Advanced 301

Week 5: Composition

Focus is on understanding rule of thirds and basic composition principles.

Week 6: How to Breakdown Elements

Focus is on planning a painting from start to finish. Size determined by student.

You cannot rush this. You have to sit perfectly still and watch the water carry the color until it stops moving. It forces a state of "active observation" similar to watching clouds or a fire.

Use this to practice detachment. If a wash bleeds into an area you didn't intend, you have to accept it and pivot. It’s a physical exercise in the philosophy of "going with the flow" rather than fighting reality.

Acceptance begins with slowing down. We practice patience and timing, allowing each layer to fully dry before continuing. As watercolor dries, colors naturally shift and soften. Rather than resisting these changes, we observe them with curiosity and ease, trusting the process without judgment.

Week 5: Composition

Hands On: Making a Rule of Thirds grid finder.

Expressive vs. controlled effects
Creating texture with common tools
Introducing masking liquid, ex: Dr. Ph Martin's Bleed Proof White
Small experimental studies
Determine highlight and shadow and when to use warm or cool colors video reference

Goal: Learning the Rule of Thirds is one of the basic fundamentals to good photographs and paintings.