Hoffman Center for the Arts

News Release

Date: January 28, 2020

Hoffman Center Offers Watercolor Basics—Four Elements

of Successful Painting

Tuition: $300.00

Dates: January 13, January 27, February 10, February 24

Time: 1:00 pm to 4 pm via Zoom

The Hoffman Center for the Arts in Manzanita will offer Watercolor Basics, a series of four classes to initiate the beginner or provide a refresher for intermediate painters. Led by Eugene artist Carolyn Gates, participants will practice washes, glazing, wet-into-wet techniques, composition, color theory, and value.

Live sessions are held on Zoom on the second and last Wednesdays in January and February from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Live sessions include demonstrations, show and tell, and Q & A.  The workshop consists of an online segment with handouts, materials lists, and additional video demonstrations. Students who miss a ‘live’ session will be sent a link to the recording.

Additional information may be found at: https://hoffmanarts.org/events/watercolor-basics-four-elements-of-successful-painting/

Watercolor Basics:

Four Elements of Successful Painting

 Materials List

Any of these materials are easy to find online at Dots ‘N Doodles Art Supplies – Astoria Or 503-325-5081

Paper: 140# Cold Press paper  – This can be any 100% rag or cotton paper, such as Arches, Fabriano, or Fluid 100 (100% Cotton paper)  You can buy it in full sheets (22” x 30”) or in blocks or pads.  For this class I recommend either 2 full sheets, (which we will tear into smaller sizes for the various exercises and paintings), OR a block or pad that is 9” x 12”.

Sketch book: Bring your favorite sketchbook, to use for thumb nail sketches and planning ideas

Brushes: Bring any watercolor brushes you already have. Synthetic brushes are the least expensive, and you should get the best you can afford.  Pure sable brushes are the best, but are the most expensive. No 12 round, No 8 round, No 4 round, 1″ flat, 1/2″ flat (optional)

Paint: Bring any transparent watercolor paints that you have (NOT Gouache or Acrylic). The minimum suggested palette would consist of the following (examples in parentheses):

1 Yellow           (Aureolin OR Hansa Yellow, Cadmium Yellow OR New Gamboge)

1-2 Reds          (Cadmium Red OR Pyrrol Red & Permanent Alizarin Crimson OR Carmine,)

1 Blue              (French Ultramarine, Cobalt Blue, Prussian Blue)

1 Green           (Winsor Green, Pthalo Green, Sap Green)

1 Brown           (Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber, Sepia)

1 Black (          Ivory Black, Payne’s Gray, or Neutral Tint)

If you want to buy new watercolors, I recommend using M.Graham, or Daniel Smith.   My minimum suggested palette for the beginner is:

French Ultramarine Blue

Burnt Sienna

Aureolin (Yellow) Or Hansa Yellow

Cadmium Red OR Pyrrol Red

Permanent Alizarin Crimson OR Carmine

Winsor Green (Yellow Shade) OR Sap Green

Payne’s Gray

This palette of colors will allow you to mix some nice oranges, greens, purples, and grays.

Other Supplies:

Palette: to put your paint on, and mix colors.  I recommend a plastic folding palette.

HB Pencil

Kneaded eraser

2 plastic water containers (for example: empty yogurt containers)

Paper towels

Masking tape

Small spray bottle

Photographs and Still Life Material

Throughout this class we will be working from either life or from photographs.  The choice is up to you, but remember to keep things simple if you are a beginning student.  This class will focus on organic subject matter, so think about photos of flowers, birds, mushrooms, trees, simple landscapes, etc.  If you want to paint from life you will set up objects in front of you to paint from.  Fruit, sea shells, simple flowers in a vase, tea pots, pottery, etc are good things to make a still life from.