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Instructor: Geoff Allen, SDWS

Learn the joys of capturing the moment, color, and mood in watercolor.  This workshop will cover the basic watercolor handling techniques that can speed up your process, loosen you up, and increase your success in capturing outdoor scenes.  Beginning and intermediate topics will be covered in the studio and outdoors in plein air.

There will be daily skill building exercises focusing on controlling paper moisture, mixtures, and timing. Geoff’s demonstrations will review materials and show students how all these techniques flow together to “keep it fresh” while focusing on a variety of subject matter; coastal, landscape, and still-life.

Geoff’s daily demos will cover how to take your inspiration through a process of simplification while enhancing design dynamics, expression, defining light/ shadow, and creating atmosphere.  It all starts with practicing watercolor’s quartet of skills; values, shapes, color, and mark making.  Geoff will be following up individually with students to reinforce concepts and skills at their easel.

Day One and Two, In the Studio:

We will be starting with watercolor handling and learning how to read moisture in the paper in order to respond with a brush mixture and edge control. The class will focus on understanding a three-value approach to applying watercolor layers and how drawing a preliminary sketch defining light and shade can loosen up your watercolors. There will be a total of three demonstrations on each day.

Day Three On Location (weather permitting):

The morning demo will focus on a capturing the unique atmosphere on the scene, followed by a student painting session. The class will meet for a quick sharing of students’ work on site.

Experience Level - Intermediate and Above

Supply List

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Geoff Allen is Signanature Member of SDWS and an award-winning Plein Air watercolor artist, whose painting “Color for Nothing” was recently on the cover of Plein Air Magazine (June/July 2024 issue). He finds that watercolor is both the medium and metaphor for “going with the flow.” This is what inspires Geoff. He loves the process of inserting himself into an environment with the goal of capturing its elusive essence in a quick fresh watercolor style. The mystery of not knowing the expressive outcome and allowing for discovery along the way makes plein air painting Geoff’s preferred art making process.

Recent Awards and Exhibitions Highlights

2025

-    First Place, 23rd Annual Paint Sant Clemente

-    Second Place, Quick Draw 23rd Annual Paint San Clemente

-    Faculty demonstrator at Plein Air Convention and Expo Reno/Tahoe

-    “Close to Home”, Group Exhibition, Encinitas Cultural Arts Dept., May 6 - Sept.4

-    Third Place for “Best Western” 9th Annual Waterworks, LPAPA Gallery

-    Best of Show in Plein Air, Palm Desert Plein Air Festival

-    Ninth Annual Plein Air Exhibition Juror. San Diego Watercolor Society

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/geoffrey.allen.71?

Instagram: @geoffallenart

Website: https://www.geoffallenart.com/

You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/@geoffallen7321

Non Members Fee: $325.00 Members Fee: $300.00