Watercolour for beginners at Gordon Library

Next date: Wednesday, 09 September 2026 | 12:45 PM to 03:45 PM

Due to Art Centre maintenance during Term 3, this class will be held at Gordon Library Meeting Room 1.

This course is for beginners who want to explore the fundamentals of watercolour painting. We will cover traditional techniques and introduce innovative ideas through understanding, colour, line, tone, composition, shading and perspective.

You will learn watercolour drawing, composing a work while looking at proportion and balance of colours, how to apply washes, colour mixing, layering colours, lifting off, textural experiment, cast shadow, use of gouache, stretching paper and how to use masking fluid.

There will be practical demonstrations observing from still life compositions and working from your own or Marguerite’s source material reflecting the subject and finish with group discussions and feedback.

Suitable for beginners. More advanced students welcome. 

A standard adult enrolment for one full 9-week term is $420. For pensioners with a current pension card, the fee is discounted to $315. To book into both Terms 3 & 4 at a discounted rate (10% off the second term), choose the Semester Ticket option at checkout. If you would like to book an additional course in the same Term, please contact the Art Centre for a discount code to apply to your second course booking.

Materials list

Either tubes or pans, colours should include: Lemon Yellow, Cadmium Yellow, Cadmium Red, Alizarin Crimson, Permanent Rose, Dioxazine Purple, Ultramarine, Turquoise, Viridian, Sap Green, Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber, Payne’s Grey, Lamp Black, Chinese White, White Gouache

- Paper: sheets, pads or blocks of 300gsm paper cold and hot pressed 

- Brushes: a small round one, a medium round one, a half-inch or inch wash brush

- Palette – plastic or old plate 

- Water container

- Paper towel

- Sea sponge

- Support panel – (Large enough for your paper and border)

- Masking tape

- Pencils: 2B and 4B

- Art Journal A4

- Putty rubber

- or bring along what you have.

When

Location

Gordon Library, 799 Pacific Hwy, Gordon, 2072, View Map