmium Yellow
• Raw Sienna
• Burnt Sienna
• Quinacridone Sienna (Daniel Smith)
• Cobalt Blue
• Ultramarine Blue
• Cerulean Blue
• Dr PH Mattin’s Bleed Proof White
• Sepia
• Neutral Tint (Daniel Smith)
• Carbazole Violet (Daniel Smith)
• Perylene Violet (Daniel Smith)
• Masking fluid
• Pencils – HB or 2H and a few B pencils (B – 6B)
• Sketch book
• White Eraser
• Tissues – kitchen towels or toilet paper
• Water container
• Spray bottle – I use the small atomizer type that shoots a fine mist as well as a larger one that can shoot larger water droplets
• Tracing Paper
• Carbon tracing paper
• Hair dryer
• Toothbrush or stiff Halo brush for splattering
• Packing tape
• Xacto knife with a sharp blade

Instructor Bio: Brian Turner recently moved to Cochrane from the Ottawa area where he has taught watercolor for the past 5-6 years. He is an elected member of; The Society of Canadian Artists, The Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolor, and The Federation of Canadian Artists.

Brian has won numerous national awards and this past year had a painting featured on the cover of a Federation of Canadian Artist’s publication. His work has been sold in numerous galleries in eastern and western Canada. His professional career was as a teacher and educational administrator, and he is as passionate about teaching as he is about watercolor painting.

Class Minimum: 5

Class Maximum: 14

Registration Fee: $130.00

Registration Cut-off Date: January 30th, 2024

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