Roses! No better flower.?!... looks divine, with a scent which is redolent of mid Summer...

Its petals can be scattered into a salad, or sugared to be used on cakes.... and then there are the robin red hips late Summer/Autumn, clustered and weighty and luscious! (these can be washed well and eaten too!)

So, thinking a lot about what you might like to do next, I thought it would be fab to do a loose watercolour together? especially as it involves Rosa Rugosa or 'Beach Roses'.

We have these exquisite roses growing along the coast here in the Lowlands of Scotland, as they act as a natural wind break, and provide colour, food, and fragrance. They illustrate the beauty of nature's cycles, as they always have something to offer, from the complex bare branches of Winter, to the first Spring buds.

To celebrate the colour of the ones I know and love, I've chosen Quinacridone Lilac, but you can choose any colour you feel drawn to. We'll choose a lighter green for our background leaves and a darker hue for the foreground.

There are lots of different techniques which we'll be using subtly to bring together this very fluid and vibrant sketchbook practise, including:

Watercolour wash
Adding drops of bleach
Mark Making
Blotting
Dry Brushing
Layering

As well as practising timing... getting used to the feel of our paper, so that we can build up layers whilst still allowing the colours to merge with each other.

A crucial component for this practise is water! Gently becoming familiar with the idiosyncrasies of our choice of paint... how it reacts to water and the drop of bleach.

This is practise, so the main aim is to have fun, try to let go of any expectations, and engage your intuitive brain. It does take a leap of faith sometimes.

And what if it's not what you were hoping for? Well, nothing is ever lost. You learned something... because I truly believe there are no mistakes :O) and you can always flip the page over or tear off another sheet of paper and have even more fun doing another one!

Who is this class for?

Anyone who wants to start filling a sketchbook with techniques and projects they'd perhaps like to take further in the future
Anyone starting out with watercolour.
For someone who wants to learn about building up watercolour layers without losing the freshness.
For anyone who wants to find an achievable result, without having to create a large/whole-page painting
Anyone who likes trying a mix of techniques like paint, mark-making, using bleach etc
Finally and most importantly, building up a sketchbook habit, which carves out time for yourself.... which is uber important! :O)

Original music for this class written by Jazz The Glass:

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Fourtannergirls Buckley

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