  This past Wednesday, November 13th, I had the joy of leading a Fall demo for the Annapolis Watercolor Club, and let me tell you, it was such a meaningful experience. They’re celebrating their Golden Anniversary this coming year, and their request for a painting filled with autumn golds couldn’t have been more fitting. There’s something so inspiring about blending the season’s richness with the significance of their milestone.  I sent them a reference packet in addvance so if the members could paint along with me. This includes:
 I’m delighted to announce that I have been invited back to host an engaging two-day Zoom workshop for their members this coming January 2025. This will be my second time working with this incredible group, and I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to reconnect and collaborate on something extraordinary.
I’m also pleased to share that this workshop will be open to my wonderful patrons, making it an excellent chance for all of us to come together. I’m busy fine-tuning all the details to ensure an enriching experience for everyone involved. Be sure to check back in a few weeks for updates, as I’ll share more information soon. I can hardly wait to gather again, this time from the cozy comfort of our individual spaces, as we immerse ourselves in the beauty of art and cultivate a strong sense of community.
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 Well, I had my second Watercolor Escape Saturday last weekend on March 28th. If you are new to this my wife, Marilee and I are committed to broadcasting a Facebook Live every Saturday at noon EST till our lives kinda get back to some type of normal. We want to offer an escape even for an hour or two. In this week's blog post I have included the video now on YouTube (edited as a paint-along) and my demo notes. Here's what you will find:
 Gallery of Work Highlighted in Video Below are several demos I did playing with composition and value studies before the final painting titled Walking in My Father's Footsteps. I also share additional paintings in the video. Click on the painting to see a larger version. Gift Every year I paint a special birthday card for Marilee. I remember once a long time ago we went to the Terra Museum to John Singer Sargent watercolor show. Sargent would paint special gifts for his sister with tender words and well wishes. They were touching and moved both of us. This painting is of one of our favorite walks in spring up not far from our cabin. The silver light and tender greens you only see during this time of year.  Marilee's 2020 birthday card. It's a tradition. This study was painted on handmade paper containing seeds, leaves, and stems. The paper had very little sizing so planning my brushstrokes were essential. Could not rework once the paint was laid down.  Final studio painting I promised myself I would experiment with new color combinations during this down time. Here is an example a new color combination palette. And don't think you can't find painting reference material. This was taken by Marilee while we were driving north through Wisconsin to our cabin. The sun was setting, the sky was on fire and the earth was rich with color. Here's my 6-color full palette:
  The Master I have enjoyed Winslow Homer watercolors long before I ever picked up a paint brush. My father admired his work and would share his paintings with me. He would break composition rules and make them work. I suggested a Homer book that looks like it's out of print but you may find on Ebay. There are other Homer books at Amazon (CLICK HERE) like this one. If you rather go to your library and check-out a book. Also here's a website to view. CLICK HERE.  Poppy Incase you didn't here we got a new puppy this year. Her name is Miss Poppy, a Pembroke Welsh Corgi and she is such a joy. It's a blessing to have her and an additional heartbeat in our house. Well that's it for now. I hope we will see you next Saturday at noon EST on my Facebook page for another Watercolor Escape Saturdays. Remember Leave a comment below, tell me what you think and what you would like to see in the future. Wash your hands and your brushes, Dale  AFFILIATE DISCLOSURES
Amazon: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  In this YouTube watercolor video demonstration, I am going to share with you how easy it is to draw up your pencil on watercolor paper. I am not a fan of graphite paper because it is messy. Instead, a 2B pencil and a kneaded eraser are all you need. Here's a link to my full supply list – go to bit.ly/watercolor-supplies
Any questions, leave me a comment. I would be more than happy to talk watercolor and drawing. While you are here check out my website. You will find: • My current paintings • Workshops and demonstrations dates and locations • My teaching schedule in the Chicagoland area • Online Gallery • Online watercolor courses • Link to my Newsletter • and more And, please subscribe to my YouTube channel.   