This class is designed for anyone who would like to explore the medium of watercolor without the commitment! Experiment with techniques such as glazing, masking, wet on wet, hard edges and much more. Find out if watercolor is for you. This class is also good for beginners who would like to play with watercolor techniques in an instructive setting. No experience necessary.

Tuesday, October 5
5 – 9 pm

Instructor: Iva Neveux

Ages: 15 and up | All levels

Working in oil or acrylic paint, students will explore value divisions in landscapes and the basics of brush sketching and massing. With these skills students will learn how to relate color to value and will gain a better understanding of identifying spatial cues in a landscape. Using foundational skills students can then explore under-painting, glazing and dry-brushing techniques.

Saturday and Sunday, December 4 – 5
9 am – 2:00 pm

Instructor: Daniel Helzer
Ages: 15 and up | All Levels

Supply list:

Paint Colors:

• Cobalt Blue
• Ultramarine Blue
• Thalo Blue
• Dioxazine Purple
• Cadmium Red Light
• Cadmium Yellow or Hansa Yellow
• Burnt Sienna
• Titanium White
• Canvas Board 16×12 or smaller
• Palette Knife
• Palette
• Paper Towels
• Selection of bristle brushes (small, med and large)
• Assortment of brushes.
• Palette knife, paper towels and a few canvas boards, 8×10 or bigger.

For Oils: Gamsol, turpentine or walnut oil for use as a brush medium or cleaner.

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!

Sunday, December 12
10 am – 3 pm

Instructor: Ronnie Rector
Ages: Adult (15+) | Working knowledge of watercolor painting is recommended.

Supply list: Bring your confirmation receipt

1 or 2 artist-quality watercolors and brushes, size 8 and 6 rounds are great; a 2” or 3” Hake brush and an inexpensive rigger for masking.

Watercolor paper – 1 full 22×30” sheet of good quality watercolor paper (Arches or Fabriano), cold press

• 1 piece 16×20” foam core or other stiff board to mount paper to
• Masking tape
• Masking fluid
• Small container of salt
• Small bar of soap (hotel sized type)
• Paper towels
• Generously sized container for water
• 1 sheet graphite transfer paper
• Ball-point pen for tracing image (suggest blue or red to see where you’ve traced)
• Spray bottle for water (small Windex bottle works great)
• Blow dryer
• 1 clean baby food jar or similar small container with secure lid

Take your watercolors to the next level with this fun method of using the batik method of applying hot wax to save and build layers of color. Together, we will create a painting on rice paper, which adds an extra element of interest and texture. Instructor will guide students through the batik process, while assisting each student with color mixing, composition and values to create a focal point in their work. A fairly simple drawing will be provided by the instructor for students to use, but students are also free to bring a reference image to draw out on their own. A working knowledge of watercolor painting is preferred; this class is not for absolute beginners to the medium.

Sunday, November 14
10 am – 3 pm

Instructor: Ronnie Rector
Ages: Adult (15+) | Working knowledge of watercolor painting is recommended.

Supply list:

•  Black Micron Pen or other waterproof fine-line pen
• Watercolor brushes, flats or rounds or both, your choice. Bring your preference for working in large to small areas of a painting.
• Watercolor paints of your choice
• Watercolor palette of your choice. I recommend having a few good-sized mixing areas, but bring whatever you’re comfortable working with
• Water Container
• Roll of Paper Towel
• Masking Tape
• Sack lunch

Welcome to the world of Batik! This Bali-inspired workshop will excite you with possibility. Using materials found in your home, students will create eye-popping, colorful paintings on fabric that can be used as blankets, pillows and clothing. The instructor will guide students step-by step through this easy and accessible artform. 

Tuesday, December 7
6 – 9 pm

Instructor: Lauren Gandolfo
Ages: 15 and up | All Levels

Learn to paint the subtle hues of succulents in watercolors.  The class will emphasize shadowing and highlighting techniques to work with subjects with nearly monochromatic color that will make your painting pop!

Tuesday, February 1
Noon – 4 pm

Instructor: Carroll Charlet
Ages: Adult (15+) | Intermediate and Advanced Watercolor Students

Supply list: Show confirmation receipt at Nevada Fine Arts for a 10% discount.

Please bring any supplies you own for your specific project. A recommended basic supply list is as follows: 

Watercolors: Cobalt Blue, Phthalo Blue, Lemon Yellow, Alizarin Crimson, Magenta, Sap Green, New Gamboge, Yellow Ochre. (Cotman or Van Gogh is fine; Windsor Newton is excellent)

• Your personal watercolor pallet
• 2 HB Pencils
• Watercolor Brushes: #6 & #10 Round (Silver/Black brand is recommended and available at Nevada Fine Arts)
• Pad of Arches 140# cold press watercolor paper
• Roll of paper towels
• 2 Plastic water containers.

This intermediate level open studio class is designed for returning students and experienced students. Students should have a personal work in progress to work towards completing in this fun and social series. Each class will begin with a short lesson addressing a challenge or technique followed by open studio time to continue work on personal projects. Instructor will be on hand to assist with challenges, offer critique, instruction, and encouragement.

