The Café will be closed for remodel from Aug 12 through Sept 5, 2024. | Due to construction, Museum parking may be limited at the time of your visit. Look for additional parking in free or metered spaces along nearby streets.

Watercolor: Open Studio

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. 

Thursdays, September 5 – 26
1 – 4 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

Painting Techniques: The Still Life in Oil

Employing the techniques and style of the Dutch Masters, both beginning and more advanced oil painting students will enjoy learning how to set up a still life, develop a concept and composition and will learn how to take a still life painting from start to finish.  Students will explore oil painting techniques, including brushwork, value and color. Referencing the work of Vermeer and  Rembrandt students will work to develop skilled painting of textures and surfaces while exploring use of light, shape and form.

Friday- Sunday, September 27 – 29
9 am – 4 pm

Instructor: Dee Kirkham
Ages: Adults (15+) / All levels

Supply list: 

Suggested place for purchasing supplies:
Nevada Art Supply, Reno, NV
ASWExpress – http:www.aswexpress.com – I have found them to have the best prices & reliable for quick turnaround of shipping.

Oil Paints (Rembrandt, Windsor Newton Oil (not student grade), Old Holland or Vasari Paints (800-932-9375)

Naples Yellow Light

Yellow Ochre

Cadmium Yellow Light or Lemon

Cadmium Yellow Deep

Cadmium Orange

Cadmium Red Light

Alizarin Crimson

Ultramarine Blue

Burnt Umber

Raw Umber (prefer Windsor Newton)

Ivory Black

Transparent Oxide Red

Titanium White (M Graham Alkyd Formulation – but any Titanium White will be fine)

Brushes

Rosemary Brushes or Robert Simmons Signet Bristle Brushes or Silver Grand Prix

Sizes:  3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12

Watercolor Nylon Brush or a very soft brush for smoothing – 1” to 2”

Preferred Medium

Prefer to not use turpentine – I will explain this and show you how to paint without it and how to clean your brushes.

Gamblin Liquin

Maroger Flemish Medium – can be ordered at Old Masters Maroger

http://www.oldmastersmaroger.com – 505-758-2382.  I will have several tubes for sale.

Preferred Surfaces – Smooth

Ampersand – The Artist Panel for oil & Acrylics, Smooth Finish, or canvas

Inner Glow Panels – http://www.billewing.com/panels.htm (877-430-3639)

These boards provide for a smooth surface giving the effect of the Old Dutch Masters style

Canvas Boards, if used should be Belgian Linen Portrait quality.  I recommend Raphael Premium Archival Oil Primed Linen Panels which you can order from Jerry’s Artarama. 

Bring any sizes you prefer – Suggested sizes 89×12, 11×14, 12×16

Palette

Plexiglas or glass palette is the best for seeing your color and cleaning.  The simplest is to buy a cheap frame with glass, 12×16 or 16×20, and use the glass for your palette.

Palette Knife 

Any size will be fine, short blade and a long pliable blade preferred.

Easel

Please bring you own easel setup or easels are available.   If you prefer to sit when you paint, a table top easel will be fine. 

Suggestions:

Artwork Essentials – http://www.artworkessentials.com  – have several sizes of easels that are lightweight, easy to transport and very compact with tripod and accessories.  I will be using one at the workshop.

Paper Towels – Bounty (seem to be the best for not leaving residue on your brushes or painting).

If you prefer not to buy extra supplies from this list, please just bring what you have.  I know art can get expensive.  I will be happy to share what I have with you and this will give an opportunity to try it before you buy.

Still Life Setups

You will be painting your own personal still life setup.  If you have any special vases, flowers, fruit, vegetable or items that you would like to possible put in your painting, please feel free to bring them.  I will be bringing a lot of items for you to choose from also. Also bring a small & large box (flatl) and a dark colored cloth (2 yards minimum) preferably dark green, black or a neutral color.

Watercolor Techniques: Batik Method on Rice Paper

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, October, 20 / 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
• Lots of newspapers – will need at least 3 dozen sheets per artist, so if you have a pile, please bring them
• Sack lunch

Watercolor: Tips, Tricks and Techniques

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

 

 

 

Paint Colors I Use Often

When Mixed Together

Ultramarine Blue

Warm Darks

Burnt Sienna

Permanent Alizarin Crimson

Cool Darks

Phthalo Green

Cadmium Yellow Orange

Pretty Gray

Cobalt

Yellow Ochre

Flesh Tones

Scarlet Lake

Azo Yellow

Flesh Tones

Opera

Quinacridone Gold

 

Olive Green

 

Sap Green

 

 

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!

Introduction to Watercolors

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.

Painting the Nude Figure

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

Beginning Watercolor: Summer Watermelons

Capture the beauty of summer watermelons.  Using the techniques of wet on wet watercolors, students will  learn to create pictures and cards using a loose and expressive approach.  This class is open to all levels.

Thursday, August 29
10:00 am  – 2:00 pm

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

Supplies:

 

Watercolor pallet including your favorite reds, yellows and blues 
Watercolor brushes including a 1” flat and a #6 OR # 8 round brushes
Graphite or mechanical pencil

Kneaded eraser

Tracing paper
2 plastic water containers
Pad of Arches cold press 140 lb watercolor paper (9”x12” or larger) 
Roll of paper towels

 

Beginning Watercolor: Summer Watermelons

Capture the beauty of summer watermelons.  Using the techniques of wet on wet watercolors, students will  learn to create pictures and cards using a loose and expressive approach.  This class is open to all levels.

Tuesday, August 13
5 – 9 pm

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

Supplies: Basic watercolor set (paint and brush)

Experimental Painting II

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)

 

Experimental Painting I

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