10 Best Watercolor Classes to Take in 2024
The Best Online Watercolor Classes for beginners to learn Watercoloring in 2024.
Painting with watercolors is a lot of fun! The texture can flow and swirl, blend and bleed, all those randomnesses and free flows can make painting effortless, inspiring creativity and opening up a world of possibilities for you.
The act of pushing yourself out of your comfort zone can also pull you into the present moment. There's no other medium capable of collaborating with you to paint a picture.
That means you apply the paint and let the water do the rest.
Watercolors are a beautiful form of art that requires patience and talent.
Top Watercolor Painting Classes List
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1. Watercolor Painting For Beginners
Embark on a transformative journey to master watercolor painting through the best online watercolor classes for beginners. This comprehensive course goes beyond the basics, offering a profound understanding of watercolor behavior and essential techniques.
In this watercolor painting class, you will learn how to:
- Learn the essentials first before the basics.
- Understand how watercolor behaves.
- How much water to use?
- How to go lighter with your colors.
- How to go darker with your colors.
- Master basic techniques.
- How to avoid washed-out paintings.
- How to avoid patchy, overworked paintings.
- Paint new activities (No repetitive drills).
- Paint Sea and Land Animals (No fruit, vegetables, or salads).
- How to prepare your puddles.
- How to do a wash (The right way).
- How to blend your washes using 1 color.
- How to blend your washes using 2 colors.
- How to make smooth, gradual blends.
- How to paint in detail and features.
- How to layer or glaze to make your paintings glow.
- How to paint shadows without getting muddy.
- How to paint elements like leaves, trees, wood, and grass.
- How to handle your brush to paint simple textures.
- How to "paint without painting".
- How to use masking techniques.
- How to paint backgrounds (What to paint first, next, and last).
- How to mix colors.
- How to mix even more colors using only 3 pigments.
- The biggest takeaway from Color Theory.
- Tips and best practices to avoid common mistakes.
This course delves into a diverse range of creative activities, from painting sea and land animals to mastering advanced methods like washes and blending. Perfect your brushwork for textures, elements, and intricate details, ensuring a well-rounded skill set. Additionally, you will explore color theory, learn effective color mixing, and discover valuable tips to avoid common mistakes. Join this dynamic and engaging online watercolor class, emerging with the skills to create vibrant, visually stunning artworks.
- Course rating: 4.6 out of 5.0 (5,136 Rating total)
- Duration: 4.5 Hours
- Certificate: Certificate on completion
- View course
2. Modern Watercolor Techniques
Embark on a captivating journey to master watercolor painting through the best online watercolor classes available. This step-by-step course ensures a fun and engaging learning experience, helping you create unimaginable artistic results. Delve into the fundamental aspects of working with watercolors, covering transparency levels, water control, gradients, and paint saturation. Gain insights into the weight and precision required to wield the brush with greater control, achieving intricate fine details.
In this watercolor painting class, you will learn how to:
- create a complex illustration applying the techniques learned from the experiments.
- understand basic aspects of working with watercolors, such as transparency levels, gradients, etc.
- mix watercolors with other materials such as paint, salt, chlorine, etc.
Once you've grasped the basics, the course encourages experimentation. Mix watercolors with various materials, including different paint types, salt, chlorine, and homemade substances, analyzing their unique reactions. Embrace the unpredictable nature of the technique, discovering how to leverage unexpected "mistakes" for your artistic benefit. Beyond traditional watercolor methods, this course empowers you to explore a modern approach, experimenting with diverse materials.
- Course rating: 209,753 total enrollments
- Duration: 3.3 Hours
- Certificate: Certificate on completion
- View course
3. Learn to Paint Watercolor for Beginners Class
Are you painting in watercolor? Start with the real basics. Play, learn, and gain understanding & confidence as you play & paint.
In this watercolor painting class, you will learn:
- Learn how watercolor paints work with the water, then you will get the best from them.
- A color wash is the most used technique, learn how from the start.
- Students will learn to layer washes to make objects appear three-dimensional.
- Learn how to create highlights and shadows in watercolor paints.
