Watercolor Butterflies Preclass

Welcome to the preclass lesson!

This class is a little different than most here, because I was playing with watercolor STICKS at the time of filming. See the video below that explains what sticks are, but you can use the colors in tube form if you wish – there’s only one point at which having a Lamp Black stick could help, but I have an alternate technique included in the video for that lesson for those who don’t want to pick up a watercolor stick.

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.

Video: Supplies

A discussion of supplies – and alternates!

Supplies:

As with all my classes, use supplies you love, being prepared for different results. (Which is not a bad thing!)

Watercolor Paper

The demonstrations are done on ROUGH watercolor paper (Arches) – but you can use cold press too. Please do plan on a full 9″ x 12″ sheet for each of the three paintings, as you’ll want to paint your butterflies large enough to get all that yummy detail into them.

Daniel Smith Watercolor

I’ve linked to both the sticks and the tubes below, so use what you like best.

1. Hansa Yellow Medium 15ml Tube / 12 ml Stick
2. New Gamboge 15ml Tube / 12 ml Stick
3. Pyrrol Orange 15ml Tube / 12 ml Stick
4. Perm Alizarin Crimson 15ml Tube / 12 ml Stick
5. Imperial Purple 15ml Tube / 12 ml Stick
6. Lavender 15ml Tube / 12 ml Stick
7. Iridescent Electric Blue 15ml Tube / 12 ml Stick
8. Sap Green 15ml Tube / 12 ml Stick
9. Burnt Umber 15ml Tube / 12 ml Stick
10. Lamp Black 15ml Tube / 12 ml Stick

Brushes

1. Da Vinci Maestro Kolinsky Sable Round 8 OR Silver Brush Black Velvet Round 8
2. Da Vinci Maestro Kolinsky Sable Round 4 OR Silver Brush Black Velvet Round 4
3. Blick Synthetic Round 2 or Silver Brush Black Velvet Round 2
4. Da Vinci Maestro Kolinsky Sable Round 0 or Silver Brush Black Velvet Round 2

Miscellaneous

1. Artograph light pad
2. White artist tape, 3/4” 
3. Ampersand Hardbord (larger than your painting) OR Incredible Art Board, Grafix 
4. A palette or dish of some kind for mixing
5. Tracing paper
6. Pencil
7. Kneaded Eraser 

Video 2: More on watercolor sticks