Workshop Information
Premier & Weekend Workshop prices are discounted for SDWS Members. To receive the discounted price, please log in before registering. If you are not a member or your membership has expired and would like to receive the discounted price, renew your membership or join SDWS prior to signing up. Please contact our workshops registrar at registrar@sdws.org or the workshops director at workshops@sdws.org with any questions.
In-Gallery Workshops: All in-gallery workshops are held in our beautifully light-filled education center inside the San Diego Watercolor Gallery in The ARTS District of Liberty Station. (Location)
ZOOM Workshops: Virtual workshops will be conducted using Zoom. They will include a combination of live painting demo(s), interactive communication with the instructor, and individual painting time - all from the convenience of your home / studio.
Click HERE for Virtual Workshop Technology Requirements
Click HERE for Workshop Refund Policy
Click HERE for Nearby Hotel Accomodations
Premier Workshops
Premier Workshops are typically four days and take place during the week. They are taught by nationally and internationally renowned artists. Workshops are open to artist of all levels.
Developing a Style - ZOOM WORKSHOP
Instructor: Gordon Bashant
In this workshop you will work on color along with ideas for and distortion of “subjects.” The emphasis will be on finding your unique style. This class will help newer painters get off on the right track and inspire experienced painters to find new ways to look at a blank piece of paper.
Non Members Fee: $185.00 Members Fee: $165.00
| Date: Saturday, November 14, 2020 - Sunday, November 15, 2020 Time: 9:00 AM-3:30 PM |
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The Gifts of Paintbooks
Instructor: Cherry Sweig
Discover how to transform a blank watercolor book into your own prized memoire. This workshop will follow a PRE-plan outline to embellish the pages within a consistent composition, yet welcoming flexible imagery from your life’s adventures. Using watercolors as the central medium, special effects, innovative tools and techniques will be explored.
Experience Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Non Members Fee: $185.00 Members Fee: $165.00
| Date: Saturday, January 16, 2021 - Sunday, January 17, 2021 Time: 9:00 AM-3:30 PM |
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Vibrant Watercolor Painting
Instructor: Soon Warren
Soon will teach you how to utilize light and dark values in order to capture the sparkle of crystal, smooth background washes, and pouring backgrounds. You will learn valuable glazing and washing techniques that will create luminous under painting. While concentrating on technique, the concept of color theory, composition, and color values will also be incorporated into the workshop.
All experience skill levels are welcome
Non Members Fee: $475.00 Members Fee: $450.00
| Date: Monday, February 8, 2021 - Thursday, February 11, 2021 Time: 9:00 AM-3:30 PM |
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Abstracting Plants with Experimental Watercolor Techniques
Instructor: Alison Watt
This workshop will bring welcome random and surprising elements to your watercolor painting process. Using photographic images, we will explore techniques to disengage from brush work. With pours of pure color for optical mixing, we will add and lift resist, to create rich layered paintings. We will introduce mixed media to build loose, expressive plant portraits.
All experience skill levels are welcome
Non Members Fee: $185.00 Members Fee: $165.00
| Date: Saturday, February 20, 2021 - Sunday, February 21, 2021 Time: 9:00 AM-3:30 PM |
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Cherries & Glasses
Instructor: Linda Mullen
This fun workshop will focus on painting red cherries in a clear, crystal bowl. Linda will share tips on how to paint glass and get the deep, rich reds of the cherries. You will learn how to integrate white flowers with a white or dark background. Paintings will be done from photos supplied ahead of time and there will be tips on how to take the best photos for painting.
All experience skill levels are welcome
Non Members Fee: $185.00 Members Fee: $165.00
| Date: Saturday, March 13, 2021 - Sunday, March 14, 2021 Time: 9:00 AM-3:30 PM |
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Exciting Abstracts on Yupo!
Instructor: Wanda Honeycutt
Wanda will teach you her secrets of painting with watercolor on Yupo paper. This workshop will focus on non-representational abstracts but the techniques can be used in representational work as well. Wanda’s techniques have allowed her to create unique, award winning paintings. This class will give you the structure you need to succeed and the freedom to create your own unique paintings.
All experience skill levels are welcome
Non Members Fee: $165.00 Members Fee: $165.00
| Date: Saturday, March 20, 2021 - Sunday, March 21, 2021 Time: 9:00 AM-3:30 PM |
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Animals Simplified
Instructor: Pat Weaver
You will learn a simplified approach to drawing animals using a limited palette with no more than five colors in any painting. The workshop will focus on drawing, value painting and direct painting without drawing. Pet portraits of dogs and cats, as well as various other animals, including birds, may be painted in this workshop.