Tuesday, November 9 and 16
9 am – noon

Instructor: Carroll Charlet
Ages: Adult (15+) / Intermediate and Advanced Watercolor Students

Supply list: Bring a confirmation receipt to Nevada Fine Arts for a 10% discount. 

Please bring any supplies you own for your specific project. A recommended basic supply list is as follows: 

• Watercolors: Cobalt Blue, Phthalo Blue, Lemon Yellow, Alizarin Crimson, Magenta, Sap Green, New Gamboge, Yellow Ochre. (Cotman or Van Gogh is fine; Windsor Newton is excellent)
• Your personal watercolor pallet
• 2 HB Pencils
• Watercolor Brushes: #6 & #10 Round (Silver/Black brand is recommended and available at Nevada Fine Arts)
• Pad of Arches 140# cold press watercolor paper
• Roll of paper towels
• 2 Plastic water containers.

To paint the landscape well, the artist must master the various elements of it. This class will focus on the painting a variety of water, lakes, and streams – how things reflect on still surfaces as well as the many aspects of moving water. Students who have taken the Landscape Basics class will benefit, but it is not a prerequisite. Students will learn how to paint clear water, how to depict shadows across water as well as reflections. We will also be covering moving water and falling water.  Students will discover why properly painted water can add interest and drama to an otherwise ordinary scene.

Mondays, November 29 – December 20
9 am – noon

Instructor: Mike Callahan
Ages: 15 and Up | All Levels

Supply list: Show email confirmation at Nevada Fine Arts for 10% discount.  

Paint: Note: If you already have a set of oil paint with a variety of colors, you are welcome to bring it, if not you should get the following colors: M. Graham brand Zinc White (37ml), Titanium White (37ml), Hansa Yellow (37ml), Quinacridone Rose (37 ml), Phthalocyanine Blue (37 ml)

Thinner: Weber Turpenoid (pint) or similar artist’s grade odorless mineral spirits. 

Medium: M. Graham Walnut Oil (4oz), Containers: Silicoil cleaning jar or other small glass jar with sealable lid (for thinner), Small can such as olive can (for medium), Brushes: Synthetic Brights OR Filberts: Silverbrush Bristlon #2, #4, and #10 Or Connoisseur Pure Synthetic, #2, #4, and #10 Or any quality hog bristle in those sizes if the student already owns their own brushes. Painting or Palette knife (steel is preferable to plastic) Disposable Palette New Wave Disposable Palette (grey) or similar, Brush Cleaner The Masters Brush Cleaner and Preserver 2.5 ozCanvas, 4- Stretched Canvases or Canvas Panels (9”x12”, 11”x14, or 12”x16” – larger sizes than these not recommended due to time constraints), Roll of absorbent paper towels (i.e. Viva or Blue Shop Towels), Nitrile gloves.

Learn to paint the subtle hues of succulents in watercolors.  The class will emphasize shadowing and highlighting techniques to work with subjects with nearly monochromatic color that will make your painting pop!

Thursday, October 14
9 am – 1 pm

Instructor: Carroll Charlet
Ages: Adult (15+) | Intermediate and Advanced Watercolor Students

Supply list:

Please bring any supplies you own for your specific project. A recommended basic supply list is as follows: 

• Watercolors: Cobalt Blue, Phthalo Blue, Lemon Yellow, Alizarin Crimson, Magenta, Sap Green, New Gamboge, Yellow Ochre. (Cotman or Van Gogh is fine; Windsor Newton is excellent)
• Your personal watercolor pallet
• 2 HB Pencils
• Watercolor Brushes: #6 & #10 Round (Silver/Black brand is recommended and available at Nevada Fine Arts)
• Pad of Arches 140# cold press watercolor paper
• Roll of paper towels
• 2 Plastic water containers.

Join this class to learn how to paint a variety of trees in watercolor. We will briefly explore how to mix your own greens. Using wet in wet as well as wet on dry approach and lifting technique, we will focus on several different types of tries, including multiple variations of conifers and deciduous trees. We will explore painting single standing trees, trees in a group, distant trees, trees in middle ground as well as more detailed foreground trees. 100% cotton paper is highly recommended for wet in wet approach.

Monday, September 13 and 20
5 – 9 pm

Instructor: Iva Neveux
Ages: Adult (15+) | All Levels

Supply List: 

• Watercolor pallet including your preferred reds, yellows, blues including indigo and earths including burnt sienna & burnt umber
• Variety of watercolor brushes including 1” flat, #6 or # 8 round, fan and rigger brush
• Pad of Arches cold press 140 lb watercolor paper (9”x12” or larger), other 100% cotton brands will also work (Daler Rowney, Bee Paper, Winsor Newton); some student grade watercolor paper (Strathmore series 400) for charting and testing color and brush strokes
• Natural and/or synthetic sponge
• Graphite or mechanical pencil
• Kneaded eraser
• Tracing paper
• Two plastic water containers
• Spray bottle and a mister bottle
• Roll of paper towels