Blue Skies (Watercolor) Preclass

Welcome to the preclass lesson for Blue Skies in watercolor! On this page you’ll get information about the course supplies – but please know that you don’t need all the items here. Use what you have! Maybe as class proceeds you could find an item or two to treat yourself to, but if you’ve got some blue selections of watercolors, and a few other colors we’ll mix in – you’ll be fine. Larger brushes WILL be helpful, though – if all you have is tiny brushes, give yourself the gift of a #12 round!

Before we start…a little housekeeping

I retain the copyright to the content you are learning in class. That means…

1. Do not sell or give away the concepts from my classes – you may not re-teach my instruction contained or created within these lessons.
2. Do not post a video tutorial or step by step photo tutorial of your own redraw of class content.
3. Do not repost any handouts you receive in class.

However…I love to see students making strides and taking this teaching and personalizing it with your own skills.

1. DO make your own designs and develop your own style! I love that!
2. DO gift your creations made with these techniques, of course!

At the bottom of each lesson you’ll see some ways to share your homework and ask questions, so that’ll be handy for you.

Palette and paints

In this short video, see how the “blue skies” palette has been created, and get an idea what colors you might try out; you don’t NEED all the colors in this palette! See notes below. 

Notes about watercolor:

1. If you own another brand, by all means try the techniques with paints you have. Results may be different but also could work well!
2. The instructor uses Daniel Smith watercolors, which will be linked and listed below.
3. You needn’t have a special palette for this class; but if you wish to create one just for plein air painting, feel free to set one up with colors you have.
4. It’s STRONGLY recommended to pick up the Silver Brush/Black Velvet #12 round brush. While a smaller brush could work while painting a miniature version of the lessons, it’s well worth it to get the recommended brush.
5. Swatch your blues before beginning so you’ll have an idea what colors look like when mixed in a light, thin version for a sky; you may find you like a dark color mixed with water rather than purchasing a light pigment. (Or you may want to treat yourself to a new tube!)

1. CLOUD GREYS
   1. Paynes Blue Gray BLICK  AMZ  JACKSONS
   2. Payne’s Gray BLICK  AMZ  JACKSONS
2. LIGHT SKY COLORS
   1. Cobalt Teal Blue BLICK   AMZ   JACKSONS 
   2. Manganese Blue Hue BLICK  AMZ  JACKSONS
   3. Cerulean Blue  BLICK  AMZ  JACKSONS
3. MEDIUM SKY COLORS
   1. Cobalt Blue BLICK  AMZ  JACKSONS 
   2. Ultramarine Blue BLICK  AMZ  JACKSONS
   3. French Ultramarine BLICK  AMZ  JACKSONS 
4. STAINING BLUES, BEWARE
   1. Phthalo Blue – Red Shade BLICK  AMZ  JACKSONS 
   2. Phthalo Blue – Green Shade  BLICK  AMZ  JACKSONS 
5. DARK BLUES
   1. Prussian Blue   BLICK AMZ  JACKSONS
   2. Indigo BLICK  AMZ  JACKSONS 
   3. Indanthrone Blue   BLICK  AMZ  JACKSONS
6. TURQUOISE
   1. Ultramarine Turquoise  BLICK  AMZ  JACKSONS
7. LUMINESCENTS
   1. Duochrome Cabo Blue (Luminescent)  BLICK AMZ  JACKSONS
   2. Duochrome Blue Pearl (Luminescent)  BLICK  AMZ  JACKSONS
   3. Iridescent Electric Blue (Luminescent)   BLICK  AMZ  JACKSONS
8. GRANULATING BLUES (textured)
   1. Lunar Blue BLICK  AMZ  JACKSONS
   2. Kyanite Genuine (PrimaTek) BLICK  AMZ  JACKSONS
   3. Blue Apatite Genuine (PrimaTek)  BLICK  AMZ  JACKSONS
9. OTHER COLORS TO ADD TO SKIES
   1. Imperial Purple BLICK   AMZ  JACKSONS
   2. Moonglow BLICK AMZ  JACKSONS
10. LANDSCAPE COLORS
    1. Green Gold BLICK AMZ  JACKSONS
11. Deep Sap Green BLICK  AMZ  JACKSONS

Other supplies:

Notes: Included here are the palette and half-pans I use, but you can squeeze color out on a plate or a white tile. Be Creative tape is for putting the swatch key into the palette. BRUSHES: I really really really really recommend the Silver Brush #12, and painting 6x9s. If you really need to use a smaller brush, you’ll need to paint smaller; you’ll never cover that area with a tiny brush. There are two wide brushes here; in class I’ll be using the DaVinci on only one painting; but the Silver would work too.

1. PAPER
   1. Arches French Bound Cold Press Watercolor Paper Pad 9×12  BLICK AMZ  JACKSONS
2. BRUSHES
   1. Silver Brush Black Velvet Watercolor Brushes, Short Round 12 BLICK   AMZ JACKSONS
   2. Silver Brush Black Velvet Watercolor Brushes, Short Round 8 BLICK  AMZ  JACKSONS
   3. DaVinci Cosmotop Spin Brush (Mottler) – Flat Wash, Short Handle, Size 30 BLICK  AMZ  JACKSONS 
3. PALETTE
   1. Schmincke Watercolor Box, Empty 24SM/12LG BLICK  AMZ  JACKSONS
   2. Full pans BLICK 
   3. Half pans BLICK 
4. BOARD
   1. Ampersand Hardbord, Flat 9×12 BLICK  AMZ