Next Workshop
Tier 2 members will have free access to live event & replay
Date: Thursday 28th Aug 2025
Time : 18.00 Paris UK 5pm PT 9am MT 10am ET 12pm
Loose Watercolor Workshop
Beach Photo by Lale de Pasquale (Inspirational photos FB Group)
In this session, we’ll work through two demonstrations that focus on atmosphere, contrast, and capturing the feeling of a sunny day.
Demonstration 1 – Figures on the Beach
We’ll start with a lively seaside scene, where strong contrasts help to give that unmistakable sense of bright sunshine. Together we’ll look at creating hard edges to suggest the sharpness and heat of the day, while also exploring how to paint the illusion of wet sand with reflections of figures walking, sitting, and enjoying themselves on the beach.
Demonstration 2 – Bell Tents Inspired by Sargent
For our second piece, I’ll be working from a photograph I took of some bell tents. The photo itself is rather flat, with muted light, but it has a strong composition. This is where artistic interpretation comes in. Taking inspiration from John Singer Sargent’s famous tent watercolours, we’ll push the contrasts, introduce a play of warm and cool colours, and work to transform a dull source photo into a painting full of atmosphere and light, hopefully something even Sargent would approve of!
Paper size, Saunders and Waterford 140lb NOT 9"x12" (23cm x 30cm) for this workshop
The materials you need.
The traceable references if needed are supplied, and it is recommended that you prepare your drawing before the workshop starts. I will go through the drawing as part of the demo.
Good quality watercolour paper. ( I recommend painting similar sizes to myself, upto about A4)
A mop brush and a brush that comes to a good point. I will use the Escoda Ultima size 14 and Escoda Perla size 14 for most of the demos. On this demo we will try out a few other brushes like the Escoda sword brush and Escoda Versatil.
A selection of paints, my palette will consist of Yellow Ochre or Raw Sienna, Pyrrole Orange, Cad Yellow or Hansa Yellow, Alizarin Crimson, Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber, Ceruleum Blue, Cobalt Blue, Ultramarine Blue, Lavender, Cad Red or Pyrrole Red, Viridian Green and some white gouache.
Other materials, tissue paper, pencil, eraser, pot of water and a board to tape my paper down with making tape at approx 30 degree angle. Plus the all important hair dryer!
I recommend you print out these photos or save onto a tablet so you can see the images clearly on the workshop.
You do not need to have the same materials as I do, paint with the best materials you can obtain.
Chat
At the beginning of the workshop we can have a chat and introduce ourselves if you wish to, I am happy to answer any question that I can. During the demonstration I will ask you to mute your microphones, however there will be plenty of time to ask questions during the painting at natural breaks such as drying parts of the painting with hair dryer etc.
After each demo you are welcome to show your painting to us all, again this is entirely up to you. We will end the workshop with a chat, so please feel free to prepare some notes of anything you wish to discuss before hand.
You are welcome to paint along with me or just watch, you will receive a full video of the demonstrations of the workshop.
I look forward to meeting and painting with you soon, any questions please do not hesitate to get in touch.
All the best
Rob