Mastering Watercolours
Online Course with Jane Blundell
The cost is US$240, payable through Stripe (pay with your credit card) or PayPal.
If you are in Australia and wish to pay via bank transfer, you can contact me to arrange and I will send you an invoice with bank details.
If you are in Australia and wish to pay via bank transfer, you can contact me to arrange and I will send you an invoice with bank details.
Mastering Watercolours is a detailed and comprehensive 12-lesson course designed to build a foundation in mastering this wonderful medium. Through the course, participants create colour wheels, mixing charts, technical studies, tonal exercises and a range of paintings of different subjects to build their understanding of the characteristics of various pigments, and their skills in working with them. Step by step instructions with videos and photos all along the way make it very easy to follow along.
It suitable for serious beginners and more experienced artists who want to really explore and understand this medium. Drawing skills, though important for watercolour, are not required for this course. (I cover drawing and sketching in my other course Travel Sketching.) I have created it so you can download templates and outlines to trace if necessary. Each lesson has a number of parts to work through to build up this foundation. It will take a number of hours to get through the exercises in each lesson. There are further optional exercises for those who want to take it further. You can choose to spend one, two or even three weeks on each lesson to get through the material, depending on how much time you have available.
The course begins with an Introductory Lesson to help you set up your palette. Each step in the lesson has a key video or photo and written instructions and video captions make this course suitable for those for whom English is not their first language, or those who are hearing impaired.
It suitable for serious beginners and more experienced artists who want to really explore and understand this medium. Drawing skills, though important for watercolour, are not required for this course. (I cover drawing and sketching in my other course Travel Sketching.) I have created it so you can download templates and outlines to trace if necessary. Each lesson has a number of parts to work through to build up this foundation. It will take a number of hours to get through the exercises in each lesson. There are further optional exercises for those who want to take it further. You can choose to spend one, two or even three weeks on each lesson to get through the material, depending on how much time you have available.
The course begins with an Introductory Lesson to help you set up your palette. Each step in the lesson has a key video or photo and written instructions and video captions make this course suitable for those for whom English is not their first language, or those who are hearing impaired.
The course is designed around my Ultimate Mixing Set of fifteen colours, available from Daniel Smith watercolours. Here is an affiliate link if you want to order this from Jackson's Art in the UK, though available pretty much world wide.
These colours can be purchased as tubes, sets or in some cases half pans or 5ml tubes to set up in a palette of your own. A perfect companion to the course is my book, The Ultimate Mixing Palette: a World of Colours, which is available as a hard or soft cover book or a digital eBook or PDF. There is a link to purchase the PDF in the course for those who would like this reference.
A new metal palette with 24 half pans has also been released by Daniel Smith. It has a fabulous range of 24 colours, including my 15 Ultimate Mixing Set colours and a wonderful range of extra mixes and earth pigments.
I highly recommend that you work with the same pigments to create the same mixes. We will be creating a valuable reference collection of mixing charts and wheels and the pigments I have chosen all have a very specific purpose in this course. I have added a conversion chart below to show the same colours in other brands, where available.
This photo shows the format of the lessons. Many have a video as the key image, with all instructions and step-by-step photos included as well.
The right screen shows some of the many steps involved in this lesson. Videos can be watches ½ speed, normal speed or sped up to 1 ½ or twice speed as desired. There is a total of 10 hours of video throughout the course, though much of it has been sped up to keep the videos to about 20 minutes or less.
The right screen shows some of the many steps involved in this lesson. Videos can be watches ½ speed, normal speed or sped up to 1 ½ or twice speed as desired. There is a total of 10 hours of video throughout the course, though much of it has been sped up to keep the videos to about 20 minutes or less.
As you complete each step, you mark it off as complete so you don't lose track of where you are up to.
Responsive & InteractiveI had set up a question section at the end of every lesson so you have an easy point of contact.
I have also set up many points where you can share your charts, wheels, paintings and comments with the other course participants, building an international inline community. |
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Here is the link for the PDF of my suggested materials list.
| mastering_watercolours_–_materials_list.pdf |
This course opened for registration on July 8th 2020.
Testimonials
..."I (previously) shared my background with you about having earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts. I took several painting classes during my tenure at college. I never received this much rich information or hands-on instruction on how to mix and use watercolor in any of them!
I am learning more than I ever imagined and every weeks' lesson is more comprehensive than the last. I do not recall what rabbit trail brought me to your web site but I am very grateful and feeling very blessed it was discovered.
I am sincerely grateful to you for taking the time to make the videos too. I am going to echo what many of the students in our class have already said which is the videos are enormously helpful to understanding color mixing, techniques and tricks. Another aspect has been watching you use your brush, dipping the brush into paint and water, applying the paint, holding the brush, etc. It is another level of learning that has made the videos invaluable.