All experience skill levels are welcome
Non Members Fee: $550.00 Members Fee: $525.00
| Date: Monday, April 12, 2021 - Thursday, April 15, 2021 Time: 9:00 AM-3:30 PM |
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Build Beautiful Paintings
Instructor: Cris Weatherby
This workshop will teach you the process of identifying the right painting subject to designing a painting from the information in your photo. You will learn the importance of viewpoint perspective and how to show light. In addition, you will learn about controlling color values and how to leave the photograph behind, letting your color choices set the mood of your painting.
Beginner with some experience to Intermediate Painter
Non Members Fee: $185.00 Members Fee: $165.00
| Date: Saturday, April 17, 2021 - Sunday, April 18, 2021 Time: 9:00 AM-3:30 PM |
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Acrylic Abstracts
Instructor: Kathleen Scoggin
This workshop will explore using acrylic and other mixed media to create abstract painting. You will learn about layering, glazing using transparent and opaque paints, collage, stencils, and other mixed media to develop the painting. A variety of methods will be used to apply the acrylic paint. Design and composition will be explored as part of the process. Each student will be encouraged to develop their own abstract style.
All experience skill levels are welcome
Non Members Fee: $500.00 Members Fee: $475.00
| Date: Monday, May 10, 2021 - Thursday, May 13, 2021 Time: 9:00 AM-3:30 PM |
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Perspective for Watercolor Artists
Instructor: Ralph Kingery
Ralph will teach you the basic concepts and practice of perspectives needed to depict three-dimensional reality on two-dimensional paper in the classroom and outside. You will learn the “rules” of perspective and how to apply them to draw and paint objects in what is known as one-point perspective, where parallel lines leading away from us seem to end at a “vanishing point” on a distant horizon.
Some experience sketching is useful, painting experience is not required.
Non Members Fee: $120.00 Members Fee: $100.00
| Date: Saturday, May 15, 2021 Time: 9:00 AM-3:30 PM |
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The Art of Inventory
Instructor: Duke Windsor
Learn how to effectively catalog art inventory as an artist and a collector. This workshop will teach you how to create an effective inventory control system and choose the right inventory software. You will learn systems to track artwork out to shows, on loan, sales, and track the location of all your work. Duke will cover how to manage your expenses, track income, and estate planning.
All experience skill levels are welcome
Non Members Fee: $120.00 Members Fee: $100.00
| Date: Sunday, May 16, 2021 Time: 9:00 AM-3:30 PM |
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A Watercolor Walk on the Wild Side: Creating Whimsical Animal Characters
Instructor: Chris Ayers
Participants will work with Disney animation Art Director Chris Ayers to create their own stylized animal characters. Chris will share a variety of drawing styles, break down his design approach to creating appealing and whimsical animals, and demonstrate some of his drawing and watercolor techniques.
All experience skill levels are welcome
Non Members Fee: $185.00 Members Fee: $165.00
| Date: Saturday, June 12, 2021 - Sunday, June 13, 2021 Time: 9:00 AM-3:30 PM |
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California Vibe: Watercolor Portraiture
Instructor: David Lobenberg
Learn to paint stunning portraits with expressive colors and crazy paint application techniques. No portraiture drawing ability is needed. David Lobenberg has more than 30 years’ experience conducting both studio and plein air watermedia workshops. His teaching style is well-organized, energetic, fun, and high-spirited.
All experience skill levels are welcome
Non Members Fee: $500.00 Members Fee: $475.00
| Date: Monday, June 14, 2021 - Thursday, June 17, 2021 Time: 9:00 AM-3:30 PM |
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Memorable Landscapes
Instructor: Jami Wright
Create visually exciting watercolor landscapes using your favorite photos as reference. With emphasis on composition and value adjustments, you will also define your focus with higher contrast and more detail. You will learn how to create simplification and atmospheric perspective in your landscape paintings. Other topics covered will include supply options for painting while traveling.
All experience skill levels are welcome
Non Members Fee: $185.00 Members Fee: $165.00
| Date: Saturday, June 19, 2021 - Sunday, June 20, 2021 Time: 9:00 AM-3:30 PM |
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Watercolor Unleashed - Wet & Wild
Instructor: Julie Gilbert-Pollard
Learn how to make water look wet, reflective, and splashy! With stunning waves, waterfalls or intimate woodsy creeks as your model, learn to paint water in motion and glassy reflections. In addition to traditional watercolor methods, learn to use “acrylic underpinnings” to set the stage for vibrant colors in your “waterscape” paintings.
All experience skill levels are welcome
Non Members Fee: $500.00 Members Fee: $475.00
| Date: Monday, July 12, 2021 - Thursday, July 15, 2021 Time: 9:00 AM-3:30 PM |
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Intuitive Painting
Instructor: Richard Hawk
Colorful, award-winning painter Richard Hawk shares his principles, mindsets and techniques for painting freely and intuitively in watermedia. Richard will begin with teaching how to develop a clear, shape-based composition that will allow the artist to create with joyful abandon and expressive intensity. The focus is on understanding and using values effectively, managing color temperature and bold, expressive line.
