Friday, February 7, 2014

Coleus

Coleus, Watercolor on Arches, 10"x10"
This piece was begun in a watercolor class I'm taking at the Anna Maria Island Art League.  The first class was so disappointing I almost didn't return to the second.  The teacher is, well, no teacher.  For a 2 hour class he was 15 minutes late, took another 30 to arrange the most ridiculous items for painting, then moved them well into the drawing period, and spent the final 40 MINUTES circling the class showing pictures of his own work from his cell phone.  He did not demonstrate one thing, did not assign any exercised, talked over anyone who began to express a goal.  
When I returned this week I encountered 2 women from the class hastily arranging tables and setting up some control over the class.  They, too, had complained and had similar problems with the class.  The teacher moved the plant to a totally different view point and then told each person their view of the leaves was off.  OY!  We all kept saying, "but you moved the plant."  
I just searched for color and value.  But what I wanted was to learn techniques that would leave the painting translucent, sparkling, wet looking.  He was no help at all.  So, I'm ending up with a very opaque rather boring painting.  I actually have found more help on youtube.