I am actually feeling more confident about watercolor painting than I have ever before! That in itself is huge!! It is reassuring to know we’ll have access to the class exercises for several months beyond July 1st." Peggy, June 2020 (after completing lesson 7)
"Jane’s online “Mastering Watercolours Course” has taught me more than I could ever have imagined or asked for. I’ve learned so much about watercolours and painting techniques and oh so much about colour mixing! The lessons and instructional videos are very detailed and she explains everything so clearly. With her support, feedback and tips, my knowledge and painting skills have greatly improved, and the Q & A section of each lesson, Jane answers any watercolour question you can think of! I’m up to Lesson 9 and have completed each lesson in a sketchbook which has become the most wonderful reference for when I paint. It’s been great to be able to work through the lessons at my own pace and connect with like-minded people from all around the world. I have thoroughly enjoyed Jane’s course and I highly recommend it! Thank you, Jane, for sharing your wealth of watercolour knowledge with me and I’m looking forward to more online classes with you." Andrea, June 2020
"Jane is an excellent teacher. She takes the time answer all questions asked or acknowledge all comments and work posted. She imparts all her knowledge in watercolour in an easily digestible format. Her videos are short and impactful. I credit doing her PDF course with improving my watercolour skills in a short space of time and now working through a second round with her action-packed video course. If you’re just starting out with watercolours or what to get back to basics, this is the course for you. You will learn everything you need to produce harmonious paintings and build “brush miles” as she always tells us." Candace, July 2020
I am learning more than I ever imagined and every weeks' lesson is more comprehensive than the last. I do not recall what rabbit trail brought me to your web site but I am very grateful and feeling very blessed it was discovered.
I am sincerely grateful to you for taking the time to make the videos too. I am going to echo what many of the students in our class have already said which is the videos are enormously helpful to understanding color mixing, techniques and tricks. Another aspect has been watching you use your brush, dipping the brush into paint and water, applying the paint, holding the brush, etc. It is another level of learning that has made the videos invaluable.
I am actually feeling more confident about watercolor painting than I have ever before! That in itself is huge!! It is reassuring to know we’ll have access to the class exercises for several months beyond July 1st." Peggy, June 2020 (after completing lesson 7)
"Jane’s online “Mastering Watercolours Course” has taught me more than I could ever have imagined or asked for. I’ve learned so much about watercolours and painting techniques and oh so much about colour mixing! The lessons and instructional videos are very detailed and she explains everything so clearly. With her support, feedback and tips, my knowledge and painting skills have greatly improved, and the Q & A section of each lesson, Jane answers any watercolour question you can think of! I’m up to Lesson 9 and have completed each lesson in a sketchbook which has become the most wonderful reference for when I paint. It’s been great to be able to work through the lessons at my own pace and connect with like-minded people from all around the world. I have thoroughly enjoyed Jane’s course and I highly recommend it! Thank you, Jane, for sharing your wealth of watercolour knowledge with me and I’m looking forward to more online classes with you." Andrea, June 2020
"Jane is an excellent teacher. She takes the time answer all questions asked or acknowledge all comments and work posted. She imparts all her knowledge in watercolour in an easily digestible format. Her videos are short and impactful. I credit doing her PDF course with improving my watercolour skills in a short space of time and now working through a second round with her action-packed video course. If you’re just starting out with watercolours or what to get back to basics, this is the course for you. You will learn everything you need to produce harmonious paintings and build “brush miles” as she always tells us." Candace, July 2020
FAQ |
Q - I wondered how long each of the videos will be each week, and if you will be demonstrating?
A - Each lesson is in many parts. I demonstrate each step with a video where ever it is necessary. I am trying to keep each video at about 5 -10 minutes so they don’t take too long to load up - speeding up parts to keep under that time rather than cutting parts out - so there are no missed steps. Where an activity is repeated, I just show a photo of the next stage. So it is as much video as is needed but not more just for the sake of it.
Q - Do you have a sample of a section of a lesson you could send so I could see what it is like?
A - At this stage I don’t have a sample lesson, but if you watch my YouTube videos you’ll see the view I am using for the filming - though my eyes. In the course, most of the videos have commentary as well as a few titles on the screen, and all instructions are also written out to help the hearing impaired or those for whom English is a second language.
Q - I wondered about your refund policy.
A - No. As the full course is available to view with the purchase of this course, I can't easily give a refund.
Q - Do we get to keep the lessons or does each week have a time limit for use?
A - You get unlimited access to the course material - there is no expiry date. However, I highly recommend you complete the course within a six month to one year period to get the accumulated benefit of the lessons.
