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Light And Shadows In Watercolor: Paint 6 Different Scenes

Master painting light and shadow in watercolor with our two-step method for stunning results! Read more.

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Course Skill Level
Beginner
Time Estimate
4h 13m

Hello, I'm Darren Yeo, a watercolour artist and teacher based in Melbourne, Australia. I am the founder of one of the largest watercolour learning communities, "Watercolour Mentor". My work features predominantly natural landscapes, urban streetscapes, and portraiture in watercolor medium. Watercolours are special to me because there is a sense of finality once an area has dried – you can’t erase or go over that area to ‘fix’ it. You need to accept and work with what is there. To lea

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About This Course

Who this course is for:

  • Beginner students learning watercolor
  • How to sketch in watercolors
  • Students looking to learn watercolor techniques
  • Beginner painters
  • Beginner students in watercolor
  • Students seeking to learn landscape painting

What you’ll learn: 

  • How to simplify a reference photograph and add light and shadows. I’ll show you how to create areas of interest by contrasting light and darkness next to each other. This will sometimes put you out of your comfort zone, but once both elements are together, you will see how essential it is to create contrast such as these in your painting to create convincing light effects.
  • Layering – watercolor painting is meant to be fun and quick. Learn how you only need 2-3 layers to complete a watercolor painting. I’ll show you how to paint the light in one layer and the shadows in the second layer.
  • How to use color effectively to create areas of interest to portray the mood of a scene. Layering a cool colored shadow over the top of a warm colored area can have spectacular effects.
  • How to create depth and richness in your paintings can be achieved by employing tones or playing with light and dark areas. I will show you how to paint different kinds of shadows, from smaller ones cast by objects and people to larger ones cast by buildings. The tone of the shadow is also crucial as some shadows are lighter than others in a painting, and it is important to have a combination of these in a painting.

Requirements: 

  • No prior knowledge is required to take this course

Hi, I’m Darren from Watercolor Mentor. You’ll learn how to paint light and shadow in watercolor convincingly in this course to create strong contrasts and realistic paintings.

Understanding tone and how to add shadows from a light source is one of the most challenging aspects of watercolor. It’s amazing how you can ‘create’ light in your paintings by simply adding a few shadows. 

I’ll show you how to do this quickly and easily with only a few brush strokes. Obtaining the right darkness of paint is important too when painting shadows as some shadows are softer and lighter, while others are darker and sharper. 

I’ll show you how to paint shadows for different situations. This class will challenge you to take risks and add in contrasting tones and brushstrokes which are essential for your progression in this medium.

I will show you my simplified two-step process in painting any landscape scene with light and shadows. There are six demonstrations with complete narration for you to follow along and paint.

By the end of this class, you’ll feel more confident in understanding how to simplify and paint complex landscapes and make that light pop out from the page.

Bonus Workshop Included: Paint Two Views of Venice

I’m excited to get started, so let’s get painting!

Course Project:

For the course project, follow along to the painting demonstrations. There are 6 unique landscapes with step-by-step narration. I’ve included the original reference photographs in this class and some simplified stencils for your convenience if you want to trace the scenes or would like a simplified reference picture to draw from. 

Try drawing each scene freehand, as this will build your drawing skills and allow you to compose and alter elements to make a unique scene. When painting, focus on the apparent areas of light and darkness in the reference photo. It is crucial to choose a light source, which sometimes means changing the direction of light from your reference photo. If you are unsure, look at my uploaded paintings for hints on shadow placement and direction.

If you have finished the 6 demonstrations featured in this course, pick a royalty-free photograph or perhaps one of your photographs of a landscape. Using the process and techniques described in this course, create your unique painting.

Note: Scanned images of my final paintings, tracing stencils, and the original (royalty-free) reference photographs are included in the materials lecture in this course.

Our Promise to You

By the end of this course, you will have learned how to paint light and shadow in watercolor.

10 Day Money Back Guarantee. If you are unsatisfied for any reason, simply contact us and we’ll give you a full refund. No questions asked.

Get started today!

