Why take this class: In this class, you’ll paint a family of polar bears beneath a glowing Arctic sky, using expressive and atmospheric watercolour techniques.

We’ll begin with a loose wet-on-wet sky to create a soft aurora effect, adding texture with salt to suggest movement and sparkle. Then we’ll build the bears in layers, carefully developing tonal values to create form, light and shadow while keeping the painting fresh and luminous.

You’ll learn how to paint white subjects without losing depth, how to blend and soften edges for a natural look, and how to use lifting techniques to preserve highlights. By the end, you’ll have a finished Arctic wildlife scene full of softness, contrast and mood.

Key Techniques You’ll Learn:

Composition and drawing for wildlife scenes
Wet-on-wet sky painting
Creating aurora effects with blended colour
Salt technique for texture
Building form using tonal values
Wet-on-wet vs wet-on-dry layering
Blending and softening edges
Lifting paint with a magic sponge
Painting convincing snow and shadows

You're going to love creating these lovely polar bears. This watercolour painting course is packed with exciting ideas and techniques. I will show you exactly how to paint these wonders of nature from start to finish - you’ll get a real glimpse of what goes into my painting as you work alongside of me up-close and personal. I will remove the mystery of watercolour and show you how to discover new ways to unleash your creativity as you join me on this inspirational journey of start-to-finish demonstrations and techniques. As the video unfolds, you will see how colours work together, how to step into impressionism and push colour to capture the mood and essence of your subject. This class will inspire you to use watercolour in a range of different ways. Best of all, you’ll gain a real sense of accomplishment by creating your own beautiful, evocative Polar Bears painting.

Is this class for me? Absolutely, 100% yes! All are welcome. If you are a complete beginner, then this course is for you. There are also techniques and ideas for those who already have some experience but want to loosen up a bit, become more expressive, and enhance their watercolour skills. You don't need to know how to draw, as I provide a template of the drawing for you to download and trace - so you can just concentrate on the fun of painting.

What will we explore? This course is packed with:

* Start-to-finish demonstrations so you can see first-hand how to build up the painting every step of the way I have verbally explained the entire process in a friendly and easy-to-understand manner.

* Step-by-step guidance and best practice for a range of creative watercolour techniques - I'll be guiding you gently through the whole thing (eg, simplify a subject, add shadows, wet-on-wet, wet-on-dry, layering colour, blending and softening, adding depth and contrast with tonal values, to name but a few!)

* Some of my favourite studio tips and tricks for successful working practices and saving time (eg, use magic sponge to lift colour, use salt to create snowflakes, avoid washed out paintings)

* You will be ‘learning by 'doing' rather than by lecture (you can paint right alongside me, up close and personal)

What do I need? A selection of watercolour paints (at least one red, blue and yellow): a few watercolour brushes, paper, palette, water sprayer, paper towel, pencil, rubber, water pot - you'll probably already have some of these items in a cupboard somewhere.

Alright, let's do it! Come join me for a fun, creative class! Let's get going. Just follow the video boldly along, and you’ll soon have the knowledge and confidence to produce your very own gorgeous Polar Bears painting that zings with colour and energy.

I can't wait to see what you create!

My Artwork: I’ve been teaching people how to paint with watercolour for many years - you can see more examples of my artwork on my website: http://www.carriemckenzieart.co.uk

Tanya Mauldin

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