Beginner | 2 hours 13 min
Taught by Yao Cheng
Learn the fundamentals of playing and exploring with watercolors from acclaimed artist Yao Cheng. Yao shares her process of selecting the proper paints and brushes to get started and teaches how to blend colors to create a unique palette. The essential information provided in this class will help you learn how to apply watercolor to different surfaces and create basic shapes using fun, easy techniques.
Learn how to:
  • Control the opacity of the paint
  • Blend colors to create a palette
  • Blend colors on the paper
  • Use various techniques, such as pulling and dipping
  • Paint basic shapes

Chapters
Part 1: Supplies and Basic Techniques
00:58
04:32
Painting Basics
17:57
09:54
06:13
Painting Shapes
12:28
07:43
07:59
Materials
Here’s what you’ll need:
  • Watercolor (Yao recommends beginning with Winsor Newton watercolor tubes in the following colors: lemon, yellow deep, yellow ochre, brown ochre, orange-red shade, scarlet lake, opera rose, permanent sap green, cobalt turquoise, manganese blue hue, Prussian Blue, ultra-marine violet, Ivory-Black)
  • Watercolor paper (Yao recommends Arches cold-press watercolor block)
  • Bone folder, craft knife, or ruler to separate watercolor paper pages
  • Paint palette
  • White and gold gouache
  • Variety of paint brushes (Yao recommends: Round tip – size 6, 14 and 20; Mop brush – 16mm; Small angle brush – 10mm; Flat brush – ¼” and ¾”; Round oval brush – ¾”)
  • Water for dipping brushes (one for cool colors and one for warm colors)
  • Spray bottle
  • Paper towels
  • Color reference photo to create color palette (see PDF download)
Downloads:
Discussion
Notes
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Transcript
Beginning Watercolor
Now Playing
Part 1:
Beginning Watercolor: Supplies and Basic Techniques
Yao Cheng
Learn the fundamentals of playing and exploring with watercolors from acclaimed artist Yao Cheng. Yao shares her process of selecting the proper paints and brushes to get started and teaches how to blend colors to create a unique palette. The essential information provided in this class will help you learn how to apply watercolor to different surfaces and create basic shapes using fun, easy techniques.
Part 2:
Beginning Watercolor: Mark-Making and Expressive Brush Strokes
Yao Cheng
Now that you’ve had a chance to play with color and basic techniques, you’re ready to get to know your paintbrushes. This class is all about exploring the effects you can achieve with different brushes and strokes. To practice these techniques, Yao will show you several ways to paint trees and leaves, and at the end she’ll show you how to paint simple wreaths full of greenery.
Class Discussion
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