All experience skill levels are welcome
Non Members Fee: $185.00 Members Fee: $165.00
| Date: Saturday, July 17, 2021 - Sunday, July 18, 2021 Time: 9:00 AM-3:30 PM |
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Watercolor Impressions
Instructor: Michael Holter
This workshop will focus on the use of watercolor to paint exciting impressionistic paintings from photographs and explore the use of light and shadow to create interesting compositions with dynamic results. Daily discussions and application of the principles and elements of design will be woven into your painting experience. Michael will demonstrate his approach to creating expressive portraits and landscapes and show you several high-speed video demonstrations.
All experience skill levels are welcome
Non Members Fee: $550.00 Members Fee: $525.00
| Date: Monday, August 9, 2021 - Thursday, August 12, 2021 Time: 9:00 AM-3:30 PM |
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Mat & Frame
Instructors: Susan Hewitt and Denise Tverdoch
1-Day Workshop: Saturday, August 21 or Sunday, August 22
Learn the basics of matting and framing for gallery exhibitions. This workshop will cover framing options and acceptable matting and glazing methods. We will explore multiple mounting techniques, to include floating. Emphasis will be placed on mat cutting, learning how to cut mats with various mat cutters. You will learn the secret to perfectly aligned double matting and how to create multiple opening mats for diptychs and triptychs.
All experience skill levels are welcome
Non Members Fee: $120.00 Members Fee: $120.00
| Date: Saturday, August 21, 2021 - Sunday, August 22, 2021 Time: 9:00 AM-3:30 PM |
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Landscape Color & Composition
Instructor: Don Andrews
Don’s Landscape Workshop is geared specifically for artists eager to paint and study in a no-stress studio environment. Each day, Don will address a major visual concern; light, color, granulation, organizing nature, and utilizing negative space are just a few subjects to be covered. This workshop will be packed with demonstrations, discussions, individual help, and personal and group critiques.
All experience levels are welcome
Non Members Fee: $475.00 Members Fee: $450.00
| Date: Monday, September 13, 2021 - Thursday, September 16, 2021 Time: 9:00 AM-3:30 PM |
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Watercolor Impressions, How to Paint with Confidence
Instructor: Luis Juarez
Students will learn what it means to paint with confidence and vision to see the finished product before they lift a brush. Composition and values being the key to a successful painting, you will learn how to simplify your painting and capture a strong composition. In addition, Luis will teach you how to sketch without fuss to eliminate unnecessary detail.
All experience skill levels are welcome
Non Members Fee: $120.00 Members Fee: $100.00
| Date: Saturday, September 18, 2021 Time: 9:00 AM-3:30 PM |
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Watercolor Impressions, 3D Light and Shade
Instructor: Drew Bandish
Learn a watercolor sketching method that captures the value pattern of sunlight and shadow on any subject that casts a shadow. With this Pattern Sketch skill, you quickly see if you have a composition that will lend itself to an exciting painting. Small quick sketches will help us explore and improve design decisions. You will gain experience in planning within formats that are proportionate to the intended painting format.
All experience skill levels are welcome
Non Members Fee: $120.00 Members Fee: $100.00
| Date: Sunday, September 19, 2021 Time: 9:00 AM-3:30 PM |
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Creating Paintings With Impact - Acrylic/Collage
Instructor: Liz Walker
Learn how to construct a strong, connected composition, how to mix paint with patterned collage papers, and take chances which make your art memorable and personal. It is all about composition, color, value, line and shape. You will learn how to choose and mix colors, with lots of short demos and some relaxed critiques led by this award-winning instructor. Students can expect examples, suggestions, and plenty of feedback in this one-of-a-kind workshop.
Basic acrylic painting skills required
Non Members Fee: $475.00 Members Fee: $450.00
| Date: Monday, November 8, 2021 - Thursday, November 11, 2021 Time: 9:00 AM-3:30 PM |
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Creating from Chaos
Instructor: Ed Labadie
Explore an exciting method of creating works from wild wonderful beginnings, then develop the images you discover. Ed guides students to design with dynamic shapes, contemplate narrative and drama, or enhance traditional scenes. Expect valuable demos, personal attention, essential techniques and tips, presented in a relaxed supportive atmosphere.
All experience skill levels are welcome
Non Members Fee: $185.00 Members Fee: $165.00
| Date: Saturday, November 13, 2021 - Sunday, November 14, 2021 Time: 9:00 AM-3:30 PM |
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Financial support is provided
by the City of San Diego.
© 2020 San Diego Watercolor Society
