In this workshop, I will share with you some really great tips, tricks and techniques I have learned along the way, either through my own experimentation or from some pretty amazing artists including Carl Purcell, Karen Frey, the late, great, Charles Reid, and John Salminen. You don’t need to be an expert for this class; I’ll show you how a lot of special effects are accomplished, and how to get those really great darks that make your paintings exceptional!No middle-value blah paintings here!

Saturday, November 2
10 – 3 pm

Instructor: Ronnie Rector
Ages: Adult (15+) / All Levels

Supply List:

Bring your own watercolor painting kit, but be sure to have the following:
•    One full sheet (22×30) of Arches 140 lb cold press, which you will tear into eight 5.5×7.5 pieces, or a watercolor sketchbook*.
•    Pen and pencil, to sketch with and take notes.
•    Watercolor** brushes: A #6 and #10 round, and a 1” flat, will be adequate. I recommend Silver’s Black Velvet brushes or Richeson’s “Quiller” 7000 series brushes as an excellent, not-too-expensive choice.
•    Watercolor paints of your choice. “Artist grade” paint, please – colors are stronger and more vivid.  My favorite colors are listed at the end of this, if you’re interested.
•    Watercolor palette. I recommend something like Cheap Joe’s Original palette or the Robert Wood palette, which both have bigger wells for your paints and large mixing areas. The tiny travel palettes are okay but bring a white plate or metal butcher’s tray (RESCO) to make good puddles of paint in.
•    Roll of 2” masking tape (NOT blue or green painter’s tape or white “artist’s” tape).
•    Wide mouth water container – the plastic “Folgers Coffee”-style tubs are great!
•    Small container of salt
•    Spray bottle for water
•    Sea sponge if you have one. If not, you can watch the demonstrated techniques and see if you like them.
•    Paper Towels (Viva are best for watercolors!)
•    Blow Dryer

*Be sure your sketchbook is made with (at a minimum) 140 lb. watercolor paper, which can hold up to applications of water and paint without shredding like sketch paper.

**Brushes used for acrylics will not provide the results you want to see when working in watercolor. 

If buying supplies at NV Fine Arts, tell them you’re taking my class and they’ll give you a 10% discount.

Questions? Send me an email!  ronnierector@yahoo.com
 

Buy what YOU like, though; don’t limit yourself to my choices!

Buy what YOU like, though; don’t limit yourself to my choices!

If you don’t already have watercolors of some sort, here’s a good place to start:

Source – Nevada Fine Arts:
1 full sheet of Arches 140 lb cold press watercolor paper (~$10)
1 size 8(ish) round watercolor paint brush – Richeson 7000 “Quiller” series (~$15)
3 tubes of Daniel Smith watercolors, a blue, a red and a yellow; each are from $9 to $12. I suggest:
Cobalt or Ultramarine Blue
Carmine or Pyrrol Red
Azo Yellow or Hansa Yellow Medium
A plastic palette with a few good sized wells ($5-$15) or butcher tray for mixing paints
And a good-sized container for water, a roll of plain ol’ masking tape, and some Viva paper towels.
Email me if you have any questions about your watercolor kit – ronnierector@yahoo.com!

This class is designed for anyone who would like to explore the medium of watercolor without the commitment.  Learn techniques such as washes, glazing, wet on wet and much more.  Find out if watercolor is for you.  The class is great for beginners who would like to experiment with watercolor techniques in an instructive setting. Open to all levels, beginners welcome.

Thursday, August 15 

10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Instructor: Iva Neveux
Ages 15 and Up / All Levels

Supply list: All materials included.

Please bring a sack lunch or snack.

Learn to paint and harmonize the figure in its natural surroundings by simplifying values, properly using warm/cool colors and the principles of light. Painting intensives are designed to offer specific instruction on a variety of techniques and painting challenges.

Students may use acrylic or oil paint. Dry media is also welcome.

Saturday and Sunday, August 17 and 18
9 am – 2 pm

Instructor: Daniel Helzer
Ages: Adult (15+) / All Levels

Suggested Supply List:

Color recommendations are as follows though all mediums are welcome for this studio class:

Titanium White

Ultramarine Blue

Cadmium Red Medium or Light

Lemon or Cadmium Yellow

Burnt Sienna

Selection of brushes

Pallet

Palette knife

Painting Board or Canvas

Container/jar water and brushes

Gamsol or Turpintine- (if using oils)

Paper towels

Sack Lunch

This class will explore a variety of exercises focusing on painting from direct observation.  Emphasis will be placed on conceptual and technical skill development through presentations, lectures, demonstrations, critiques, experiments and intensive studio practice. Students will experiment with and investigating material techniques to create paintings and combine effective compositions to further develop technical skills.

