Backgrounds & Shadows
April 22 - June 3
6-week course
Immediate access
Artists often find themselves stuck, questioning how to approach the background. Should it be a solid color, or should it reflect the complexity of the scene? How do you make the background interesting without overshadowing the main subject? These are crucial considerations that can make or break a piece of art.
In this 6-week course, we will explore various options, tips, and techniques to tackle backgrounds and shadows with confidence. We’ll keep things simple and easy to follow, so you can apply what you’ve learned and take your watercolor skills to the next level. You'll also have the opportunity to create two beautiful paintings that will help reinforce the concepts discussed, and I believe you'll truly enjoy the process!
In this immersive watercolor course, you'll learn how to capture the delicate beauty of shadows and develop interesting backgrounds.
Everyone paints at a different pace, and with that in mind, the schedule below will be our meeting goals
Meetings are scheduled every other week to allow you time to work on your projects with meetings that last 1 hr to review paintings, answer questions, and problem-solve.
Meeting dates
- April 22: Introduction and Getting Started
- May 6: Reviews, Backgrounds, and exercise reviews
- May 20: Reviews, Apple Blossom, Demonstrations & Q&A
- June 3: Reviews, Quince, Demonstrations, & Q&A
Meeting time
- 12 PM - 1 PM / New York
- 11 AM - 12 PM / Chicago
- 10 AM - 11 PM / Denver
- 9 AM - 10 AM / San Francisco
- Find your timezone
Paintings chosen for live meeting reviews best represent common issues that are helpful to the entire community; not all paintings may be reviewed during the sessions.
Included in the 6-week course
This structured approach offers the perfect balance of independence, expert guidance, and community interaction to foster your skill development and artistic confidence.
Explore
Explore new ideas and techniques that can be effortlessly incorporated into any painting to alter its tone and overall mood.
Shadows and Values
Apply the techniques you've learned to create a composition featuring an apple blossom and explore the subtle interplay of delicate shadows to enhance the overall depth and mood of the painting.
Backgrounds
Dive deeper into your painting by adding backgrounds, exploring how they can create depth and dimension, and enhance the overall composition.
View the Curriculum
- Light, Medium Bold Primary colors
- Watercolor Painting terms
- What you will need
- About brushes
- Setting up the Palette
- Tearing paper
- About Paper
- Paper type affects your painting
- Make your own pad of paper
- About Watercolor Paint
- Color Charts
- Warm, Cool, and Transparent Color
- Warm, Cool, and Transparent Color PDF
- Values and Water-to-color blends
- Where and when to sign a painting
- Common painting mistakes
- Material List - Quince
- Quince Intro (2:18)
- Quince Getting Started (6:58)
- Quince 2 The underpainting (9:47)
- Quince 3 Layering color (9:12)
- Quince 4 Shadow & Problem solving (4:46)
- Quince 5 How to fix a blossom (5:35)
- Quince 6 Adding the background (13:52)
- Quince 7 Layer Color (5:49)
- Post your painting
Why a 6-week course?
If you're looking for the quickest way to improve your painting skills, be inspired to grow as an artist, and be accountable, this is for you.
Over the span of six weeks, you’ll have the flexibility to work through the curriculum at your own pace, while also having access to personalized support. You can ask questions at any time, submit your paintings for feedback and reviews, and participate in optional bi-weekly interactive one-hour meetings. These live sessions include Q&A and painting reviews, where we’ll address common challenges and provide practical solutions to help you overcome them.
Student paintings
Here are just a few of the student paintings from this very popular course.
What students say
" Just wanted to say WOW !!! your way of approaching a painting is very different (yes I do start with the background first) and sometimes I'm doubting the process .... but then I follow through and ... WOW ... it all comes together. I simply do NOT understand how you can foresee the end result of a painting without the background - I am blown away by the process. " A Chapis
"Love the bonus material. What a bonus :)" Loree Landry
"The format is perfect for me, I love your classes as it gives me lots of time to work on the paintings. The interactive online sessions are fantastic!" Lynn
"Thank you for the brilliant lessons. You are easy to listen to and you are so thorough with your explanations. Your approach is so rewarding. Thank you so much." Wendy McLennan
"You are an excellent instructor organized, informative and thorough with your presentations. You have created a supportive course that helps to make ne feel successful." Trish Kuncewicz
I never had the courage to put such a background on a painting before taking your lessons, I can see how much of an improvement it makes". Jeanne Hall
"A DREAM come true, YOU make learning fun, accessible! Your instruction makes it possible, Frances Gill-Turano
“My confidence has been boosted. The lessons are so easy to follow. Thank you so much for putting together these courses." Barbara Nelson
"I love the feedback you give, it's way more than I have received before. I find it so valuable. I look forward to doing more. Jann Clare
About Birgit O'Connor
Status of the (NWWS) NorthWest Watercolor Society, (LWS) Lousiana Watercolor Society, (CWA) California Watercolor Society.
Top-selling books include “Watercolor in Motion,” “Paint Watercolor Flowers,” and “Watercolor Essentials.” she has also been published in over 60 other national and international publications, such as Splash, Watercolor Magazine, American Watercolor Magazine, International Artist Magazine, Australian Artist Magazine, the New York Times, SF Gate, Watercolor Magazine, Dobry Zank (Poland), and L’Art de aquarelle (France).
A featured instructor with many Art Centers and Watercolor Societies throughout the United States and Canada, and faculty member of Watercolor Live 2020, 2021, 2023. Additionally, her work has been juried into several national and international exhibitions. She has also served as a judge and juror for numerous shows, including the Transparent Watercolor Society of America. Her memberships include Cambridge Who’s Who, Who's Who in America, and Who’s Who in American Women.