Canadian Reflections in Watercolour for Beginners

Welcome to this watercolour class painting "Canadian Reflections". In this class Bev will be demonstrating step-by-step watercolour techniques to create this beautiful painting of our Northern Canadian scene. Composition will be briefly explained and students are able to see a sneak preview of the lectures to follow.

Print off the PDF on this lecture. You will find five sheets with the first 4 pages with workshop instructions and the supply list needed for this class. The fifth sheet will have the image outlined which Bev will explain how to transfer onto your watercolour paper.in the next lecture.

Gather your supplies and lets get started!

You will find a transfer sheet with the outline for this painting at the end of this instructional guide. Tape the computer sheet to a window or light box so that the BACKSIDE can be traced with a lead pencil. Once finished, flip the transfer paper to the front side and tape to the watercolour paper. Use a pen and go over again all the lines. The pressure of the pen will transfer the lead onto your watercolour paper. Remove the transfer paper and now re-draw some of the loon so that you know its features with a mechanical pencil.

Use a kneaded eraser and dab any excel lead off the watercolour paper. (if the loose lead is left on, smudges will occur when you wet the paper)

What is masking fluid (or frisket)? Masking fluid is latex-rubber fluid that is applied to your your watercolour paper, will work as a resistant, preserving the white paper or wash underneath.

Poor masking fluid in a plastic spoon. Dip your toothpick and apply to the white areas of the loon.

In this lecture, we will paint this vibrant background by using only two colours 'Yellow ochre' and 'Viridian green' by using a 'wet' wash over 'wet' paper!

I always enjoy painting trees! You never know what your final outcome will be. We will use a dark value of Burnt umber and Viridian green to make these wonderful trees!

Bev will demonstrate how to paint reflections of this Canadian lake scene.

Bev will demonstrate how easy it is to lift the paint off the watercolour paper. Just by lifting, mist suddenly appears!

Adding a small amount of shadows on the loon, will make the whites stand out and create dimension.

We are almost done our painting! Our loon is painted a bluish-black and suddenly it magically appears in our painting.

Take a look at your painting from a distance. Ask yourself these questions:

• Does your painting need more reflections?
• Is your loon dark enough?
• Do you need to paint the movement of the water around the loon

Hope that you enjoy painting 'Canadian Reflections'. In this class you reviewed how to transfer an image, wet on wet techniques to create a vibrant background, wet on dry painting the trees and loon.

We all have original paintings! Smile, you did GREAT!