Current Classes

Watercolor for Absolute Beginners

Classes for May - July 2024

If you resolved to “get more creative” last January,
here’s a good place to start.

I offer the following:
Absolute Beginner 5-week classes (Studio and Zoom)
Intermediate 4-week classes (Studio and Zoom)
1-Day Beginner Workshops in the Studio
Drop-In classes on selected Thursdays at 1 pm,
One-Topic 3-week classes on one topic (Studio and Zoom)
Individual instruction (Studio and Zoom)

Current class dates and descriptions, plus full details, are below.

* If you find a typo or date error, kindly let me know. *

Have questions? Want to sign up? Just email me!

May - July CLASSES IN THE STUDIO, by date:

See the LIST of 3-Week Classes on One Topic below, with descriptions:

SATURDAY, MAY 18

ABSOLUTE BEGINNER 1-DAY WORKSHOP - Studio

Introduce yourself to watercolor in just one day. You’ll learn the basics as we paint simple fruits, flowers, and a landscape. Materials Kit is $65, or for a $5 materials fee, you can borrow all the supplies you need and of course keep your paintings.

Examples: https://www.pinterest.com/jiaconetti/1-wcbeginner-class/

Fee: $140

Time: 11 am to 4-4:30 pm, with 45 min. for lunch

Dates: SATURDAY, May 18

TUE May 21

Exploring COMPOSITION AND VALUES with Landscapes

The rules of composition are rules for a reason, and they’re not complicated. Learn how to use them, and how to improve your tonal/value range, to rescue old paintings and create better ones through rearranging, eliminating, or adding elements. We’ll create variations of simple landscapes and perhaps a tablescape, aka a still life.
https://www.pinterest.com/jiaconetti/wccompostn-color-value/

Fee: $155

Time: 6 to 8:30 pm

Dates: Tuesdays, May 21, 28, June 4

THURSDAY DROP-IN Classes

Everyone works on his/her own painting, and I help everyone individually, with demos if necessary. Contact me to get a weekly email invitation; if you’d like to attend, just email me back. First come first served.

Fee: $45 per session

Time: 1 to 3:30 pm

Dates: Tuesdays, May 23, 30, June 6, 13

WED MAY 29

FRUITS AND VEGGIES on ZOOM

Want to paint something easy, colorful and charming? Portraits of edibles (no, not that kind!) make appealing “kitchen paintings,” and can become gifts or greeting cards for friends and family.

Examples: https://www.pinterest.com/jiaconetti/wcedibles/

Fee: $125 for three ZOOM Classes

Time: 6 pm till 8 pm on Zoom

SAT JUNE 1

Absolute Beginner SATURDAY 5-WEEK CLASS - Studio
See description below.

https://www.pinterest.com/jiaconetti/1-wcbeginner-class/

Fee: $275

Time: 12 Noon till 2:30 pm

Dates: SATURDAYS, June 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

TUE JUNE 11

SKIES AND SEAS

Blue skies, stormy skies, colorful sunsets…calm water and rolling waves. Lots of techniques on wet and dry paper, plus dry brush and glazing in layers. Skies are a great opportunity to relax, let go, and experiment.

Examples: https://www.pinterest.com/jiaconetti/wcskies-seas/

Fee: $155

Time: 6 to 8:30 pm

Dates: TUESDAYS, June 11, 18, 25

THUR JUNE 20

Absolute Beginner 5-WEEK CLASS - Studio
Description below

https://www.pinterest.com/jiaconetti/1-wcbeginner-class/

Fee: $275

Time: 1 to 3:30 pm

Dates: THURSDAYS, June 20, 27, NO CLASS JULY 4, July 11, 18, 25

Class Descriptions

See above for dates for both STUDIO and ZOOM

ABSOLUTE BEGINNER CLASS Description

The Absolute Beginner Class covers all the basic watercolor techniques with simple exercises. You’ll learn water control, paint consistencies, color mixing, creating highlights and shadows, and differences in working on wet and dry paper...while creating simple fruits, flowers, foliage, and a landscape. Lots of individual help and demos.

You'll receive an email recap of each session, with video and tutorial suggestions for homework (encouraged, but NEVER mandatory).

We'll work from some of these ideas on my Pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.com/jiaconetti/zoom-wk1-beginner-basics/

Fee: Beginner ZOOM Class is $185 for five weeks.

Dates: WEDNESDAYS on Zoom tba

Time: 6 pm till 8 pm on ZOOM

Fee: Thursday Beginner STUDIO Class is $275 for five weeks.

