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I’m really, really busy! Will I be able to learn to paint?
Yes, you will. It really can be done in just one or two hours a week. Because the courses are carefully structured you will find it easy to learn in small steps which won’t be too taxing and should be enjoyable and even relaxing!. Of course it makes it quicker if you have a spare room or a desk where you can leave your painting stuff out, but it really doesn’t take long if you do have to put it out and pack it away each time.
How long are the courses?
This depends on how fast you want to learn! The lessons are sent to you over a period of time as shown below, but you can actually do the course entirely at your own speed. If you want to go slower, then just save the emails and download the lessons as and when you like. If you want to take the course more quickly, just email me and I’ll send you all the links to the entire course, once payment is complete.
The watercolour course (32 issues) lasts for 15 months with a new lesson every two weeks (the first five lessons come to you weekly).
The acrylics course is 24 issues long sent to you over six months.
The drawing course is 16 issues and lasts for four months.
The oil course is 7 issues which are sent to you over six weeks.
I’m not sure I can commit myself to time every week for the whole course. Can I still do the course?
Yes. It doesn’t matter if you find you can’t keep up, or if you decide to take a break for a while, or if you want to take as long as you like over the course. The lessons are sent to you on a regular basis, but that doesn’t mean you have to do the work by the time the next issue comes. You can either download and print off the lessons and use them when you have time, or save the links to the issues online and download whenever you like. So there is absolutely no time pressure.
Do I have to complete each lesson in a set time, or can I work totally at my own pace?
The lessons are sent to you on a regular basis but you can do them at your own pace. If you want to go slower you can just save the links and go to them as and when suits you. If you want to go faster, then just email me and I can send the whole course to you for you to take at a quicker pace.
Am I right in saying that there are videos to watch on the computer, and written material which I should print out?
There is a video that is embedded in the webpage that comes with each lesson. You can also choose to download the video so you can watch it offline if you like.. There are just a few pages of course material to print off with each lesson. It is best to print these off and put them into a file which you can refer to at any time, but you can also view them as pdf pages on your computer.
Is my work assessed or examined in any way?
Only if you want it to be! You don’t have to submit any paintings at all for assessment and your work will not be examined. You are safe to practice in the privacy of your own home, quite undisturbed by any tutor! However if you would like me to see any of your paintings and help you out by encouragement and advice, then you can always send them to me by E-mail, and I’ll be happy to help wherever I can.
What if I get stuck?
Then e-mail me, and I’ll try and help you out. Or if you like use the message board to ask fellow artists what to do.
What if I go on holiday and miss and issue?
E-mails are sent out to you automatically with a link to the next issue, so there is no possibility of you missing an issue, as the e-mails will download to your computer when you get home.
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I’m a complete beginner - is this a problem?
Absolutely not. In fact the courses start with you in mind. You will find everything you need to help you along the way, starting with materials to buy, to how to mix paint and how to use your brushes. So don’t worry - you CAN do it!
I haven’t any equipment.
Don’t worry, you won’t need to buy lots and lots of stuff. I’ve tried to keep to a minimum amount of materials in each course There’s a complete list with Part 1 of each course.
For the watercolour course I recommend the following materials :
Paints: two reds: cadmium red light and alizarin crimson
two blues: French ultramarine and cerulean blue
two yellows: cadmium yellow pale and lemon yellow
Two earth colours: yellow ochre (or raw sienna) and burnt sienna
Brushes: a size 10 round, a size 4 round, a 1cm (3/8”) flat and a size 1 rigger
Paper: 300gsm (140lb) watercolour paper.
Can I use my own materials?
Yes, you can, although for each course I do recommend a few specific materials to start with. (Look on the section above to see what we will be using on the watercolour course.)
I want to learn, but I can’t draw.
I believe that everybody can learn to draw, it is just a matter of being shown how! During the watercolour course we will cover the essential aspects of drawing, and I will show you the way step by step. Many of us stopped drawing when we were quite young and so our drawings still have a childlike quality to them. We can overcome this by learning to see things as they really are and by learning some easy tricks to help us draw what we see. This course will help you do this.
I’ve already got some painting experience. Will I find the early parts of the courses too easy?
In the first few issues I do cover the basics. But even here I think you will find some very useful stuff. It sometimes helps to go back over certain simple exercises just to remind ourselves of things we have forgotten! And with each issue I have tried to give ideas for those who have some experience to use the exercises in a deeper way. I also believe that we can easily forget some of the basic rules of painting, and to revisit these will help all of us to paint better.
You will also find that the teaching material will soon progress to the stage where you are being challenged in your painting, and you will come across new methods and ideas that will stimulate your creativity. This course really is for all.
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How much do the courses cost?
Check out the prices here - and don’t forget you can get amazing discounts by signing up for the News-and-info mailings.
What if I pay and find I don’t like the course?
I am absolutely sure you will love this course. However if you should choose to cancel within the first 30 days I will completely refund your subscription fee, so there is no risk at all.
Why should I pay when there is free art instruction available on the web?
Good question! The free material is usually of good quality, but it has limitations in that it often only shows a few sample exercises, or a small range of watercolour techniques, usually in the style of the artist concerned.
These courses are completely different as they are structured in such a way that you can learn bit by bit and build up your skills in a progressive way that really teaches you to paint. Learning one or two handy tips from a free site can be useful, but is also very limited. With my courses you will learn how to paint from the beginning, and you will build up a handy ‘how to’ reference library which will inspire you for the rest of your painting days. And I will show you plenty of different approaches to the same subject so you can have a go at different styles and choose those you feel most at home with.
Learn to do Watercolour Painting also has sections on how to use colour, composition and texture to enhance your paintings, how to draw what you see, and how to paint just about anything! It is so much more than just a few ideas!
You will also find that there are several good art instruction magazines to buy, but they too have their drawbacks. If you are wanting to learn watercolour, you will often find that a large percentage of the magazine is devoted to other things (oils, pastels, adverts etc..), so the watercolour part is again quite limited. Why pay money for something you can’t use?
With this course, it is watercolour all the way, so every page is of interest to you. This is one of the main reasons I have started this course - so you only receive the most relevant and the best watercolour tuition available anywhere.
I’ve got an Apple Mac. Will I be able to see the videos and download the material?
Yes, although you may need to download some compatible software.
The Mac can't play .wmv files by default so if you can’t download them you will need to go to "Mactopia" and download either Windows Media Player 9 for Mac, or an alternate program called Flip4Mac (also available there) that interfaces with QuickTime's video player to play .wmv's. The URL at MacTopia is: http://www.microsoft.com/mac/products/flip4mac.mspx
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