In this class you will learn how to start seeing the structure and forms within landscapes, specifically ROCKS. I explain how you can easily approach drawing and painting rocks with various mediums such as pencil, digital paint, watercolor and gouache. We will cover everything from pebbles and boulders to larger coastal cliffs and mountains.

Rocks are the foundations of our landscapes, on which everything else is built and grows. They often appear in landscapes as “supporting elements” but they can also be the focus!

Classes In This Series

Everything I show you is how I learn and do my own art.
Example of my own paintings with rocks:

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Class Structure

Introduction

What is this class about and what will you learn?

Start Small and Simple: Pebbles

Showing you some quick easy ways to get those lovely little rock details in your landscapes

Find the underlying structure: Boulders

How to find the underlying structure (or design your own) to simplify what you are seeing. This is a repeatable strategy that I use all the time! We use boulders as an example.

Build up the complexity: Coastal

How I break down complicated references, using a coastal cliff wall as an example

Go Big! Mountains

An introduction to the basic forms of mountains. After this you can draw simplified mountains and begin practicing adding detail. A full mountain tutorial is forthcoming!

Adding Texture and Plants

"Growies" as I call them are one of my favorite ways to make rocks more interesting!

Color - Digital, Watercolor and Gouache

A "crash course" in color
Digital painting Demo
Watercolor Demo
Gouache Demo

Bonus: Digital Painting Advice

Here I show you how digital color studies help me learn.

Class Project

Class project description

My Teaching Style

My goal as a teacher is for students to take away a deeper understanding of the topic rather than just copying what they see. I always try to give repeatable strategies that are easy to remember. That way, students can go off on their own and find success within their own practice.

As this is my first class on skillshare, I welcome feedback because I’m always looking for ways to improve my instruction!

I began landscape painting in 2015, and since then it has become my career! I am a full time independent artist, nature lover, and online teacher.

I’ve been teaching monthly watercolor and gouache tutorials called "Paintalongs" on Twitch and Youtube for over four years, and I enjoy open communication with my students.

Examples of some past paintalong results:

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More info and tutorials can be found on my website.

Beginner’s Tutorial Launch Schedule

A Beginner's Guide to Drawing and Painting Rocks
(MAY 1 2020)
A Beginner's Guide to Drawing and Painting Trees
(JUNE 1 2020)
A Beginner's Guide to Drawing and Painting Skies & Clouds
(July 1)
A Beginner's Guide to Drawing and Painting Water & Reflections
(August 1)

Cathy Powell Williams

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