In this class I will guide you through painting a luminous still life of glasses and reflections in watercolour, using primary colours to explore how light, value and edge create the illusion of transparency. Glass is a wonderful subject because it teaches us to look beyond “objects” and instead see simple shapes, clean silhouettes, and the beautiful way colour travels through them.

We will work with just red, yellow and blue, so you can clearly see how light moves through colour, bounces inside the glass, and spills into tinted shadows and glowing reflections. The glasses may look complex at first, but they are really just simple cylinders with readable shapes. The magic comes from the interaction between colour, value, and edge, and from allowing the paper to shine through.

Throughout the class we will use calm glazing, selective lifting and plenty of clean white paper for sparkle. Warm and cool notes will meet where the glasses overlap, and a few crisp highlights will carry the focal points. You can paint all three glasses or just one, the lesson works beautifully either way.

In this class you will learn:

Ways to paint glass convincingly using value, edge and subtle temperature shifts
The expressive potential of primary colours for creating luminous, harmonious mixtures
A simple approach to seeing glasses as clear cylinders and readable silhouettes
Techniques for handling overlapping shadows and reflections with clarity and ease
The role of glazing and lifting in suggesting transparency, sparkle and internal light
How spacious, fresh washes allow the paper to glow through and keep the painting full of light

This class is perfect for anyone who wants to improve their understanding of light, colour interaction and transparent form in watercolour. Whether you paint one glass or the full arrangement, you will come away with practical lessons that apply far beyond still life.

Join me and let us turn a few simple glasses into a beautiful study of colour, light and reflection.

Thank you so much for your interest in this class!

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Try this class to explore your creativity...

I’ve been painting for many years now, taken part in many exhibitions around the world and won awards from well respected organisations. As well as having my work feature in art magazines. After having success selling my originals and 1000s of prints around the world, I decided to start traveling with my brushes and paintings. My style is modern and attempts to grasp the essence of what I’m painting whilst allowing freedom and expression to come through. I simplify complicated subjects into easier shapes that encourages playfulness.

You'll Learn:

What materials and equipment to need to painting along
Basic technique to complete your first painting
How to avoid common mistakes
Choosing the right colours for your painting
How to blend colours and create textures for different effects
Making corrections and improvements
Finishing touches that make a big difference

When enrolled, I’ll include my complete ‘Watercolour Mixing Charts’. These are a huge aid for beginners and experts alike. They show what every colour on the palette looks like when mixed with each other. Indispensable when it comes to choosing which colour to mix.

Don’t forget to follow me on Skillshare. Click the “follow” button and you’ll be the first to know as soon as I launch a new course or have a big announcement to share with my students.

Additional Resources:

Here are the art supplies I recommend
Follow me on Instagram
Check out my website

Music by Audionautix.com

Mad Smiddy

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