Watercolor Painting — Loose, Honest, and Joyful

About this course

Most adults gave up on watercolor as kids because no one taught them how the water actually works. The water is the painter; you guide it. Six sessions cover paper, pigment, the wash, simple landscapes from photos, urban sketching at a Cairo or Riyadh cafe, and how to know when a painting is done (the hardest part). Loose is the goal — tight watercolor is dead watercolor. Bring a beat-up sketchbook and the smallest set of colors you have.

What you'll cover

• 1

  Materials and the truth about cheap supplies

  Paper matters more than paint. The 5 colors you actually need. Brush care.

• 2

  Wet-on-wet, wet-on-dry, and what makes watercolor watercolor

  The two foundational techniques. Why other media don't do this. The blooms you'll learn to love.

• 3

  Color mixing and the limited palette

  Three colors, infinite mixes. Avoiding mud. The warm-cool axis.

• 4

  Simple landscapes from photos

  Sky first. Reduce, don't replicate. The 30-minute landscape that looks finished.

• 5

  Urban sketching — life from a cafe table

  Pen line first, color over. People as shapes. Capturing a moment in 15 minutes.

• 6

  Knowing when to stop

  Overworking is the only true mistake. The 80% rule. Critique session — friendly, honest.

Skills you'll build

• watercolor
• painting
• wet-on-wet
• color mixing
• urban sketching
• landscape
• fine art
• sketchbook