Loose Watercolor Painting Workshop (Drake Hall)

Do you want to learn to create moving and evocative watercolor paintings but don't know where to start? Or maybe you've got a good start but want to continue to grow your skills? If so, then this is the class for you! 

Watercolor paints can be free-spirited and unpredictable unless you know how to work with them. In this class, you will learn Steve's method for understanding watercolor paints while giving voice to your own artistic style. 

Learn Steve's strategy for becoming friends with your paint to create beautiful, moving watercolor paintings with energy, freedom, and fascinating stories. 

You'll be surprised what you can do with a paintbrush, an open mind, and a sense of humor! 

Course Objective 

At the end of this course, the student will be able to demonstrate: 

• How to look at a scene and break it down into simple shapes. 
• What value is and how value is used to express shapes. 
• How color relates directly to those values and knowledge of value. 
• How to express the human form using accurate proportions. 
• How to represent other forms as supporting elements to the story. 
• A fundamental understanding of design principles and how they apply to the creation of a painting. 

Steve Griggs has a love of art that started early in life. While other children would lament field trips to the art museum, he would embrace them as his favorite day of the school year! Steve's mother bought his first 'real' watercolor set of six paint tubes when he was in elementary school, and his love of watercolor was born. Growing up in a large family made finding time and space for painting challenging. Whenever possible, Steve would steal away to the basement of his childhood home, where he would paint but never show anyone what he had done. Steve remained a 'closet artist' until he attended Michigan State University and graduated with a degree in Studio Art. Steve later attended the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. 

Reflecting his unique, loose painting style, Steve's paintings have been juried into various national and international exhibitions and have regularly won awards. Steve loves to guide other artists in learning to paint in his free and expressive style, and he is a sought-after workshop instructor and exhibition juror. Steve and his partner, Sue, have written numerous articles for publication in Watercolor Artist and The Artist Magazine (published in the UK). 

Steve has gallery representation with Mirada Fine Art in Indian Hills, Colorado; Twisted Fish Gallery in Elk Rapids, Michigan; J Petter Galleries in Douglas, Michigan; and Five3Gallery in Laguna Beach, CA. 

Notes

• A current OLLI membership is required to register for all courses and lectures.
• If you do not have a current Spring 2023 membership, one will be added to your cart at check-out.
• OLLI membership fees and course tuition are critical to the Institute’s sustainability and are non-refundable.

Recommendations

Parks, John A., The Power of Suggestion, WatercolorArtist, August 2018, p. 38-45. http://https://userfiles.faso.us/70239/7109.pdf  This is an article about Steve and his painting style. 

Paint 

• I use Daniel Smith and M Graham almost exclusively (these are my favorites); Winsor Newton Cotman or Van Gogh watercolors will do. I often use Winsor Newton Cotman or Van Gogh for sketching and preliminary studies. 
• Ultramarine Blue 
• Cobalt Blue 
• Manganese Blue 
• Cadmium Red Light 
• Cadmium Yellow Light 
• New Gamboge OR Gamboge 
• Burnt Sienna OR Paynes Gray OR Neutral Tint OR Indigo 
• Turquoise OR Cobalt Turquoise 

Brushes - the best quality you have or are able to purchase 

• One round big, mop/quill-shaped 
• One round pointed brush (sable or squirrel) 
• One rigger or needle point for fine details and lines 
• Small round brushes sized #8, 10, 12 (I like Escoda Versatil or Princeton Neptune or Da Vinci) 

Paper 

• One 9" x 12" sketchbook. Arteza  Sketchbookhttps://arteza.com/dp/9x12-watercolor-books-2 
• Two full sheets Arches OR Fabriano 300 grams rough texture 140 lb. It is best to use a 1/4 or 1/2 size sheet, but of course, you can paint in any size you feel comfortable with. I will demonstrate on 1/4 and 1/2 size sheets. 

Misc. 

• Towel 
• Sponges 
• Tissues 
• Water container 
• Masking tape OR blue painter's tape 3/4" OR 1" wide 
• Pencil 
• Spray bottle 
• Painting board to mount paper 

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