- Through repetition, the student will gain confidence with this medium.
- Start at the very beginning and understand the basics of color mixing.
Primarily designed for adults, this 'learn through play' course is refreshingly basic, eliminating the intimidation factor often associated with painting. As adults, we tend to accumulate limiting beliefs about our creative abilities, and this course aims to break those barriers, especially in the realm of watercolor painting.
Through a simple and enjoyable approach, you will discover the fundamentals of handling watercolor paints. The course adopts a 'learn by doing' philosophy, focusing on getting the paint from the box onto the paper using a brush. While the subject matter may seem straightforward – painting an apple three times – the methods employed are diverse, steering clear of conventional 'draw and color in' techniques learned in childhood.
If you're yearning to start your watercolor journey without feeling overwhelmed by paints, processes, or expectations, this course provides the perfect entry point. Embrace the joy of playing with your paints, and coloring simple shapes, and witness your understanding and confidence in watercolor painting grow effortlessly.
- Course rating: 4.4 out of 5.0 (3,850 Rating total)
- Duration: 4.5 Hours
- Certificate: Certificate on completion
- View course
4. Artistic Portrait with Watercolors
Explore your creativity with one of the best online watercolor classes. Learn a foolproof technique for creating watercolor portraits from the sketch to the final product.
The course includes:
- Materials
- Basic Proportions of the Head
- Technique and Color in Watercolor
- The Drawing Process
- The Grizzly
- Warm Colors
- Nexus Color And Adjustment Layer
- Choice And Manipulation of Photography
- First Spots
- Defining Face
- Solving Problems
- Basic Materials and Techniques
- Drawing and color: greyhound exercise for carnations
- Applying the method: Portrait
Here, you will learn a technique in which color and light are the fundamental axes of your work and works from the superposition of layers reflecting the forms generated by light, to the shadows on the face and bodies.
You will learn to make an artistic portrait in watercolor, using a clear and infallible method. You will be able to know the complete process of the realization of work: the choice and realization of photography, drawing, and, of course, the use of color in watercolor.
- Course rating: 73,160 total enrollments
- Duration: 2.8 Hours
- Certificate: Certificate on completion
- View course
5. Foundations for Mastering Watercolor Painting
The course outlined is a comprehensive, lecture-based exploration of the materials fundamental to watercolor painting. It delves into the specific properties and interactions of pigments, water, and painting surfaces, providing a rich theoretical framework for artists at all levels.
In this watercolor painting class, you will learn:
- Learn watercolor techniques quickly and easily.
- Understand what watercolor paint is and how it is unique.
- Discern how a paint will perform based on its pigment property.
- Gain insight into water's important role in the water media painting process.
- Appreciate the importance of surface texture and structure when you paint.
- Understand the differences between brush materials.
- Problem-solving with success when something goes wrong in the painting process.
- Feel freer to develop your artistic voice.
Watercolor painting at its core is built upon pigment, water, and a painting surface, and to master the medium, you need to thoroughly understand your materials.
This course is designed to give you an in-depth look at the properties of each material used in the watercolor painting process. With this understanding, you will have an easier time learning the technique.
For those who prefer a more hands-on approach to learning, complementing this course with practical instruction from the best online watercolor classes could offer a well-rounded educational experience, merging theoretical knowledge with applied skills in the art of watercolor.
- Course rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 (2,589 Rating total)
- Duration: 3.5 Hours
- Certificate: Certificate on completion
- View course
6. Architectural Sketching with Watercolor and Ink
The course provides an immersive experience in the combined use of watercolor and ink to capture not only the visual details of a scene but also its intrinsic character and mood. Through expert instruction, students will learn how to sketch with precision and apply watercolors that elevate their artwork, infusing each piece with life and emotional depth.
The watercolor painting class includes:
- Presentation of Materials
- The Basics of Perspective
- Creating Dynamic Compositions
- Where are the Vanishing Points?
