LESSON PLANS WINTER TERM 2023 (2nd half). Lesson 1 - Wild Watercolour, mingling pattern and subject.

We're on our half term break now, but when we return towards the end of October we'll be......

In this lesson I'm asking my students to set up a vessel of flowers and foliage on a patterned cloth. I'd like them to be loose and free with their first layer of watercolour in order to create the effect of abundant colour and pattern. Once this layer has dried they'll gradually add to their painting much of the detail they see before them, making a lovely mix of both pattern and subject.

Winter Term 2nd half 2023 – lesson 1: Wild Watercolour – letting pattern and subject mingle.

· Set your flowers/foliage before you on a patterned cloth. Maybe add a striped cloth behind or beside.

· Choose something that you’ll leave white (not too much – be editorial and choose just one or two places).

· Wet your whole page with your most massive brush except for the place you intend to leave white.

· Into this lovely wet wash, paint all the colours and shapes you see and let the paint flow. The wash really must be wet enough, or this stage will not work.

· Now let this page dry naturally for a while until the water isn’t spilling about. Finish off the drying process with the hair dryer. You could begin a second painting while you wait for the first one to dry.

· Once dry, work step by step across your page to both paint and reveal shapes and patterns. Let them all muddle in together, pattern and objects.

· You’re looking for effect rather than a slavish copy of reality. Bit by bit, work your way across your page finding details to both paint and reveal (revealing the lighter shapes).

Next lesson: Looking at a Matisse and pattern. Using colour pencils to re-create the Matisse. If you have a Matisse book, bring it – it’ll give you choice. I will bring images for those who don’t have a good Matisse book. Bring colour/watercolour pencils and sketch books.