Instructor: Bridget Grady

Dates: Wednesdays, June 7, 14, 21, 28, 2023

Time: 6PM - 8:30PM

Ages: 16 and up

Member: $108.00

Non-Member: $120.00

Description:

This workshop will get you jump-started in the medium of watercolor. Learn to go with the flow and learn control at the same time with this slippery medium! This workshop is perfect for the total “I can’t draw a straight line” beginner, individuals with a creative curiosity looking for a fun and meditative outlet to explore, or artists who want to play with a new medium and loosen up. You will explore the use of watercolor as a drawing and painting medium. The essential basics of this medium will be covered in order to allow inexperienced artists to gain confidence to further explore this medium on one's own. One will learn techniques of creating washes, bleeds, wet into wet, and dry-brush. Color mixing will be explained and the properties of paper will be discussed.

Materials List:

Watercolor is a medium that can be very inexpensive to work in successfully if one chooses well in the beginning. It also is a medium that each artist will decide what their personal preferences are over time. I recommend starting with a fairly good quality student paint and decent quality paper to avoid unneccessary frustration while you are learning. That investment will last a very long time.

Materials for this workshop will be provided for a $20.00 fee payable to the instructor. For those who choose to bring their own supplies a suggested list is provided.

Paint

Transparent Watercolors

You can choose either paint pans or tube watercolors for this course.

I recommend Sakura Koi Watercolor sets or tubes, and/or Windsor Newton Cotman line for a quality less expensive paint.

If you are buying individual pans or tubes, please bring the following colors to the first class.

Cadmium red medium, Alizarin Crimson, Magenta, Cobalt Violet, Ultramarine Blue, Thalo Blue, Cadmium yellow medium, Yellow Ochre, Permanent Green Light, Sap Green, Burnt Umber, Burnt Sienna

Brushes

Synthetic Watercolor brushes - 3 Round Size 2,4,8, and 2 flat  ½” and 1” size

Princeton makes an inexpensive series in sets, just make sure they are specifically for watercolor.

(I actually use student quality brushes from Sax, Sax Golden Synthetic Taklon). Individually purchased they are inexpensive and last a very long time.

Paper

Paper is a very personal choice and is often based on what the objective of the art piece is for. 

I will have other papers for students to try while in class.

For this class I recommend The Strathmore 400 Series 140 lb Watercolor Paper Pads Cold Press Paper Tape bound  and 1 of the size pads below.

9”x 12”, 12” 12”, or 11” x14”

Palette

Plastic Palette, White Ceramic Dish, or Butcher Tray.

Other Needs

Pencil, eraser, Sketch paper, Water cups, paper towels.

Instructor Bio:

Ms. Grady is an artist currently residing in the Northwest Corner of Connecticut. She holds an M.F.A. in Painting at Western Connecticut State University. Previous to that she pursued graduate studies in Visual Culture at Norwich University in Montpelier, Vermont. Previously, Ms. Grady was an Assistant Professor of Art at the School of Art, Design, and Media, at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore where she was awarded the Teaching Excellence Award. Ms. Grady was the founder of Blue Horse Arts Studio, a creative research studio formerly located in Watertown, CT. She has been the adjunct professor of Painting at Northwestern Community College since 2015 and is currently the Education Coordinator at Five Points Arts Center.

www.bridgetgrady.com