I want to thank the Peninsula School of Art for the fantastic opportunity this earlier this month. The 2-day workshop went very well, and the students were great! Those of you that have never been to the school I want to let you know first hand the facility was beautiful and accommodating in every way to make the experience work for the teacher and student. Considering how many miles I have clocked in traveling to Wisconsin this was the first time I experienced the quaint charm of Door County. Picturesque scenes were suitable for a postcard or better yet an afternoon of plein air painting. In this hands-on workshop, my students gained a foundation and more in-depth understanding of the elements and techniques of transparent watercolor. They discover the unique properties of the medium, as well as how to control and use them to their advantage concerning landscape painting. During the two-days, they learned how to use their materials effectively, interpret of color, create a working composition, and build a successful painting from start to finish through demonstrations and guided exercises. I supplied photo references for various types of landscapes. I encourage my students to take photos and videos – as much as they want. The combination of taking notes, pictures, hands-on painting and the final critique produces a good learning experience that the student retains. DAY 1 A simple landscape was demonstrated with a farmhouse and outbuildings. This introduced the student to necessary procedures of the ”block-in..” Also, I had a brief talk about simple perspective. This painting took about one hour. Paper:
 The second demo of the morning was a snow scene (farm scene in the woods). I discussed the painting of white subject matter and how the temperature is perceived. Paper: Hot press Arches Colors:
 Finally, the paint-along with the students was a forest scene with a small creek and reflections. Big sweeping movement of color was demoed, paying attention to large shapes, not objects. Paper:
DAY 2Water was the theme! Still water, moving water and water in a snow scene. Elements from day one we're employed.  This first demonstration I wanted to show how you can take 3-colors from a primary group: a red, a yellow, and a blue and give the impression of full color. I also wanted to demo how simply water can be executed by paying attention to the patterns of value. 45 minutes Paper:
 The second demo was how to simply paint falling water with your brush. This demo took 45 minutes. Paper:
At the end of day two, a casual critique took place. I talked with them about what they did wrong and how to improve or correct it. Also wanted to let them know what they did right and encourage them and build on their successes. I'm sorry we didn't have an extra day or two to continue – I felt like I was just getting to know you. What a talented group of artists. Class was a lot of fun. I plan to rework the “paint-along” pictures done in class. Thank you! I will try to practice what you showed us. I wish we had had more time too. I had a wonderful time in class. You had many life lessons along with watercolor techniques. Thank you. I look forward to staying in touch.
 I started this demo off with Indigo paper which is around 240 lb. It has a handmade feeling with a nice rough texture to it. It’s a softer paper, so you have to be careful when lifting—you have to use a soft brush. This full-day workshop was crafted into three demonstrations. I wanted to share the differences of watercolor papers and how to chose your subject material that best suits the watercolor paper. As far as paints I explained to my students what you get out of a limited palette versus a full color. The first two demos took around 45 minutes. Finally, I like to have paint-a-longs because the student catches on faster by watching and then doing rather than just observing. This way I can guide them through the painting and help them through the process.  MORNING Demo #1: I started this demo off with Indigo paper which is around 240 lb. It has a handmade feeling with a nice rough texture to it. It’s a softer paper, so you have to be careful when lifting—you have to use a soft brush.
- Raw sienna - Ultramarine blue The limited color approach showed the students using this color palette they could create the illusion of full color. Demo #2: I switched over to 300 lb Arches hot press. It is a smoother and slicker paper. Lifting the paint is easier with this paper. This was a full-color study (note: full color is denoted by six color or more.) Adding just two more colors showed just a hint more variety of colors and helped accentuated temperature changes. Full color:
 LEFT: Limited color RIGHT: Full color AFTERNOON The Paint-A-Long: The afternoon demo was on 300 lb Arches cold press. This paper has a rougher surface and can take a good scrubbing. I felt the subject matter lends itself to it – the roughness would add an extra dimension. Finally, I firmly believe in the paint-a-long when teaching students. It’s a step-by-step instruction of how to build a painting. I selected a snow scene to help my students understand how temperature worked with the white of the snow.
  Checkout the great job my students accomplished in just one afternoon. Thank you Next Picture Show for inviting me to your beautiful gallery.
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Dale L Popovich IWSDale is an award-winning watercolorist and teacher passionate about capturing the raw beauty of the American landscape with the fluid stroke of a brush. As you will see, the works selected in his portfolio represent the depth of his holistic approach to painting. You can also learn with this talented and experienced teacher through his workshops, Palette & Chisel, and Popovich Studio classes. Archives
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