Live demonstrations ~ Small Group~ Encouraging and supportive atmosphere~ Learn about watercolour art ~ Experiment and develop your own voice
Date and Time
Wednesdays November 4, 10, 24, & December 2, 8 & 15 2026, 3.30 to 5.30 pm London Time. (Check your time zone here)
Venue
Zoom. Recordings of each session will be available to watch again.
Cost: £195
Who’s it for?
Total beginners are welcome.
Ever wanted to try watercolour? This live online interactive course is designed for beginners and will give you the skills to play with this exciting medium. Explore how water, paint, brushes and paper interact, and watch live painting demos of the techniques you’re learning.
We will explore the medium in a safe supportive environment, in a small group (maximum 10) with plenty of tutor attention. There will be a shared private online noticeboard to share your work and resources, and lots of opportunity to ask questions and get helpful advice about your work.
You’ll also learn about the work of watercolour artists both historical and contemporary, and be inspired by looking at their methods to broaden your painting skills.
I’m an experienced teacher of adults, and committed to creating a gentle, encouraging and positive atmosphere for learning, with thoughtful content. Want to improve your drawing skills as well? Check out the Drawing For Beginners Course.
Online Private Class Gallery
We will use Padlet online noticeboard, which is an easy and free way to share your work and see class resources. There will be a gallery for you to post your work, private to the group, and a page of class resources. Further help will be given to use this.
Materials
- A detailed list will be provided, with suppliers.
What You’ll Learn
- Exploring Brushes, paper, and other equipment.
- Using your brushes and mark-making
- Working with wet-in-wet, and the three other states of watercolours.
- How to mix and paint a wash
- Glazing and layers
- Simple colour mixing and using a limited palette.
- Altering a painting: lifting colour, painting over, scratching out
- Ways of masking out.
- Working quickly and in series
Session Breakdown
Session 1: Introduction to Materials. Preparing your workspace. Playing with water and creating washes; wet-in-wet and the other three states of water. Brushes and other painting tools
Session 2: Playing with the Brush: Speed, Pressure and Marks. Rolling, dragging and dotting. Inspiration from Chinese brush painting to make expressive marks
Session 3: Playing with Colour. Working with a limited palette. Mixing wet-in-wet, controlling drying and glazing.
Session 4 : Building up Layers with Glazing. Working on several pieces at once, letting the layers fully dry before adding another. Ways of masking.
Session 5: Mixing Techniques. Exploring combining different methods. Using salt and adding different mark-making tools, and lifting out.
Session 6: Working at Speed and in Series. Practice your skills, with timed exercises and working on multiple images at once.
Join here
You’ll receive:
- A detailed list of materials, including paint colours
- Recommendations for setting up your space for the painting sessions
- A Padlet noticeboard link
- The joining instructions for the Live Online session on Zoom.
1. Do I need any painting experience to join?
Not at all — total beginners are very welcome. This course starts right from the basics: how water, paint, brushes and paper behave together, so you don’t need to have picked up a brush before.
2. What if I can’t make one of the live sessions?
Every session is recorded, so you can catch up in your own time if you miss one. Joining live is still the best way to get the most out of it, since you’ll get direct feedback and can ask questions as you paint.
3. What materials do I need before the course starts?
You’ll receive a full materials list with recommended suppliers before Session One, so there’s no guesswork involved in getting set up — everything from paints and brushes to paper will be covered.
4. I’ve dabbled in watercolour before — is this course still right for me?
Yes — while it’s designed with complete beginners in mind, it’s just as useful if you’ve had a go before but want to properly understand the fundamentals: how the medium behaves, how to control washes and glazes, and how to build real confidence rather than relying on guesswork.
Caroline Homfray 