CLASS NO. 6
NOVEMBER 6, 2021
ERIC HOTZ: ART CLASSES AT LANGLEY ARTS COUNCIL
NOTE: COVID protocols are in place. LAC requires masks to be wore. Hand sanitizer is provided.
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My painting classes teach the basics of painting and include standard techniques as well as a few lesser-known techniques and tricks. I discuss the history behind the painting style, using past painting masters who used similar approaches to whatever art we are currently creating. My classes are intro to painting classes designed to fit comfortably into a 3-hour period. In most cases, students will have ample time to complete their paintings. The painting should always be fun and relaxing.
My sixth painting class was the second class of watercolour painting. My students created a watercolour painting more structured, less free-flowing, than last week's painting exercise, but still offered room to experiment. Students had the choice of working on a second, different painting if they desired after they finished their first painting. These paintings featured creating the illusion of depth by fading and blurring the background objects while making the foreground more detailed and eye-attracting. This was a fun, and fast-paced, 3-hour class.
The target painting for the class. This is a watercolour painting of a field of tall grasses. Orbs were added to give the art a bit of a fantasy flare. I taught how to create the various effects but mostly focused on creating the various layers to get a field of distance and depth through detail and colour.
As usual, my classes observe social distancing wherever possible.
Watercolours come in a variety of forms from tablets (above) to paints in tubes. There are even water based oil paints available to experiment with at the various art stores. The best thing to do is to dive in and play with the colours and medium. The more you practice the better you get.
We are lucky to have an art room with good, all-around lighting. This makes creating art a lot better as you can see the true colours you are painting. With the surrounding lighting, you are not casting shadows onto your projects while you create.
Liquid Mask (in the hand of one of my students). I am surprised how few watercolour painting videos on YouTube mention Liquid Mask and its advantages. I teach how to use Liquid Mask in my art class. It should be your best friend when painting with watercolours.
One student prefered working with acrylics. That is OK. The best part is that he is painting and enjoying the experience as well as learning.
Jonny's bold acrylic painting: Winter Cabin in the Woods (20x30-inches).
Watercolour painting on pre-stretched watercolour paper. The watercolour paper was submerged in water and then stapled (with a staple gun) to a plywood board and allowed to dry, After completely dried, the edges of the watercolour paper has been taped with low-tack tape, which will be removed after the painting is finished and the paper has dried once again.
Seeing students create their own expressions, their personal interpretations, while they paint the assignment is always nice to see. Experimenting, changing the art assignment to reflect your own vision is important as it puts your personal stamp on the final art.
Having fun with art and art expression, and creating a great painting at the same time.
Working on the second watercolour painting. The sun in this painting was masked over with "liquid mask", which is applied to areas you want to remain white. Once the painting is finished, the liquid mask can be removed. Liquid mask can also be applied to pre-painted areas or areas you may wish to paint later.
There was enough time, if the student wanted, to start a second painting or to redo their first painting. Some continued painting their first painting, adding more detail or changing colour intensity, while one student chose to redo their first painting. In many ways, redoing is often good because you learn from what you first created and so the second time around you can try a different approach. Often the second painting works out the best.
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