Watercolor Lessons with Yelena Lamm

In my most recent lesson with Yelena Lamm, we worked on a small subject-- a simple yellow rose.  Using a photograph for reference, or really as a starting point, we briefly sketched out our composition, then began with the bold yellow tones of the flower, adding layers of orange, and letting that dry before painting in the green sepals & stem.  

Yelena talked about controlling our edges -- allowing some to dry into crisp lines, but keeping most of them soft.  Even edges that I would think of as defined, like the ends of the yellow petals at the top right of the flower, worked as loose, watery borders.  Now when I paint, I think about edges -- about carefully softening the boundaries of each wash, and allowing only a few to dry hard.  It's easier to work seamlessly into a dried wash with a soft edge than to deal with layer upon layer of hard-bordered washes.

A light has turned on inside my head, and I feel grateful to go forward with this new knowledge.  

I hope you get a chance to take a class this autumn.  It can open new pathways for creative expression and thought!

Fall Foliage with Watercolors

 

Autumn has arrived at my home on Hawk's Hill, and I recently spent a morning painting the first splashes of color adorning our Grandmother Sugar Maple tree.  This ancient tree brings beauty to our lives in any season, but particularly this time of year.

My recent lessons with Pittsburgh artist Yelena Lamm taught me so much about how to approach painting landscapes, how to control edges, and how to see colors.  What a pleasure to dive into painting this scene with a new focus and new skills!  Many thanks to Yelena for her instruction and the inspiration it brought me.

Autumn is a great time to take a class and pick up new skills.  Art classes are a terrific way to bring focus to your art practice and to gain momentum -- and to connect with other artists.  

Click here for a link to my upcoming classes. I hope you'll join me for one!

Watercolor Lessons with Yelena Lamm

I've long admired Pittsburgh area painter Yelena Lamm, and recently I've been taking watercolor painting lessons from her.  I want to learn how to paint with the intense, fresh colors I see in her work.  

Above is a sunset scene painted after my first lesson. I worked from a photo I took in May on my farm.  Yelena helped me to approach painting in a new way, focusing on the general impression of the scene, working quickly with a wet edge.  She reminds me to plan my painting before putting brush to paper.  

September always inspires me to learn something new.  If you'd like to try something new artistically, I invite you to join me for a class.  You can find my CCBC classes here. Click on "Arts."

I hope to see you in a future class!