LESSON PLANS WINTER TERM 2022 (2nd half) Lesson 1. Expressive Watercolour

We begin the next half of the winter term next week (week beginning October 24th) and I shall be encouraging expressive and loose watercolour using a magazine image as the subject. It's a lesson we've done in the past and that everyone has really enjoyed as it allows a new freedom with the paint. Above you'll see my version in which I've completed three layers in the first section, two layers in the second section and one layer in the third section.

Winter term, 2nd half 2022. Lesson 1. Encouraging and increasing confidence with expressive watercolour. Working from a magazine image divided into sections.

· Choose your image and cut it out. Cut it into three or four equal-sized vertical sections.

· Stick them with glue stick (cleanest way) onto watercolour paper, if right-handed work from left to right, if left-handed work from right to left.

· Stick the first strip as close to the left (or right) side of your page as possible. Leave a gap of the same size next to it before sticking the next section down. Continue leaving the same-size gaps as you stick each section down.

· Put out onto your palette some relevant colours, knowing that you’re going to work loosely for your first layer.

· You’re going to paint the first section of your image into the first space beside it so it will link up with the next section (but not with the first section).

· Mix your paints to watery consistency and paint loosely the palest colours you see in in the first section. You can leave some light shapes white (unpainted) if required.

· Do the same for each section. This is layer one complete!

· The first section may now be dry enough for you to begin to look for some revealed shapes and hard edges. You’re not looking to create a photographic style painting, you want to create the look and essence of your magazine image. After layer two in each section, you work though each section with layer three.

· You’ll find the magazine image and your painting enhance each other’s qualities, the paint gives a painterly look to the whole image and the photograph gives a clarity to it all.

Next lesson: You’ll need time to complete this painting, so you’ll continue next week. If you finish it at home or very quickly, I'll have another magazine-style task for you to follow.