• A Bold and Energetic Start: How to begin your painting with confidence and freedom, focusing on the big shapes and movement instead of getting stuck on small details.

• Simple Colour Mixing: Easy techniques for mixing the colours you see, including how to soften bright colours to create beautiful, natural-looking tones.

• Fun with Paint & Texture: How to use the unique properties of acrylic paint to create interesting effects, from dry-brush marks to lifting wet paint to bring back highlights.

• Embracing Happy Accidents: Learn to use drips and runs to your advantage, making them a creative part of your artwork.

• Easy Mixed-Media Techniques: Simple ways to combine different materials like stencils, collage, oil pastels, and inks for depth and detail.

• Designing Your Painting: How to arrange elements to create a balanced composition, moving things around to make a better painting.

• The Layering Process: A simple "add and subtract" method of building your painting by laying down colours and refining shapes.

• Defining Flowers with Simple Shapes: Learn to see and paint the dark spaces between petals and leaves to make your flowers pop.

• Creating Form with Light and Shadow: Mix simple grey and muted tones to show which petals are in shadow, giving your flowers a realistic feel.

• Using "Character Marks": Learn easy tricks and signature marks that instantly make a flower look like a gerbera, daisy, or lily.

• Making Final Decisions: How to assess your painting and make decisive moves to bring it to a satisfying finish.

• Knowing When to Stop: How to find a "resolution" rather than perfection, leaving the painting feeling lively and complete.

Paints, Inks & Pastels

• Acrylic Paints:

  • Cadmium Yellow

  • Yellow Ochre

  • Cadmium Orange

  • Cadmium Red

  • Magenta

  • Titanium White (Fluid Acrylic is also used)

  • Ultramarine Blue

  • Hooker's Green

  • Sap Green

  • Van Dyke Brown

• High-Flow Acrylic Inks:

  • Fluorescent Red

  • Fluorescent Orange

  • Phthalo Turquoise

• Oil Pastels: Sennelier brand (recommended for good coverage), including White, Orange, Red, Crimson, Yellow, and a dark Indigo/Black.

• Indian Ink: In a small pot for drawing.

Brushes & Tools

• Brushes (Royal & Langnickel "Burgundy" set recommended):

  • Wide, flat brushes (2-inch and 1-inch, including a slanted one)

  • Smaller round and flat brushes for detail

  • A 3-inch brush for covering large areas

• Palette: Tear-off palette sheets.

• Stencils: A variety of foliage and pattern stencils.

• Adhesives: Pritt Stick (glue stick) and PVA (Wood) Glue.

• Drawing Tool: A sharpened stick or the applicator from an old ink bottle for drawing with Indian ink.

Surfaces & Supports

• Paper: Shirt Card (cardstock with a shiny side and a matte side; the shiny side is used for its manipulability).

• Easel: An adjustable, upright easel.

Collage Materials

• Papers: Torn pieces from old paintings, wrapping paper, patterned tissue paper (e.g., eucalyptus pattern), and pre-painted papers.

• Card: For dipping into paint to create specific marks.

Additional Materials

• Masking Tape

• Water Container

• Kitchen Paper / Paper Towels (white, to see colours clearly)

• Spray Bottle (for water)

Suitable for all levels - good understanding of the basic use of watercolour would be an advantage.

The course is composed of three videos, a combined total of 98 mins. Enjoy the benefit of being able to watch and follow along at your leisure for the duration of your access.