Ron Mulvey's Watercolor Essentials
Realistic watercolor techniques for absolute beginners.
COURSE DETAILS:
LEARN HOW TO CREATE EXPRESSIVE, REALISTIC WATERCOLORS
You've dabbled with painting. And maybe bought a few books or watched a few YouTube tutorials. But this course is going to change your technique and help you create paintings like never before.
I'm Ron Mulvey and I'm happy you have a desire to paint. In my 30 years of painting, I've discovered that 90% of professional watercolor painters use three simple techniques: The No Drips, No Slips; The California Style, and The Ink and Wash.
This course teaches you these three techniques, plus spills a lot more secrets and tips along the way.
By the end of this course, you'll be able to:
From painting rocks and skies to selecting the right materials, you'll discover a complete set of techniques to guide you in the studio and field.
For example, here are a few paintings of mine below. I'll explain step-by-step how to create works like these. In the video lessons, I demonstrate the exact techniques I used and teach you timeless principles that you can easily apply to your own painting.
MY ART STORY
I've taught thousands of students in hundreds of classrooms. I'm the author and creator of the Artabet: The First Steps in Drawing and a top-rated Skillshare teacher with a 100% positive teacher rating from over a thousand students.
Many years ago, I left my parent's house, hitchhiked from Ottawa to the coast of British Columbia, and began my journey as a professional artist. I painted rocks. I studied light in the rain. I read the books of the ancient masters, took art classes, discovered modern mentors, and painted, painted, painted.
In this course, I'm going to share what I've learned from a life of painting. Lessons from painting in the field. In the studio. Painting in my spare moments, with four young children tugging at my sleeve.
Below, is a photo of my property. We live on fifty acres. The river below runs through our property and I'll take you down there to paint in this course. This is my backyard and greatest inspiration.
WHO IS THIS COURSE FOR?
This course is for people with a desire to create and get better at their art. If you've never picked up a brush, that's okay. I'll start from the beginning. If you're looking to master painting, there are lots of advanced studio techniques along the way.
This course starts right at the beginning. You don't need any prior experience.
If you're a master painter, this course might be a bit slow for you. We go step-by-step, learning each technique and building on knowledge with each new lesson.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
Learning how to paint watercolors is a lot of work. But we're going to build everything step-by-step. I've taught in hundreds of classrooms. You'll see. It won't be hard to follow me.
I'm going to show you how to make water appear shimmering and wet.
I'm going to show you why your skies look lifeless and how to make them shine.
You'll learn new techniques and instantly apply them in the class, making them a part of your permanent toolbox.
By the end, you'll be able to add emotion and movement into your watercolor paintings. I'll explain the art history of these techniques along the way.
Finally, you'll have a lot of fun. We'll hear some classical music, learn some new things, and create, create, create.
LESSON PLAN:
01 | INTRODUCTION
We begin in my home studio. You'll meet me and I'll give an overview of what we'll cover.
02 | THE CALIFORNIA STYLE
We begin with the fantastically simple California Style, an amazing technique used by professional watercolor artists to bring depth, expression, and nuance to your watercolor paintings. Whether you've had artistic training or not, you'll start relaxing and watching your paintings come to life with this time-tested technique.
03 | THE WATERCOLOR PROCESS
Watch over my shoulder in the studio. You've never had a professional painter slow things down like this before. You'll learn the secret of watercolor painting: control the water and find the perfect balance of color and movement.
04 | INTO PRACTICE
It's not about theory. We want to create! You'll apply the California Style with me guiding you. The rest of this section shows you the exact elements to create your first watercolor.
05 | HOW TO PAINT REFLECTIONS
Water and sky, the twin inspirations of landscape painters. I'll show you what I've mastered from 30 years of studying light and water. These are the same techniques used by the old masters and modern geniuses of the form.
06 | THE COLOR SECRETS OF PICASSO
The mysterious master could move you to disgust or tears with a few strokes of colors. You'll see the underlying rules governing his work. Once you see the laws Picasso uncovered, you'll forever know how to use contrast to give depth and emotion to your work.
07 | THE WASH TECHNIQUE
This simple technique is essential for any painter. I'll demonstrate the technique. And then we'll create together with a project from start-to-finish.
08 | FINISH AND MASTER
Those who finish, master. The last chapter of this course is all projects. We'll apply what we've learned and paint together. Put on a cup of tea, shut off the phone, and join me in the studio.
09 | OFFICE HOURS
Once per week, I'm here to answer questions and will give you a personal critique of your work.
See you in class!
STUDENT REVIEWS
Ron Mulvey
Materials You'll Need
FREE PREVIEWThe No Drip, No Slip Technique
Technique Demonstration
Start Your Project
Finish Your Project
Materials You'll Need
Getting Your Paper Ready
Technique Demonstration
Master the Wet Lifting Technique
Advanced Technique Demonstration - Part 1
Advanced Technique Demonstration - Part 2
Copy of Advanced Technique Demonstration - Part 1
Introduction to the Ink and Wash Technique
20 Minute Practice Round
Introduction to Painting Reflections
Materials You'll Need for Painting Reflections
Start With a Drawing
Start Your Project
Complete Your Project
Intro to Spring Watercolor Painting
Materials You'll Need for Spring Watercolors
Warm-up and Technique Demonstration
Applying Paint and Bold Colors
Finishing Our Painting
Acrylic Painting Tips
Lessons From the Field
Introduction to Picasso's Color Secrets
Picasso's Color Method
Why Grey Makes Pure Colors Sing
Fixing Mistakes With a Razor
The Lay-in Technique
The Secrets of Pure Colors
How to Paint Red Like Picasso—Gradation and Color Theory
Finishing Techniques