For your class project, you'll learn to let go with loose watercolor florals.

We'll start with a series of exercises to practice the fundamentals combined with self-care strategies to let go of tension and perfectionism in your art. You'll practice:

Letting go of expectations by creating an ugly painting
Deep breathing while learning water control and paint consistency
Relaxing body tension as you play with brush strokes and florals shapes
Changing your narrative while painting one flower three different ways

For the final project, you'll apply everything we've practiced into a final floral composition. The main steps in your project are:

Choosing a reference and learning how to use it
Painting with loose layers to build up dimension slowly
Selecting the placement of focal florals in your composition
Filling in empty white space as you add in filler florals
Adding contrast to the painting with foliage, centers and stems in complimentary colors
Creating depth by adding shadow and texture
Creating a sense of whimsy by adding splatter

In your final project, I will be looking for the following things:

Completion of the project. I will not be looking for perfection or you painting in a certain way. That is not the point of this class!
I want to hear about how you let go of perfectionism during the process and ways you were able to relax and enjoy your painting. Tell me your story!

I chose this project for the following reasons:

Loose florals help you loosen up and let go, utilizing larger brushes and brush strokes
This type of composition will help you slow down as you think about the movement of the brush
Learning watercolor skills encourages a sense of competency, which will lessen your anxiety

Materials you will need:

I have provided a reference photo below for you to use if you would like. It will help with placement and your overall composition.

Watercolor paint (either tubes or a ready-made palette)
Watercolor paper (can be either professional cotton paper or a student-grade pulp paper specifically made to hold all that water)
2 water cups
Large and small round paint brushes (I use round brushes in sizes #2, #8, and #16 but use whatever you have)
Paper towel or napkin for dabbing
Reference photo, book, or print out my available reference photo
Black pen

I encourage you to complete the practice exercises and post your progress to document your journey taking this class. When you are ready to share your final piece, please upload it to the Project Gallery to share with others, get feedback, and be a part of our community. You can even share your practice exercises if you would like. If you share it on social media, please tag me at #tammykayeart, so I can also see it!

If you want to connect with me:

You can check out my Skillshare profile here.
Patreon membership
Or see other resources and information on my website.
Or follow me on Instagram to keep up with my artwork
Or join my 2025 art retreat in Italy

Can't wait to see your final pieces and hear about your experience!

Courtney Van Lengen

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