- Finding the Horizon Line
- Creating Textures with Color Washes
- Color Mixes
- Choosing the right view/picture
- Creating a Thumbnail Sketch
- The Pencil Sketch
- Sketching with Fountain Pen and Ink
- Watercolor! First Wash
- Style and Finding Your Voice
In this course, you will learn the approach to capturing the depth and feeling of a place using watercolor and ink and translating that onto your page, because it’s one thing to depict a scene accurately and another entirely to portray the character and mood of a place.
For those seeking further enrichment and a broader range of techniques, the best online watercolor classes can be an excellent resource, offering additional insights and guidance to help artists of all levels bring their unique visions to fruition.
- Course rating: 148,310 total enrollments
- Duration: 3.3 Hours
- Certificate: Certificate on completion
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7. Paint Realistic Watercolor and Botanicals - STUDIO BASICS
This foundation tutorial will help you understand essential work+studio basics for realistic watercolor and botanicals.
In this watercolor painting class, you will learn how to:
- get started on the right foot.
- understand sound studio, materials, and technique basics needed to create realistic watercolor and botanical paintings.
- 11 materials so you understand what to purchase.
- improve your environment, approaches, and results of your work.
- build a practical strategy towards successful outcomes.
Here, you will learn how to familiarise yourself with the most common watercolor techniques needed for realistic watercolors and botanicals.
- Course rating: 4.4 out of 5.0 (3,037 Rating total)
- Duration: 3 Hours
- Certificate: Certificate on completion
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8. Expressive Sketches in Mixed Media: Butterflies, Flowers & Landscapes
This course aims to help you rapidly fill a sketchbook, overcome the fear of a blank page, and maintain inspiration throughout the process. The focus is on embracing texture using pre-prepared backgrounds and incorporating mixed media, including colored pencils and watercolors, to add depth and visual interest to your sketches.
In this watercolor painting course, you will learn the following:
- Work loosely to capture the essence of the subject (rather than getting caught up in details).
- Create textured backgrounds to encourage spontaneity and energy in your sketches.
- Discover how to observe, focus on shapes, and contrast.
- Let go of expectations and embrace the freedom to experiment playfully.
Through three full-length demonstrations, the course provides valuable insights into the process, allowing you to gain a deeper understanding of harmoniously combining inky backgrounds with various mediums.
- Course rating: 806 total enrollments
- Duration: 2 Hours
- Certificate: Certificate on completion
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9. Artistic Watercolor Techniques for Illustrating Birds
Bring vivid wildlife compositions to life by exploring modern methods of watercolor painting.
In this watercolor painting class, you will learn the following:
- the step-by-step process for creating an expressive wildlife composition using modern watercolor painting methods.
- the basics, adding artistic techniques to the flow of your paintbrush to create expressive wildlife compositions.
- how warm and cold colors play their part in a composition and create color palettes using both saturated and desaturated hues.
The course includes:
- Materials
- Tonal Values
- Color Theory
- Pigment Control and Basic Layering Techniques on Dry Paper
- Wet Paper
- Brush Strokes
- Obtain and Enhance Photo References
- Compositions and Transferring
- Color Palettes
- Painting Birds
- Painting a Loose Branch: Adding Pen Work to Define Shape
This course guides you through the step-by-step process for creating an expressive wildlife composition using modern watercolor painting methods. Start from the basics, adding artistic techniques to the flow of your paintbrush to create expressive wildlife compositions.
You can take the Artistic Watercolor Techniques for Illustrating Birds Certificate Course on Domestika.
- Course rating: 57,651 total enrollments
- Duration: 3.2 Hours
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10. Organic Expressive Florals With Watercolor and Ink
Explore the world of expressive florals in this relaxed watercolor class. Discover essential techniques to create vibrant and lively floral compositions, with a focus on maintaining freshness and avoiding the pitfalls of overworking your artwork.
Whether you're a beginner or an experienced artist, this class offers valuable insights and guidance to enhance your watercolor floral creations. Embrace the joy of painting as you learn to infuse your florals with essential inky details, creating artwork that captivates with its expressive and dynamic qualities.
- Course rating: 11,253 total enrollments
- Duration: 3.3 Hours
- Certificate: Certificate on completion
- View course
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