Is the Simply Watercolour approach suitable for you?
Try this simple quiz….
Are you keen to try it, or have been a bit put off by watercolour’s reputation for complexity?
Have you tried once or twice but given up because it seemed too difficult?
Have you been informed that it is a very expensive hobby that needs a lot of expensive kit?
Would you like to start but haven’t got the kit, and wouldn’t know what to get?
Are you a lapsed watercolourist and would like to start afresh?
Do you worry that you cannot draw?
Do you find two- or three-point perspective a bit of a puzzle?
Do you believe that once on the paper, watercolour cannot be corrected?
Do you seem to have trouble with greens?
Do you have difficulty with grass, trees or foliage, especially in the foreground?
Do snow scenes leave you cold?
Is the colour wheel a bit of a puzzle, or consistent colour matching a problem?
Faced with a blank sheet of paper, are you faintly apprehensive?
If on location, do spectators unsettle you?
Do you worry about painting skies, or tend to settle for a trusted few?
Do your washes tend to be a bit “hit and miss” or turn out unevenly?
Are you confident with graded, multi-colour and textured washes?
Do you use Payne’s Grey or a standard greyish mix for shadows?
Do you ever end up with “mud” or “cauliflowers”?
If so, do you wonder why, but don’t know what to do to avoid, or correct, these problems?
Do you believe the old adage: “never mix more than two paints together”?
Do you think that lots of different paints, or a "new" colour may be the route to success?
Does a “happy accident” please you, although you don’t know how to do it again?
If you thought "yes" to any of the above, you could probably benefit from some additional help in mastering the pitfalls most people find with this rewarding medium.
In my time as a tutor, students have expressed all of these worries to me and I have been able to show them how to overcome such problems by simple application of the principles and the knowledge they have gained.
A Selection of possible ways to improve...
The Courses page describes what each element of the weekend courses and single day workshops comprises. It is also useful to bear in mind that the content of the courses and workshops can be readily split down into simple half or one-day modules. This makes the approach suitable for those who wish to learn but whose time is constrained. Or for those who would prefer to “dip a toe” into the subject or resolve a particular problem without the distraction of being part of a group.
Individual tuition, and groups of two or three friends who would like to learn together, are normally held at Nigel’s home in Ledbury. The sidebar alongside explains more about this. Please contact Nigel to discuss any special needs or requirements.