Syllabus for Landscape Features in Watercolor: Mountains and Rocks

Day 1: Rocks

1. It would be good to get our minds first on where rocks have a place in our landscape paintings. Discuss situations where we might find ourselves painting rocks!

2. How to paint the largely neutral colors of rocks? A brief color mixing demo and exercise.

3. Today's painting: In this email I am providing two photographs to choose from, Double Arch from Arches National Park and El Capitan from Yosemite National Park. These represent examples of situations where a big rock is the main subject of a painting, and also have interesting shadows and textures. The also represent a small part of the diversity of rock color, shape, and texture you may encounter in nature. Choose which one you want to work in class, or work both at the same time if you desire! I will demo one or both of these paintings as time permits.

4. Homework assignment: Collect one or more interesting rocks and set it up as a still life subject at home to paint on your own. I will provide tips for doing this.

Day 2: Mountains

1. Review homework and last class's paintings.

2. Discussion about mountains in your landscape and considerations when painting them.

3. Today's painting: I will send you another email (between the first and second class) of two photos to choose from, or you may bring your own mountain scene. We will work through the paintings with demos and self-work as we did the first class.