Joyful Landscapes

Early Registration Price!

Class opens June 5th

What if you could paint landscapes in colours that bring you joy?

In this calming and creative class, you’ll explore simplified, modern landscapes using horizon lines that feel expansive and grounding. Whether you're drawn to the soft tones of the sea or the vibrant hues of a sunset, you'll learn to express joy through colour - guided by both the subtle blooms and bold strokes of watercolour and Neocolor II water-soluble wax pastels.

We’ll begin with a warm-up that blends traditional colour theory with intuitive exploration. You’ll choose a favourite colour and learn how to build around it using split-complementary or tetrad colour schemes, while staying open to your own instincts. I will gently guide you to create your own personal palette and support you in building confidence with colour, helping you connect with your unique artistic voice.

In a special bonus lesson, you'll try something new: painting a landscape on an Ampersand Museum Series Aquabord. This beautiful surface allows you to experiment with watercolour in a different way and creates a finished piece that can be displayed without glass.

Whether your landscapes are soft and serene or bold and bright, you’ll come away from this class with a deeper connection to colour and the joy of creating from the heart.

Warmup Lesson: Finding Your Colours

In the warm-up, Nicole will introduce you to her favourite watercolour paints and Neocolor II pastels. You’ll explore colour palettes that feel good to you while experimenting with wet-into-wet, wet-on-dry, and Neocolor II techniques. As you paint a series of miniature landscapes on paper, you’ll start to recognize the colour combinations you’re drawn to and make simple notes to refer back to for future inspiration and paintings.

BONUS LESSON: A Quiet Glow

In the bonus lesson, you’ll continue working with the watercolour techniques explored in the warm-up and main lesson, this time learning to apply them to an Ampersand Museum Series Aquabord. You can draw inspiration from the colour palettes you created earlier or follow a more intuitive, playful approach. You’ll also learn how to turn a cradled wooden panel into a frame for your joyful landscape painting.

WHO IS THIS CLASS FOR?

This class is for anyone who wants to express their joyful voice through simple, expressive landscapes. Whether you’re just beginning or have experience with watercolour, you’ll be gently guided to explore colour in a way that feels both intentional and playful.

If you’re looking to feel more confident in your colour choice, and want to sink into the mindful, meditative experience of blending watercolours, this class will offer you that and more. You’ll explore intuitive colour palettes, experiment with approachable techniques, and begin to develop a distinctive style that’s all your own. Join us for Joyful Landscapes.

• 2 water containers 

• Scotch Magic Tape

• Cotton rag

• X-Acto knife

• Ruler 

• Mixing palette

• Pencil

• Set square *optional

• Hairdryer

• Colour wheel  *optional

• Butterknife

• Double-sided tape

• Foam core 

• 6’ x 6” Wood panel or commercial frame 

• Sandpaper 

• Gesso

• White acrylic paint

• Fixatif or other spray varnish

Brushes

• Round synthetic watercolour brushes ranging in size from 4 to 12

• Flat synthetic watercolour brushes ranging in size from 1/4’ - 1”

• A fine line watercolour brush, size 0 or a small rigger brush

• A flat brush for gesso and acrylic

Substrates

• Several sheets of cold press watercolour paper ex. Canson XL, Fabriano, Stonehenge Aqua

• scrap paper

• Stonehenge Aqua Cold Press 100% cotton paper block, 7’ x 7”

• Ampersand Aquabord 4” x 4”

Painting Materials

• Daniel Smith Extra Fine Watercolors

  • Quinacridone Rose

  • Quinacridone Sienna

  • Burnt Sienna

  • Hansa Yellow

  • Cerulean Blue Chromium

  • Amazonite Genuine

  • Indanthrone Blue

  • Ultramarine Blue

  • Buff Titanium

  • Verditer

  • Phthalo Blue

  • Yellow Ochre

  • Phthalo Green

• BEAM paints

  • Salish Sea,

  • Dreamer’s Gold

  • Fireweed

  • Glacial Rivers

• M. Graham & Co. Gouache: Titanium White

• Pacific, Case for the Making watercolours

Neocolor II Water-soluble Wax Pastels

• Rose

• Desert Rose

• Light Olive

• Golden Ochre

• Sahara Yellow

• Jade Green

• Greenish Blue

• Sky Blue

• Cobalt Blue 5%

• Royal Blue 

• Purple-violet

• White