In this class I will guide you through painting a wild horse in quiet wetlands, a subject that teaches restraint, clear silhouettes, and the poetry of reflection. Rather than chasing lots of detail, we will build the painting with a few well chosen decisions, using simple values, soft gradations, and a limited palette to create a feeling of presence and stillness.

We will work with a harmonious palette of earth colours and blue greens, letting gentle shifts of temperature turn the horse’s form, warm across the back and cooler into the shaded belly. The horizon will stay soft and understated, and the water will remain broad and calm so the reflection can carry the design. A few decisive darks will anchor the legs and head, while saved white paper keeps the light crisp and believable.

Even if you simply watch, the process is revealing, you will see how few marks, placed with intention, can build a complete image.

In this class you will learn:

How to create a strong silhouette that reads clearly with minimal detail
How to use a limited palette for high harmony and calm mood
How to model form with soft gradations and warm–cool shifts
How to paint reflections that mirror the main shapes but stay slightly softened
How to use reserved paper and a few decisive darks to anchor the focal points
How to add small touches like ripples and a whisper of reeds without clutter

You can keep the painting very minimal or push it further, the composition holds either way. The aim is balance, breath, and a quiet sense of light moving through water.

Grab your brushes and join me, and let us paint a scene that feels simple, spacious, and full of presence.

Grab your brushes and join me, and let us paint a scene that feels simple, spacious, and full of presence.

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

Jen Smith

Carry On & Paint Anyway

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