2022 Summer Beginner's Course in Drawing and Watercolor
is now closed
Sign up here for notice of my next opening!
is now closed
Sign up here for notice of my next opening!
"When my daughter was about seven years old, she asked me one day what I did at work. I told her I worked at the college - that my job was to teach people how to draw. She stared at me, incredulous, and said, "You mean they forget?""
—Howard Ikemoto
Email me with any questions
Over the past 25 years,
I've taught basic drawing and watercolor at the community level across the US in venues
ranging from museums to back yards.
In 2011, I developed the first online drawing and watercolor course
and can happily say that it's a proven formula.
Read about some results here.
Whether you are just starting out
or trying to get back into watercolor
the best place to start is at the very beginning.
Even professional watercolor painters have to remind themselves of the basics.
And so, we begin with a
foundation of the absolute basics
of drawing and watercolor.
There's really no way of getting around the basics.
I've taught basic drawing and watercolor at the community level across the US in venues
ranging from museums to back yards.
In 2011, I developed the first online drawing and watercolor course
and can happily say that it's a proven formula.
Read about some results here.
Whether you are just starting out
or trying to get back into watercolor
the best place to start is at the very beginning.
Even professional watercolor painters have to remind themselves of the basics.
And so, we begin with a
foundation of the absolute basics
of drawing and watercolor.
There's really no way of getting around the basics.
"If you hear a voice within you say, "You cannot paint," then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced."
—Vincent van Gogh
In fact, what informed my watercolor teaching from the very start was my observation that most people
who picked up watercolor, became frustrated with their results, kept running into errors
that they didn't know how to avoid or correct, and often gave up in disappointment.
It was crystal clear to me that these frustrations and disappointments
were directly related to a lack of understanding of the basic elements of drawing
and the basic elements of watercolor.
My superpower as a teacher is my ability to break down the basic elements of a subject or practice,
explain those elements through clear, concise language and demonstration,
and support the learning process through patient personal coaching
and encouraging support.
I've been working with watercolor since the age of five.
You can imagine that I have my own idiosyncratic view of the entire medium.
I appreciate my perspective and lifetime of practice, research, and learning.
You can, too!
I love watercolor very, very much and I love to share and talk about it.
DETAILS
What will you receive as part of this foundation membership course?
• 9 progressive lessons in both drawing and watercolor
• with step-by-step instruction in text
• and video demos
• plenty of photos
• related historic examples
• plenty of supplemental links and study references
• recommended reading and watching
• weekly deadlines for assignments (3 per month)
• a place for members to share assignment work, comments and conversation
• live classes for coaching and discussion
(No, you do not have to appear on camera!)
• constructive critique
• encouragement to support your experience
• breathing room is built into this course
• time to incorporate
• and time to catch up, if you need that
Content includes:
• Drawing lessons, video demonstrations, and assignments
• Watercolor lesson, demonstration, and assignment
• Some watercolor history.
• A live weekly class for constructive critique, Q&A, discussion, and camaraderie
The technical part of participation is simple
and I am happy to walk you through any problems you might encounter.
who picked up watercolor, became frustrated with their results, kept running into errors
that they didn't know how to avoid or correct, and often gave up in disappointment.
It was crystal clear to me that these frustrations and disappointments
were directly related to a lack of understanding of the basic elements of drawing
and the basic elements of watercolor.
My superpower as a teacher is my ability to break down the basic elements of a subject or practice,
explain those elements through clear, concise language and demonstration,
and support the learning process through patient personal coaching
and encouraging support.
I've been working with watercolor since the age of five.
You can imagine that I have my own idiosyncratic view of the entire medium.
I appreciate my perspective and lifetime of practice, research, and learning.
You can, too!
I love watercolor very, very much and I love to share and talk about it.
DETAILS
What will you receive as part of this foundation membership course?
• 9 progressive lessons in both drawing and watercolor
• with step-by-step instruction in text
• and video demos
• plenty of photos
• related historic examples
• plenty of supplemental links and study references
• recommended reading and watching
• weekly deadlines for assignments (3 per month)
• a place for members to share assignment work, comments and conversation
• live classes for coaching and discussion
(No, you do not have to appear on camera!)
• constructive critique
• encouragement to support your experience
• breathing room is built into this course
• time to incorporate
• and time to catch up, if you need that
Content includes:
• Drawing lessons, video demonstrations, and assignments
• Watercolor lesson, demonstration, and assignment
• Some watercolor history.
• A live weekly class for constructive critique, Q&A, discussion, and camaraderie
The technical part of participation is simple
and I am happy to walk you through any problems you might encounter.
"I'm such a face-to-face communicator, I never thought an online environment could be effective for teaching. I never thought I'd like the video format. But in your online course, I'm not distracted by extraneous things that would otherwise catch my attention. Even better, I don't have to drive anywhere!
"I feel like it's the benefit of private tutoring with the advantage of other students' work to look at. You've put together a really well-planned, well-thought out, beautifully presented product with tremendous depth and breadth.
"I want to thank you for this class. I might have put off drawing for the rest of my life." — Susan Spak, Storrs Mansfield, CT
WHEN?
TBA
If you have to miss a meeting,
each one is recorded for easy access.
HOW MUCH?
TBA
My courses are limited to a few students and fill up quickly.
You can dabble with a mini course here and a YouTube video there
but the truth is that drawing and watercolor are a practice
and learning history takes time to understand.
Working with me, you receive thoughtfully presented,
well-planned and executed lessons
in an orderly, step-by-step manner.
Read what other students have experienced here.
Read more about my Foundation Course here.
TBA
If you have to miss a meeting,
each one is recorded for easy access.
HOW MUCH?
TBA
My courses are limited to a few students and fill up quickly.
You can dabble with a mini course here and a YouTube video there
but the truth is that drawing and watercolor are a practice
and learning history takes time to understand.
Working with me, you receive thoughtfully presented,
well-planned and executed lessons
in an orderly, step-by-step manner.
Read what other students have experienced here.
Read more about my Foundation Course here.
"In terms of living my life, the online course format provided me with a safe and supportive group environment in which I could transform mountains of self doubt about my ability to do art into upbeat confidence and courage - there's no room for self-criticism in this course, perseverance and hope trumps negativity, and what doesn't work today can succeed brilliantly tomorrow. Literally, personally and practically, this course turns darkness into light." —Heidi Krzyzaniak, Federal Way, WA
What I never expected when I first began teaching drawing and watercolor
is how the process and practice of learning is a path to self realization.
As you learn to draw and watercolor — you learn about yourself.
is how the process and practice of learning is a path to self realization.
As you learn to draw and watercolor — you learn about yourself.
Email me with any questions.
"I will never look at the world in the same way again!"
—Roberta Conroy, workshop host and student, Palm Springs, CA
Inquire here about hosting a live workshop