News

Registration for watercolour at the Surrey Art Gallery in Bear Creek Park will start on November 30th,2009. Cost for this beginner/intermediate level course is 115.00 for 8 classes. Classes are on Tuesday evenings from 7pm to 9:30pm, Janurary 12th to March 2nd, 2010. One can register online or phone 604-501-5566.

We will cover a variety of subject matter and different techniques for painting such as wet into wet, glazing, drybrush, wet on dry, textural effects and negative painting.

SUPPLIES: Opus Framing and Art Supplies is a very good supply source- they have locations in Langley, Granville Island and North Vancouver.

paper - I recommend 22" X 30" watercolour paper cut into quarters rather than paper blocks. Artist quality paper allows you to use both sides. 140 pound weight minimum. Brands that are quite good;Arches, Opus European Watercolour paper, Winsor & Newton, Bockingford, Strathmore, Waterford, and Fabriano Artisitico.

Brushes - You really need a 1" flat watercolour brush. You can tell a watercolour brush by its shorter handle, long handled brushes are for oil and acrylic. Look for a brush with good spring and good absorbency. Other brushes you will need will be a # 6 or #7 round, and a nice rigger (or liner). Optional brushes could be a 'hake' ( hawkay) that will hold lots of wash, mops of various sizes. But you can manage very well with just 3 brushes.

Paint- Watercolour is wonderful for mixing, with just very few tubes of paint one can mix a huge variety of colours. The most important thing is to get artist quality paint. A basic palette would be;

red - permanent rose by Winsor and Newton

yellow - new gamboge by Winsor and Newton

neutral - burnt sienna - Winsor and Newton

blue- thalo blue - Winsor and Newton's thalo is called Winsor blue, Daniel Smith, Holbein or Da Vinci

- ultramarine blue - any artist quality manufacturer

Optional colours would be a pyrol red, a lemon yellow, cobalt blue, indigo, quinacridone gold and quinacridone burnt orange. These colours are not necessary but you may want to add them as you progress.

Other things you will need- palette with a good deep area for mixing, spray bottle, sea sponge, clean rags, masking tape, masking fluid, masking fluid remover,soft pencil,eraser and a small sketch pad.