Summer Gardenwith Cecilia Xiao

Lesson 1

Getting to know your teacher

Basic information about the course, greeting from the teacher.

Lesson 2

List of materials

In this lesson I will show you the materials that we will need in the course.

Lesson 3

«Red roses»

Duration: 2 hours

Who doesn’t love red roses? We will paint 3 red roses at their different blooming stages to discover their beauty.

You will learn to:

• sketch the roses on your watercolor paper with a pencil;
• select and blend colors;
• build up layers and create depth and dimension;
• create an atmospheric background using wet on wet technique.

Lesson 4

«Secret garden»

Duration: 2 hours

This painting is like a mysterious dream of a secret garden which doesn’t exist in the real world. Follow me to create your very own secret garden.

You will learn to:

• use what we learned in the last lesson to create an atmospheric background using wet on wet technique;
• composite a good painting;
• understand when is the best time to drop in colours;
• create interesting, circular or irregular spots and textures.

Lesson 5

«Waterlily pond»

Duration: 2 hours

The water lily pond is a serene and tranquil scene that captures the beauty of nature with its lush, reflective water, vibrant flowers, and delicate foliage. It’s a painting where light, water, and plants come together to create a peaceful, almost magical environment.

You will learn to:

• achieve a smooth yet atmospheric background;
• use lifting technique;
• use salt to create texture;
• paint reflections.

Lesson 6

Special effects in watercolors

In this lesson I will show unusual techniques for working with watercolors, with the help of which you will be able to create more interesting paintings.

Lesson 7

«The fairy bird»

Duration: 2 hours

This bird with a beautiful long tail is not a realistic one. I believe she is a fairy. She is lonely and elegant and is enjoying the peaceful moment.

You will learn to:

• layer colours to create depth;
• apply bold brush strokes;
• use the technique of negative painting;
• splatter paints to create a speckled, random pattern.

Lesson 8

«Greetings from the wind»

Duration: 2 hours

It is a summer morning. The sunlight is shining out of the window. Your orchid is thriving on the windowsill. The cool breeze invites a new day with a fresh start.

You will learn to:

• apply different techniques to preserve the white areas of the paper;
• apply the masking fluid;
• create light and shadow in your painting;
• paint sheer curtains in watercolour.

Lesson 9

«Splash fun»

Duration: 2 hours

We all laugh when we see these cute and happy ducks.

You will learn to:

• apply wet-on-dry technique to produce sharper, more defined edges and clear lines;
• use Color Bleeding technique to get an interesting and lively effect;
• use Spattering or Flicking technique: Flicking or splattering paint onto the paper using a brush, a toothbrush;
• paint shining reflections.

Lesson 10

Workplace Overview

In this lesson I will show you my place for creativity and share with you some lifehacks on how to organize it.

Lesson 11

«Crab apple blossoms»

Duration: 2 hours

Delicate Crab apple blossoms are a delightful and charming sight in spring. These small flowers with long stems burst forth in clusters, creating a stunning display that catches the eye.

You will learn to:

• built composition of a burst of blossoms;
• create harmonious, balanced and visually appealing artworks;
• use layering of colours to create depth and dimension;
• understand wet and dry brush strokes.

Lesson 12

«Wisterias»

Duration: 2 hours

Painting wisterias in watercolor can be a beautiful and captivating challenge, as their delicate, cascading blooms and the overall ethereal nature of the plant lend themselves well to the fluidity and transparency of watercolor.

You will learn to:

• apply a light wash to achieve a soft and gradient background;
• block in the base colors of the wisteria;
• mix different and vivid purple colours to add detail to the clusters;
• control water and natural flow on your watercolor paper.