Getting Started with Watercolour -LW
Watercolour / Beginners / Landscape - Materials included
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An ideal first step to watercolour painting, discover the essential techniques of this luminous and rewarding medium. Build confidence through demonstrations, theory and practice, using different papers, tools and approaches.
This course covers the basics of this rewarding and beautiful medium. Learn the essential techniques to get you started and understand your materials. Through demonstrations, theory and practice you will develop confidence in essential techniques. A springboard for enjoying this medium to the full and an ideal first step to watercolour painting.
Experiment with different papers, learn how to select the right brushes for the job and how best to use them.

Taught by
Day to day plan
Day 1
After an introduction to the course, Hilary will introduce you to different weights of paper and explain the importance of understanding these in watercolour. You’ll then learn to prepare and stretch paper for use in your watercolour painting later on. You’ll practice graduating washes and learn about layering watercolour for depth, using examples. Depending on the weather, you’ll then go out to make monochromatic studies of the coast around St Ives, taking colour notes to refer to back in the studio.
Day 2
Today you’ll focus on colour theory and how to mix the right tones. Using colour wheels you’ll develop your understanding of intensity, complementary colours and warm and cool tones. You’ll then explore the properties and possibilities of watercolour and apply these techniques in your own painting in the afternoon.
Day 3
Working with a limited palette, you’ll paint en plein air in one of St Ives’ sheltered coves. Throughout the day you’ll experiment with different sizes and orientations and then work on developing the strengths of your pieces, possibly into a series.
What to Bring
Our studios are fully equipped and we provide you with all the materials you need for your course. However, if you have a favourite set of brushes or any specialist materials that you would prefer to use, please bring them with you.
Our studios are fully equipped and we provide you with all the materials you need for your course. However, if you have a favourite set of brushes or any specialist materials that you would prefer to use, please bring them with you.
Timings and Breaks
The first day starts at 10am and finishes at 4.30pm, please aim to arrive ten to fifteen minutes before the start time.
All course days after that start at 9.30am and end at 4pm. There are plenty of nearby places to eat and we will serve tea and coffee at break times during the day.
The first day starts at 10am and finishes at 4.30pm, please aim to arrive ten to fifteen minutes before the start time.
All course days after that start at 9.30am and finish at 4pm and there will be an hour for lunch. There are plenty of nearby places to eat and we will serve tea and coffee at break times during the day.