Dates: THURSDAYS tba

Time: 1 pm till 3:30 pm in the Studio

Fee: Saturday Beginner STUDIO Class is $275 for five weeks.

Dates: SATURDAYS , starting June 1

Time: 12 noon till 2:30 pm in the Studio

DROP-IN CLASS - THURSDAYS 1 pm - STUDIO

I now offer a DROP-IN CLASS in the STUDIO on selected Thursdays from 1 pm till 3:30 pm, alternating with the 5-week Thursday ABSOLUTE BEGINNER class, and sometimes with the INTERMEDIATE Class..

The next Drop In Class series will start on Thursday, May 23, 20, June 5, 12 for four weeks.

Just email me to get on the list for invitations to the Drop In Thursdays class (no obligation to show up unless you want to attend, of course). The Drop-In class means you can come to one, two, three, or more sessions, paying as you go, $45 per session.

Everyone paints their own image/project, but I almost always do a demo of various subject matter in every class, based on your suggestions. Plenty of individual help for whatever you’re doing (including ‘rescuing’ paintings that you gave up on).

Fee: $45 per session, pay as you go, cash or Zelle or Venmo

Dates: four Thursdays, starting May 23, 2024

Time: 1 pm till 3:30 pm in the Studio

KIDS’ ART CLASSES

I teach only adults, but my colleague Norma Greenwood offers classes for kids Pre-K to 3rd grade. She’s a certified NY State teacher and professional artist in my Union Square building. Norma’s site: https://artykidsart.com/ Email: artykidsart@gmail.com

UPCOMING SOON, July - September

ANIMAL PORTRAITS
Lots of demos of for realistic fur, feathers, mixing neutral hues, detailed eyes. Trace and paint your own pet – send me a photo and I’ll email back a simplified tracing for you. Paint a gift for friends or family…cats, dogs, birds, elephants, dinosaurs, whatever! One of my fave classes to teach.

Some examples: https://www.pinterest.com/jiaconetti/wcanimals-3-wkclass/

Dates: Three Wednesdays, dates to come

Time: 6 till 8 pm on ZOOM

Fee: $125 for 3 Zoom sessions, via cash, Zelle or Venmo.

BIRDS AND MORE BIRDS

TUESDAYS – STUDIO tbd

Because there are hundreds of interesting birds to paint. Learn to do colorful parrot feathers, tiny sparrows, giant vultures and eagles, and their beady little eyes.

https://www.pinterest.com/jiaconetti/wcanim-birds-butterflies/

SEMI-ABSTRACT LANDSCAPE
TUESDAYS – STUDIO tbd

andLearn to get looser with larger brushes, larger paper (if you like), and lots of water. We’ll also try using liquid acrylic inks. All it takes is a little courage and washable clothing. This is for Intermediate Level -- those who have taken the Beginner Class at least once, or those with previous watercolor experience.

Examples: https://www.pinterest.com/jiaconetti/wc-zoom-landscape/abstract-landscape/

Time: Three Tuesdays - future dates to come

Fee: $155 for 3 in-person sessions, via Zelle or Venmo.

** Suggestions for class topics are welcome. **

BY APPOINTMENT:

INDIVIDUAL INSTRUCTION in the STUDIO and on ZOOM

Private lessons are by appointment; usually weekdays, mid-day on Monday, Tuesday, or Friday, and limited evenings. We can focus on whatever interests you, and you’ll have all my attention as we work at your own pace. Please email me with questions.

The Studio fee is $95 for an hour and 45 minutes; if you bring a friend, it’s $85 per person. The Zoom fee is $75 for an hour and 45 minutes; if two of you attend, it’s $65 per person

**********

** Suggestions for class topics are welcome. **

Studio classes are 2.5 hours long; Zoom classes are 2 hours long (sometimes a bit more).

“WHAT IF I HAVE TO MISS A CLASS?” Missed classes can always be made up during that week’s session any time in any identical class, concurrent or future, space permitting; or in any identical future class on Zoom.

HOW TO REGISTER: All you have to do is EMAIL ME and tell me two things: which class(es) and which date(s) you want.

MATERIALS KIT is available for $65, plus shipping (which is about $12-15, if you can't pick it up on Union Square). It includes everything you’ll need: five brushes, small plastic folding palette with ten colors (half a tube each), and a 12-sheet pad of Arches 100% cotton paper (about 15-20% less than buying it all yourself). If you run out of a color during the Studio class, you’ll get more paint free of charge.

HOW TO PAY: Via Zelle or Venmo before class begins.
My username: joanwc Cell: 917-804-1635. To use a credit card, I can send you a PayPal invoice. (Apologies: PP now adds a $9 surcharge for invoices.)