4-5 days - Kate Aubrey, Instructor

**Workshop sponsor: Please select either Option 1 OR Option 2**

Flowers are so much like people. Whether it’s the brilliant colors or the expressive “faces”, they reflect thoughts and feelings as though they could speak. Like children, flowers echo spring and shout joy and scatter themselves up the hillside. Like magicians, they gather gloom, then turn it to brightness. They heal the sick and raise up the dead to heaven. Elegant and expressive or complex and sweet, each bloom has its own traits to share. Quite simply, they beg to be painted.

Option 1 (Intermediate to Advanced students):

$5 materials fee per student for the flowers

Requires sufficient spotlighting for one floral arrangement per every two to four students, depending upon student workspace configuration. Students need to be within four feet of the setup.

Working from life, students will learn the ins and outs of painting flowers close-up in watercolor as well as how to choose and capture a specific mood through composition and value; color usage; and the balance between loose and tight, lost and found, bright and quiet. Special attention will be given to backgrounds, the mixing and application of darks/blacks, and turning “mistakes” into opportunities. 

Kate’s demonstrations will include a range of techniques from tight to loose-and-drippy, as well as how to put those drips to work. Students will be encouraged to develop their own interpretation while putting new ideas and techniques to work.

Critiques will be designed to both educate and motivate.

Students should have a solid working knowledge of basic watercolor techniques.

Option 2 (Late Beginner to Advanced students):

Working from photographs (the instructor’s or theirs), students will learn the ins and outs of painting close-up flowers in watercolor as well as how to choose and capture a specific mood through composition and value; color usage; and the balance between loose and tight, lost and found, bright and quiet. Special attention will be given to the mixing and application of darks/blacks and turning “mistakes” into opportunities. 

Kate’s demonstrations will include a range of techniques from tight to loose-and-drippy, as well as how to put those drips to work. Students will be encouraged to develop their own interpretation while putting new ideas and techniques to work.

Critiques will be designed to both educate and motivate.

Students should have a working knowledge of basic watercolor techniques.

Suggestions & Requirements for Photographs:

• If painting from your own photo, please be sure what you want to paint is in focus. If you want to play with color choices, also bring a black and white print of your photo.

• If painting from your own photo, please bring more than one the first day for the sake of choice.

• Professionally taken photos are often lighted so shadows are minimized, making them very difficult to paint from. They are also copyrighted. For these reasons, I require that you use your own photos or a friend’s (with written permission).

• Real photographic prints on photo paper are massively better to work from than computer printouts. CVS, Walgreens and most Costcos have easy-to-use, relatively inexpensive photo printing systems which will print regularly sized photos and enlargements from the Web, memory cards, smart phones, and tablets. They can also be ordered online and delivered to your home.

• That said, laptops & iPads/tablets are even better to work from. Smart phones are not due to the small image. I will be working from my laptop.  Special FCAC Members Note: be sure your device is fully charged. Plug outlets are very sparse at the Center.

SUPPLIES

LATE BEGINNING & EARLY INTERMEDIATE STUDENTS:

 Below is a list of What I Use. 

• I encourage you to use the colors I am demonstrating with if you can, as you will have a lot more success reproducing the colors and effects (and lots Less Frustration).
• Yes, it’s important to get the exact color name by the exact maker.
• If you don’t have brushes you Adore, please consider trying the Richeson 7000 brand I use. I use them because they’re really good, and that means Less Frustration, especially when you’re young at art.
• If you have questions about the supplies, please call or email me and ask. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 775-315-0468

LATE INTERMEDIATE & ADVANCED STUDENTS:

• Although Painting the Floral Portrait in Watercolor is designed so you can use your own paints, paper, etc., I do ask that you have M. Graham’s or Stephen Quiller’s Cadmium Yellow Light. 
• Yes, it’s important to get the exact color name by the exact maker.
• Otherwise, feel free to bring all your own usual painting supplies/equipment.

Please feel free to email me with questions at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

I will have some extra paints and supplies with me if you can’t find something ahead of time and need to buy them at the workshop. You can find M. Graham  and Quiller paints online at www.jerrysartarama.com if you click on the “See All” button below the ones they list first. Prices are similar at www.dickblick.com, but they only carry the M. Graham watercolors, and you must search for them on the site in order to find them.

In addition, please check with your local art supply store first. Keeping them in business helps us all, and they can often special order the brands below if they don’t actually carry them.

WHAT I USE

(NOT Required)

Watercolor Paints:

 * Flesh tones for Caucasians
 ~Flesh tones for non-Caucasians

Quiller Traveling Palette

Watercolor Brushes:

• Richeson Series 7000 Watermedia (Quiller Brushes)
  • Nos. 8, 10, & 12 Rounds - good for portraiture
  • 3/4”, 1 1/2”, & 2” Flats
  • Carried by www.quillergallery.com and www.jerrysartarama.com online and at many local art stores across the country
• Da Vinci Maestro Rounds ( Tobolski-Kolinski sable) 
  • Nos. 8, 10, 12, & 14
  • Carried by Art Xpress at www.artxpress.com .
  • No. 8 is sold as the Mary Whyte brush
  • Lovely for figure work, but pricey. Look for them on sale.

Watercolor Paper:

• Saunders Waterford, Arches, or Fabriano Artistico
  • Rough or Cold Press, minimum 140#
  • Hot Press 260# (Saunders Waterford)
• Hahnemuehle Cezanne (lovely rough surface, 140#)
  • Due to recent unacceptable quality control issues in my old, favored brands (above), I have been experimenting with this paper and Hahnemuehle’s extremely rough surfaced Leonardo, 300#. It is a lovely, strong, properly made paper out of Germany that I have thoroughly enjoyed so far.
  • If you want a smoother surface, ask Hahnemuehle or your local supplier which one to try. Specify that you want acid free, cotton rag with internal and external sizing (if available) and a minimum weight of 140#.
  • I have not yet tried their hot press surface.

Painting Setup:

• Sketch pad - 2 x 12” or 5 x7” for design thumbnails & notes
• Graphite pencils - Prismacolor Turquoise 2B or Durwent HB or equivalent
• Handheld pencil sharpener
• Kneadable eraser
• Mr. Clean Original Magic Erasers
• Mabef or Richeson French Backpacker’s Easel
• Hollow-core drafting board to support watercolor paper (OR Gatorboard, etc.)
• Water containers (I use clear plastic
• Viva original paper towels
• Spray bottle - adjustable from fine spray to a stream (Hobby Lobby)
• Hair dryer
• Plain old 1 1/2” masking tape made by 3M
• Old clothes, smock or apron
• Laptop or iPad/tablet