In this class, we will focus on one of the most essential watercolor techniques called NEGATIVE PAINTING. Negative Painting is a unique approach that involves painting around and in between various objects, revealing lighter shapes with our paintbrush. It is particularly important for watercolor artists as it allows us to create intricate light details that would otherwise be impossible to capture on dark backgrounds with this transparent medium.

We will start the class class by learning the fundamentals of Negative Painting technique and reviewing 3 unique Case Studies where Negative Painting will help you overcome common watercolor challenges, including:

creating a sense of 3-dimentional form on paper,
creating intricate light details {e.g.: leaf veins, bird feathers and tiny highlights}, and
creating beautiful watercolor backgrounds.

We will then practice and master 2 of these scenarios by painting a tropical plant with very intricate veins with a tiny lady bug with highlights - all using Negative Painting technique.

This class will cover:

What materials you will need, including my preferred brands and alternatives
How to use Negative Painting to: 1) Paint intricate leaf veins with confidence, creating natural organic texture and 2) Paint 3-dimentional highlights - without having to rely on gouache or white paint
How to plan and apply layers of color to create the most realistic light & shadow transitions
How to tackle leaf and flower stems
As a bonus, I’ll take you through the process of mixing natural looking greens using a limited palette - without having to overspend on new watercolor pigments!
In addition, we will get a chance to practice glazing technique. Although optional, this final lesson will give you new skills for playing with color temperature and capturing natural light with watercolors
Lastly, I’ll show you how I fix watercolor mistakes using lifting technique.

This class is suitable for serious beginners and intermediate artists who want to level up their skills with more advanced watercolor techniques.

Agata Dabkowska

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