Thursday – Friday, August 1 – 2
9:00 am – noon

Instructor: Mahedi Anjuman
Ages: Adult (15+) / All Levels

Supply List:

– Artist Grade Acrylic Paint (Golden, Liquitex, or Grumbacher) (*Not Liquitex Basics) Cadmium Red, Cadmium Yellow Light, Phthalo Blue, Raw Umber, Alizerin Crimson, Titanium White, Mars Black

· Palette Sheets or Paint Pallete (optional)
· Acid Free Artist Tape ½”
· Paint Brushes: Flat, Bright and Round Sizes 2, 4, 8, 10 and 12 (not Synthetic)
· Palette Knives (Variety of Sizes)
· 5- 9 x 12” or 11 x 14” Canvases
· Elmer’s Glue-all Multi-Purpose Liquid Glue, Extra Strong
· Magazine/Newspaper for collage (optional)

Canceled: Please see Experimental Painting II if you are interested in the class.

Students will enjoy this introductory level course designed to teach basic experimental painting techniques. A variety of exercises focusing on painting from direct observation will take place during the studio sessions. Emphasis will be placed on conceptual and technical skill development through presentations, lectures, demonstrations, critiques, experiments and intensive studio practice.

Thursday – Friday, July 18 – 19
9:00 am – 2:00 pm

Instructor: Mahedi Anjuman
Ages: Adult (15+) / All Levels

Supply List:

– General’s charcoal Pencils (soft)

– Acid Free Artist Tape ½”

– Watercolor Brushes: flat 1″ and round 5 (not Synthetic)

– Canvas boards 5- 9 x 12” or 11 x 14” inch

– Water color 12 oz (12 color set)

– Clear Resin and glue

– Transparent tracing paper

-Sack lunch or snack

This three-day workshop will present lessons and demos on mountains, clouds, and sky’s that are the hallmarks of Northern Nevada.  Learn to capture the essence of the amazing mountains and cloud formations that are unique our region. Students will learn the skills to show the beauty of nature this area has to offer.

Friday- Sunday, June 21- 23
9 am – 2 pm

Instructor: Reena Spansail
Ages: Adult (15+) / All Levels

Supply List:

    -Watercolor pallet including your favorite blues
    -Watercolor brushes including a 1” OR ½” flat and a #6 OR # 8 round brushes
    -Graphite or mechanical pencil
   -Rubber eraser
   -2 plastic water containers
    -Tablet of Arches cold press 140 lb watercolor paper (9”x12” or larger)
    -Roll of paper towels
    -Sack Lunch

Join us for summer drawings in ink wash inspired by poetry. Find parallels between the black ink of the printed word, and the rich images contained inside. In this workshop we will experiment with drawing in ink wash while finding inspiration through reading poetry. No prior experience necessary, and all skill-levels welcome.

Saturday and Sunday, August 10 and 11
9 am – 2 pm

Instructor: Austin Pratt
Ages: Adult (15+) / All Levels

Supply List:

Recommended Materials:
– 2oz+ India Ink (any Higgins or Speedball brands etc)
– A set of various assortment small paint brushes
– A Sumi-Ink brush
-Some water-color paper to use (a range is best):
   – Water-color paper pads (10″ x 14″ or 9″ x 12″) (recommended 2 pads of 12 pages each)
– Newsprint pad – 9″ x 12″ or larger
– Pencil set
– Feel free to bring any old or crusty paint brushes as well! Great for experimental approaches. Even large house painting brushes!
– Sack Lunch

A Painting is a Picture That is Also A Built Object: Painted Surfaces, Supports, and Still Lives. In this three day workshop, we will be discussing the physical construction of painting supports, including how to build and stretch canvasses to make your own paintings. Considering the object of a painting much like a sculpture, we can become more aware of the formal qualities of the painting support–such as scale, size ratios, choice of fabric or panel, surface quality, and more. Finally, we will have some fun experimenting as we make some paintings on our new supports. No prior experience necessary, and all skill-levels welcome.

Monday – Wednesday, July 8 – 10
9:00 am – 2:00 pm

Instructor: Austin Pratt
Ages: Adult (15+) / All Levels

Supply List:

-Sack Lunch

-Canvas making materials will be provided. Please bring painting supplies for whatever medium you work in (oil or acrylic). Some painting materials can be provided upon request if you are new to painting or wish to experiment with new materials.