Color Field Painting with Watermedia
360 Online Class | Available
Instruction Medium: All watermedia
In this 10-week class, we will focus on color as the primary element in abstract expression. Using examples of prominent color field painters from the mid 20th Century to the present, we will examine the use of color in terms of its emotional and spiritual content. Each class will focus on a different color theory principle starting with a color exercise and finishing with a painting. All demos will be done with watercolor, but students can participate with any watermedia. Classes are supplemented with slide presentations, demo recordings, handouts, and group critiques.
- • Professional grade paints. My favorite brands are Daniel Smith, Winsor & Newton, Holbein, and DaVinci. I am suggesting a color palette rather than requiring it. I want you to have a good range of color - warm and cool, opaque and transparent, granulating and non-granulating (if watercolor), etc.
Suggested palette:
Hansa Yellow Light or Nickel Azo Yellow
Hansa Yellow Deep
Quinacridone Gold
New Gamboge
Rose Madder Genuine
Cadmium Red Light or Medium Permanent Rose
Cobalt Blue
French Ultramarine Blue or Ultramarine Blue
Phthalo (Winsor) Blue - green shade
Permanent Alizarin Crimson
Cobalt Turquoise Light
Dioxazine Violet (Winsor Violet)
Phthalo (Winsor) Green - blue shade
Viridian
Hooker’s Green
Burnt Sienna
Quinacridone Burnt Orange
• Brushes. I recommend mixed synthetic/natural hair brushes, but there are good synthetic brushes available and they tend to be more affordable. Have a variety of sizes – for example, a #8, #10 or #12 round, a #3 or #4 round, a 3/4” flat and a 2"" wash.
• Three 22” x 30” sheets of 140# professional cold press (or hot press) watercolor paper or substrate of your choice if working with acrylics
• One 22” x 30” sheet of 300# cold press (or hot press) watercolor paper
• 15” or 18” metal ruler and x-acto knife for cutting 300# paper
• Painting or drawing board (large enough to hold an 11” x 15” sheet of paper)
• A roll of 3/4” or 1” artist’s or painter’s tape (Blick painters tape is good)
• A white plastic 18-well (or larger) palette. Porcelain is best, but pricey. We will be pouring later in class, so I recommend accumulating glass yogurt containers (Oui brand), available at Fred Meyer. Porcelain saucers are also great to have.
• A plastic spray bottle (I recommend Flairosol Spray bottles for misting and the little inexpensive spray bottles for other effects))
• 3 water containers and paper towels
• Pencil and eraser
• Scraps of watercolor paper (backs of discarded paintings)
• A hair dryer Adjust these supplies as needed if you are working in acrylics.