In this lesson, you’ll deepen your understanding of watercolor techniques through exercises in paint-to-water ratios, brush control, and edge quality. You’ll create value swatches using the tea, coffee, milk, and butter analogies on dry and damp paper, observing differences in texture and movement. Catherine will guide you through creating a flat wash and smooth gradations before applying these techniques in watercolor value studies of a cube and a still-life cast, focusing on edge control and believable values.

This lesson belongs to the course Sketchbooking From Life. In this 6-week course, artist Catherine Bobkoski guides you through the essential practice of sketchbooking from life, using watercolor, pencil, and pen. Each week, you’ll engage in practical sketching exercises and techniques, exploring line work, value scales, color mixing, and composition through still-lifes, flowers, landscapes, and portraits. Catherine’s lessons emphasize observation, experimentation, and simplification, helping you refine fundamental drawing and painting skills while confidently capturing the essence of your subject. The course also includes an archive of student assignment critiques, offering valuable insights into applied sketchbooking. By the end of the course, you’ll have the tools and confidence to transform your sketchbook into a space for artistic growth and personal expression.

Throughout this course, you’ll have access to the NMA community for feedback and critiques to improve your work as you progress.