Getting your Feet Wet with Painting

03 Sep Getting your Feet Wet with Painting

“Get Your Feet Wet with Watercolor” Colorwheel. Photo by Steve Newton.

A Student Perspective by Elaine Bradley.

The class description said “no experience needed,” but it didn’t mention anything about the fear of putting pigment on a blank piece of paper. The August 24-26 Weekend Class “Get Your Feet Wet with Watercolor” with Virginia Urani enabled non-painters to wade right in to an exploration of painting with watercolor. After Friday night’s introduction, the eight new painters experimented with their new materials. Saturday, Virginia led us in a few exercises – mixing colors from only three tubes of paint to paint a color wheel.

Photo by Steve Newton

A painting of the local mountains doubled as a value study, working from light to dark. After a few exercises in several painting techniques, we were invited to choose an object for inspiration. It is amazing how mere pigment on paper can make you think of flowers.

Photo by Elaine Bradley.

Photos by Elaine Bradley.

Sunday morning we mounted our gallery show in the classroom and reviewed our successes. As we said goodbye after our first watercolor experience, Virginia reminded us to always look for the beauty around us.

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Always wanted to try watercolor? Virginia Urani will teach “Get Your Feet Wet with Watercolor” again on Friday, Feb 22 – Sunday, Feb 24, 2013. Sample the paints, brushes, and papers used in this magical medium. Demonstrations and examples of various techniques will be given, allowing you to experiment, become familiar with materials, and paint beautiful watercolor pictures. No experience needed – just an adventurous spirit.

Blog author Elaine Bradley, of Atlanta, GA, has been weaving since 1986 and teaching since 1992. She has studied at Haystack, Penland, and the Folk School. Her work has been published in “Shuttle Spindle & Dyepot” and “Weaver’s” magazines and displayed in regional and national exhibits. Elaine’s instructional style emphasizes the basics and good craftsmanship, along with originality and creativity. Elaine’s next weaving class at the Folk School is “Weave a Scarf – the Intro Class” on March 15-17, 2013.

All artwork, photos used with permission of the artists