Watercolor Classes

Which Watercolor Class is Right for You?

Whether you've never picked up a paintbrush or you've been painting for years, there's a class designed for you. My workshops are intentionally structured so each one builds upon the last, allowing you to grow your skills while creating artwork you're proud of.

New to Watercolor?

Intro to Watercolor

One-Day Class

Perfect if you've never painted before or simply want a solid introduction to watercolor.

We'll cover:

  • Choosing the right paper
  • Brushes and what they're used for
  • Basic brush strokes
  • How watercolor behaves
  • Simple techniques
  • What supplies are actually worth buying (and which ones aren't!)

If you're feeling completely overwhelmed by watercolor supplies or where to start, this is the class for you.

Watercolor 101

3-Week Workshop

This is my signature beginner workshop and where I recommend most students start.

Over three weeks we'll build a strong foundation in watercolor while completing multiple paintings that reinforce each lesson.

Topics include:

  • Everything covered in Intro to Watercolor
  • Water control
  • Values
  • Negative space
  • Trees
  • Landscapes
  • Layering
  • Brush control
  • Color mixing
  • Much more

If you plan on taking additional workshops, this is the class I highly recommend first.

A Note About Experience

I often hear, "I've taken watercolor classes before."

That's wonderful! However, I've found that many beginner classes skip over the fundamentals that my workshops build upon. Because of that, I still recommend taking either Intro to Watercolor or Watercolor 101 before enrolling in most specialty workshops.

It isn't about experience—it's about making sure we share the same foundation so you can get the most from future classes.  

SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE ON A QUIZ TO SEE IF YOU NEED AN INTRO CLASS

Specialty Workshops

These workshops focus on specific subjects and techniques.

Botanicals (3 Weeks)

Explore leaves, greenery, and the beautiful details found in nature while developing confidence with color and texture.

Garden Studies (3 Weeks)

A greater emphasis on flowers, colorful gardens, and expressive floral painting.

Painting People (3 Weeks)

 

Learn proportions, figures, gesture, clothing, and how to simplify the human form into manageable shapes.

Painting Faces (3 Weeks)

An advanced workshop devoted entirely to portraits.

Topics include:

  • Skin tones
  • Eyes
  • Facial features
  • Expressions
  • Realistic detail

Recommended: Watercolor 101 (or Intro) plus previous watercolor experience.

Watercolor Playground (3 Weeks)

Probably the most playful workshop I teach!

Experiment with techniques like:

  • Salt
  • Plastic wrap
  • Alcohol
  • Bubbles
  • Texture
  • Creative effects

Perfect for anyone who wants to loosen up and discover just how fun watercolor can be.

Coastal I (3 Weeks)

Paint beautiful coastal subjects including:

  • Seashells
  • Sea turtle
  • Sand dunes
  • Ocean landscapes

Coastal II (3 Weeks)

Continue your coastal journey with:

  • Lighthouses
  • Ocean scenes
  • Seascapes
  • New England coastal inspiration

Soft Touch (3 Weeks)

A peaceful workshop focused on soft, dreamy watercolor paintings using delicate color palettes.

Think:

  • Pastel skies
  • Gentle beaches
  • Mykonos architecture
  • Soft sunsets

Reflections (3 Weeks)

Learn how to convincingly paint reflections in water, glass, and light.

This workshop explores one of watercolor's most beautiful—and challenging—subjects.

Recommended for students comfortable with watercolor fundamentals.

Loose Watercolor (3 Weeks)

Learn to let go of perfection.

We'll focus on:

  • Large expressive brushstrokes
  • Simplifying subjects
  • Architectural studies
  • Painting with confidence
  • Movement and flow

Watercolor 201 (3 Weeks)

For students ready to move beyond the basics.

Topics include:

  • Value studies
  • Dry brushing
  • Advanced layering
  • Texture
  • More complex paintings
  • Refining technique

Watercolor 101 (or Intro) is strongly recommended before enrolling.

Project Workshops

These workshops focus on completing a finished piece over multiple sessions.

Pet Portrait (2 Weeks)

Paint your own pet from a reference photo.

No previous experience is required, although Watercolor 101 or Intro will certainly make the process easier.

Photorealism (2–3 Weeks)

Create one highly detailed, realistic watercolor painting from start to finish.

The number of weeks depends on the complexity of the project.

Landscape Studies (1–3 Weeks)

Complete one finished landscape while learning composition, atmosphere, lighting, and watercolor techniques specific to scenery.

Workshop length varies depending on the project.

Looking for a Fun Night Out?

Paint Nights

Paint Nights are different from workshops.

These evenings are designed to help you relax, socialize, and enjoy painting without feeling overwhelmed.

You'll receive enough instruction to complete the featured painting, but the focus is on having fun and/or relaxing—not mastering technique.

All Paint Nights are beginner-friendly.

What do the stars mean?

The star rating does not indicate how difficult a painting is.

Instead, it reflects the number of steps involved in completing the painting. A 5-star project simply has more layers or stages than a 2-star project—it isn't necessarily harder.
 

TAKE THE QUIZ BELOW TO SEE IF YOU REALLY NEED AN INTRO CLASS! 

Do I Really Need Intro to Watercolor or Watercolor 101?

Maybe!

If you can confidently answer yes to most of these questions, you're probably ready to jump into one of my specialty workshops.

If several of these make you think, "Ummm... what's that?" you'll likely get much more out of starting with Intro to Watercolor or Watercolor 101 first.

Can you confidently answer these?

☐ Do you know how (and why) to create a watercolor color swatch?

☐ Do you know the difference between a mop brush and a round brush, and when each should be used?

☐ Do you understand the difference between hot press, cold press, and rough watercolor paper and what's the best paper to use (hint: it's not about the brand)?

☐ Do you know what lightfastness means and why it's important?

☐ Can you paint a basic leaf stroke and single-petal stroke?

☐ Do you understand the difference between wet-on-wet and wet-on-dry techniques?

☐ Do you know what causes blooms (cauliflowers/backruns) and how to prevent them?

☐ Can you intentionally control how much water is in your brush versus on your paper?

☐ Do you understand why one watercolor wash dries differently than another?

If you answered "No" to several of these, don't worry—that's exactly what my beginner classes are designed to teach.

These techniques come up repeatedly throughout almost every workshop I offer. Having a solid understanding of them allows you to spend your workshop time learning the featured subject instead of trying to catch up on the fundamentals.