Wild Iris Workshop
Date: April 26
Online workshop - includes replay
This mini-workshop offers a structured approach to painting at your own pace, with a balance of expert guidance plus community interaction to foster your skill development and artistic confidence.
This workshop is paced to inspire and improve your painting skills as an artist. Paint along live or sit back, relax, and paint later with the recording.
This workshop will explore essential watercolor techniques, such as layering, glazing, and blending to create depth and texture in a Wild Iris painting. You’ll also learn how to capture the petals' intricate patterns and gentle color gradients and portray the transparency and lightness that make petals so enchanting.
Once you enroll, you'll gain immediate access to reference photos, the line drawing, and preparation instructions.
Meeting time
- 12 PM - 4 PM / New York
- 11 AM - 3 PM / Chicago
- 10 AM - 2 PM / Denver
- 9 AM - 1 PM / San Francisco
About the workshop
Work with the water-to-color ratio and the paper's surface to create delicate veining within the flower.
Dive into the illusion of lifting petals by using values.
Learn to explore options for different kinds of backgrounds and how they affect the feeling of the painting.
Whether you're a beginner or an experienced artist, this class will guide you step-by-step through the process of painting this elegant flower using a combination of soft washes and fine details.
Delicate petals
Explore the water-to-color ratio, reserving highlights, and how not to overwork the flower to capture delicate petals.
Enhance a layer color
Discover how the simple brushstroke of color can push the painting with intrigue and confidence.
Shadows
Learn that not all shadows are equal; it all has to do with values and edges.
What You Will Learn:
- Techniques for painting delicate petals and intricate details using watercolors.
- Tips on layering to create depth and dimension.
- How to use gradients and washes for a smooth transition of colors.
- Best practices for working with watercolor’s unpredictable nature, from wet-on-wet to dry brush techniques.
- Building up layers to add depth and dimension to your flower.
- Creating highlights and shadows to give your painting life.
- How to design a pleasing composition.
- How to mix and achieve the delicate hues of the Iris.
By the end of the workshop, you'll have the skills to create your own floral paintings and a deeper understanding of how to bring other floral subjects to life on paper.
Includes
- Line drawings- no real drawing skills are required
- Segmented, easy to follow step-by-step video lessons
- Reference photos and line drawing
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.
