Colorful Fall Vegetables in Botanical Watercolor

Class Overview: 

Golden and purple beets, white turnips with violet tops, multicolored squash and gourds, rainbow carrots — the produce of fall offers an array of color. Choose one item or several as your subject. Join botanical artist Jane Hancock to study how light falls on vegetables to reveal their round or cylindrical forms, and examine their colors: earthy and subtle, or bright and clear? In this class, explore how you can render those forms and approximate that range of colors by using botanical techniques of layering washes and moist- and dry-brush paint application.

Classes will include demonstrations, exercises, group tutorials and individual coaching to help you develop your skills.

In this class you will:

• Work from your specimens and photos to develop a composition and contour drawing in graphite.
• Transfer your drawing to watercolor paper.
• Develop the forms and blend the colors of your subject using transparent layers of watercolor.
• Enhance value contrast, color depth and detail using moist and dry brush techniques.

Instructor: 

Jane Hancock took her first botanical art class on a whim, and gradually became hooked on the challenge and rewards of the art form. She has a background in art history and for many years taught evening art history classes at the University of Minnesota. Visiting art museums is still one of her favorite activities.  She exhibits in local and national exhibits of botanical art. The challenge of rendering plant forms accurately and beautifully is fascinating and endless.

Supplies - Each student is expected to bring their own supplies. 

Preferred Materials List - If you already have watercolors, bring them and we will try to make them work.

Watercolors:  Daniel Smith brand

• Lemon Yellow (cool)
• New Gamboge (warm yellow)
• Ultramarine Blue (cool)
• Cerulean Blue – NOT Cerulean Blue Chromium (warm)
• Permanent Alizarin Crimson (cool)
• Cadmium Red Medium Hue (warm)

Please Note: The Daniel Smith brand colors that have "hue" at the end of their name do not use cadmium, they just match the cadmium colors:  https://danielsmith.com/product-updates/whats-special-about-cadmium-with-cadmium-hues/ . 

Brushes:     

• Sable: Winsor Newton Series 7, round,  size 2 or 3
  OR
• Synthetic: Raphael Stradivarius Synthetic Sable, round, size 2 or 3 
  OR

• Synthetic: Princeton Velvet Touch, round, Size 3 or 4  

• An old/inexpensive brush for mixing colors, for example, Princeton Velvet Touch, Flat Shader, Size 10 works well

 Papers: 

• Smooth drawing paper, 9" x 12”
• Tracing paper
• A quarter of a 22" x 30” 140 lb. hot-press sheet of Arches watercolor paper (Note: Individually sold sheets of this paper are recommended as they have a better surface than those sold in pads or blocs). We will not use cold-press paper.
• Scrap hot-press watercolor paper (can cut parts from extra sheet quarters) for testing colors and practicing brush strokes. You can cut strips from extra sheet quarters.

Other:        

• A few pencils: (for example 2H, HB, 2B)
• Clean kneaded eraser and white plastic eraser
• Small clear plastic ruler or dividers for measuring
• Small white plastic palette with plastic lid for washes, 10 wells
• Flat white ceramic palette such as a small dinner plate or appetizer plate.
• Zip bags to protect ceramic palette(s)
• Artist’s low-tack tape
• Paper Towels (Viva is best)
• 2 small containers for water (single serve yogurt containers work)