Creative Core - Wednesday Evening

3 Week Block 

Wednesday Evening 6-7.45pm

Week 1- "Dancing Poppies" Wednesday 15th of April 

There’s something beautifully free about this piece…In this watercolour tutorial, we step away from tight control and explore a more expressive way of painting.

Using a palette knife and thick buttery paint you’ll create soft movement and texture through the background… allowing colour to flow and blend naturally across the paper.

The poppies are painted with a gentler, more focused approach… softly coming forward against that loose, expressive backdrop.
You’ll also be guided through a simple use of analogous colour… working between reds and oranges… and choosing tones that feel right to you.
A calm, expressive session… focused on movement, colour and letting go of perfection.

Week 2-  " Lilac Breasted Metallic Roller" Wednesday 22nd of April 

In this watercolour tutorial, we focus on blending and colour transitions… learning how to move seamlessly between soft lilacs, warm peach tones and cooler blues.

You’ll be guided through layering with metallics, adding a subtle lift and shimmer that brings this little bird to life.
There’s a gentle balance here…
soft, painterly feathers created through layering and blending…
with just a touch of detail in the eye and beak to bring focus and character.

The background is kept loose and expressive… giving you the freedom to explore a more painterly approach, using soft washes, splatter, and natural flow and energy through the paint.
Perfect for building confidence in colour, blending, and letting your painting feel a little more free.

Week 3- "Among the bamboo" Wednesday 29th of April 

In this watercolour tutorial, we focus on preserving the light of the paper… learning how to keep those fresh highlights without relying on gouache.

We’ll begin with a small amount of masking fluid to protect key areas… then move into a more expressive stage, really playing with colour and allowing the background to flow and blend naturally.
You’ll also be introduced to using a little wax resist within the painting… helping to keep those crisp, bright details as layers build around them.

The bamboo is designed to stand out and come forward against soft, layered greens… creating a beautiful sense of depth while still keeping a loose, painterly feel.

And although this piece looks detailed, it’s actually a surprisingly simple painting… a very gentle way to learn how to preserve light while creating something with real visual impact.

A calm, reassuring session… perfect for building confidence and learning to trust the process.