A - Each lesson is in many parts. I demonstrate each step with a video where ever it is necessary. I am trying to keep each video at about 5 -10 minutes so they don’t take too long to load up - speeding up parts to keep under that time rather than cutting parts out - so there are no missed steps. Where an activity is repeated, I just show a photo of the next stage. So it is as much video as is needed but not more just for the sake of it.
Q - Do you have a sample of a section of a lesson you could send so I could see what it is like?
A - At this stage I don’t have a sample lesson, but if you watch my YouTube videos you’ll see the view I am using for the filming - though my eyes. In the course, most of the videos have commentary as well as a few titles on the screen, and all instructions are also written out to help the hearing impaired or those for whom English is a second language.
Q - I wondered about your refund policy.
A - No. As the full course is available to view with the purchase of this course, I can't easily give a refund.
Q - Do we get to keep the lessons or does each week have a time limit for use?
A - You get unlimited access to the course material - there is no expiry date. However, I highly recommend you complete the course within a six month to one year period to get the accumulated benefit of the lessons.
Q - Is it OK to use another brand of watercolour, apart from your recommended Daniel Smith Ultimate Mixing Set?
A - yes it is totally fine to use any artist quality brand of watercolour. However to get the colour mixes I will demonstrate and the results you will see, you need to have the same pigments or colours in the brand or brands you use. Alternative colours to my Ultimate Mixing Set are shown here.
This table may also help you to find the best match. The Daniel Smith colours are down the left. Those in bold are the most suitable. Buff Titanium is optional, Goethite is unique. Jane's Grey can be created from tube colours if you have Ultramarine and Burnt Sienna, though it works best with the DS versions. In Schminncke use French Ultramarine and Maroon Brown (which is a burnt sienna). I avoid mixing Daniel Smith and Winsor & Newton paints in the same palette as some colours react with each other.
A - yes it is totally fine to use any artist quality brand of watercolour. However to get the colour mixes I will demonstrate and the results you will see, you need to have the same pigments or colours in the brand or brands you use. Alternative colours to my Ultimate Mixing Set are shown here.
This table may also help you to find the best match. The Daniel Smith colours are down the left. Those in bold are the most suitable. Buff Titanium is optional, Goethite is unique. Jane's Grey can be created from tube colours if you have Ultramarine and Burnt Sienna, though it works best with the DS versions. In Schminncke use French Ultramarine and Maroon Brown (which is a burnt sienna). I avoid mixing Daniel Smith and Winsor & Newton paints in the same palette as some colours react with each other.
| ums_pigment_comparison.pdf |
Q - I understand your course is 12 weeks, but didn't see a beginning date on your website or in Instagram. When does it start?
A - The Pilot course opened for registration on the 8th April 2020, but the whole course is now available and you can start whenever you wish.
Q - Does the introductory lesson provide a list of supplies needed?
A - Yes, and this list is also available here. Here is the link for the PDF
A - The Pilot course opened for registration on the 8th April 2020, but the whole course is now available and you can start whenever you wish.
Q - Does the introductory lesson provide a list of supplies needed?
A - Yes, and this list is also available here. Here is the link for the PDF
Q - How do you provide instruction - is each lesson posted with a video?
A - The Ruzuku platform makes it very easy to break up the lessons into steps, with each step having a key photo or video. Each week a new lesson will appear in your mailbox, on a Wednesday. Each lesson will look much like the screenshot above, though some will have more steps and others less, depending on the complexity of the lesson. Here is lesson 1
The videos have a few helpful titles and most have commentary, but I have also provided full written instructions for every step, as some of my students are hard-of-hearing or deaf, and many speak English as a second or third language. I want the content to be as accessible as possible.
Q - Is it obligatory to post work online?
A - No. You certainly don't have to post work online, but if you do, it is only within the Ruzuku platform, and only visible to your fellow students in this run-through of the course.
Q - Do we get feedback?
A - Some, though mostly from your fellow students. I will be available to ask questions if something is not clear. You might also get comments from your fellow students.
A - The Ruzuku platform makes it very easy to break up the lessons into steps, with each step having a key photo or video. Each week a new lesson will appear in your mailbox, on a Wednesday. Each lesson will look much like the screenshot above, though some will have more steps and others less, depending on the complexity of the lesson. Here is lesson 1
The videos have a few helpful titles and most have commentary, but I have also provided full written instructions for every step, as some of my students are hard-of-hearing or deaf, and many speak English as a second or third language. I want the content to be as accessible as possible.
Q - Is it obligatory to post work online?
A - No. You certainly don't have to post work online, but if you do, it is only within the Ruzuku platform, and only visible to your fellow students in this run-through of the course.
Q - Do we get feedback?
A - Some, though mostly from your fellow students. I will be available to ask questions if something is not clear. You might also get comments from your fellow students.
This page was last updated in July 2020