Course Curriculum

Section 1 - Introduction
Introduction 00:00:00
Materials Required 00:00:00
Section 2 - 'Paint-Along' Demonstrations
Dresden – Subtle Shadows 1 00:00:00
Dresden – Subtle Shadows 2 00:00:00
New York, Manhattan – Colour And Shadows 1 00:00:00
New York, Manhattan – Colour And Shadows 2 00:00:00
Street Scene – Sharp And Soft Shadows 1 00:00:00
Street Scene – Sharp And Soft Shadows 2 00:00:00
Turkey – Complex Shadows On Buildings 1 00:00:00
Turkey – Complex Shadows On Buildings 2 00:00:00
Turkey Street Scene – Simple Building Shadows And Figures 00:00:00
Santiago – Simple Building Shadows And Figures 00:00:00
Course Project 00:00:00
Section 3 - Resources
Resources 00:00:00

About This Course

Who this course is for:

  • Beginner students learning watercolor
  • How to sketch in watercolors
  • Students looking to learn watercolor techniques
  • Beginner painters
  • Beginner students in watercolor
  • Students seeking to learn landscape painting

What you’ll learn: 

  • How to simplify a reference photograph and add light and shadows. I’ll show you how to create areas of interest by contrasting light and darkness next to each other. This will sometimes put you out of your comfort zone, but once both elements are together, you will see how essential it is to create contrast such as these in your painting to create convincing light effects.
  • Layering – watercolor painting is meant to be fun and quick. Learn how you only need 2-3 layers to complete a watercolor painting. I’ll show you how to paint the light in one layer and the shadows in the second layer.
  • How to use color effectively to create areas of interest to portray the mood of a scene. Layering a cool colored shadow over the top of a warm colored area can have spectacular effects.
  • How to create depth and richness in your paintings can be achieved by employing tones or playing with light and dark areas. I will show you how to paint different kinds of shadows, from smaller ones cast by objects and people to larger ones cast by buildings. The tone of the shadow is also crucial as some shadows are lighter than others in a painting, and it is important to have a combination of these in a painting.

Requirements: 

  • No prior knowledge is required to take this course

Hi, I’m Darren from Watercolor Mentor. You’ll learn how to paint light and shadow in watercolor convincingly in this course to create strong contrasts and realistic paintings.

Understanding tone and how to add shadows from a light source is one of the most challenging aspects of watercolor. It’s amazing how you can ‘create’ light in your paintings by simply adding a few shadows. 

I’ll show you how to do this quickly and easily with only a few brush strokes. Obtaining the right darkness of paint is important too when painting shadows as some shadows are softer and lighter, while others are darker and sharper. 

I’ll show you how to paint shadows for different situations. This class will challenge you to take risks and add in contrasting tones and brushstrokes which are essential for your progression in this medium.

I will show you my simplified two-step process in painting any landscape scene with light and shadows. There are six demonstrations with complete narration for you to follow along and paint.

By the end of this class, you’ll feel more confident in understanding how to simplify and paint complex landscapes and make that light pop out from the page.

Bonus Workshop Included: Paint Two Views of Venice

I’m excited to get started, so let’s get painting!

Course Project:

For the course project, follow along to the painting demonstrations. There are 6 unique landscapes with step-by-step narration. I’ve included the original reference photographs in this class and some simplified stencils for your convenience if you want to trace the scenes or would like a simplified reference picture to draw from. 

Try drawing each scene freehand, as this will build your drawing skills and allow you to compose and alter elements to make a unique scene. When painting, focus on the apparent areas of light and darkness in the reference photo. It is crucial to choose a light source, which sometimes means changing the direction of light from your reference photo. If you are unsure, look at my uploaded paintings for hints on shadow placement and direction.

If you have finished the 6 demonstrations featured in this course, pick a royalty-free photograph or perhaps one of your photographs of a landscape. Using the process and techniques described in this course, create your unique painting.

Note: Scanned images of my final paintings, tracing stencils, and the original (royalty-free) reference photographs are included in the materials lecture in this course.

Our Promise to You

By the end of this course, you will have learned how to paint light and shadow in watercolor.

10 Day Money Back Guarantee. If you are unsatisfied for any reason, simply contact us and we’ll give you a full refund. No questions asked.

Get started today!

Course Curriculum

Section 1 - Introduction
Introduction 00:00:00
Materials Required 00:00:00
Section 2 - 'Paint-Along' Demonstrations
Dresden – Subtle Shadows 1 00:00:00
Dresden – Subtle Shadows 2 00:00:00
New York, Manhattan – Colour And Shadows 1 00:00:00
New York, Manhattan – Colour And Shadows 2 00:00:00
Street Scene – Sharp And Soft Shadows 1 00:00:00
Street Scene – Sharp And Soft Shadows 2 00:00:00
Turkey – Complex Shadows On Buildings 1 00:00:00
Turkey – Complex Shadows On Buildings 2 00:00:00
Turkey Street Scene – Simple Building Shadows And Figures 00:00:00
Santiago – Simple Building Shadows And Figures 00:00:00
Course Project 00:00:00
Section 3 - Resources
Resources 00:00:00
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