LIVE ONLINE WORKSHOP
SKIES IN WATERCOLOR – A DIRECT METHOD
with Jem Bowden, Professional Artist & Mentor
Paint dynamic, atmospheric watercolor skies.
Create dynamic skies and cloudscapes using a maximum four colors.
Soft (including ‘wet in wet’) and hard edge technique in combination.
An expressive, bold ‘see what happens’ approach.
Some ‘need for speed’ and to focus on the process,
Audience: Fine Art Painters
Mediums: Watercolor
Stage: Aspiring, Emerging
Session Dates & Times:
Tuesday
February 17th
12:00-2:30 pm MT / 2:00-4:30 pm ET /
7:00-9:30pm GMT
$55.00
Out of stock
WORKSHOP Description
In this two and a half hour workshop Jem Bowden will introduce his approach and methods for sky and cloud painting.
Jem’s ‘direct’ approach to watercolor requires acceptance of uncorrected ‘mistakes’, embracing a degree of hit and miss in the process, but always vitality in the results. It may be enjoyed by those wishing to develop a ‘loose’ or impressionistic approach to capturing atmosphere in landscape watercolor.
Level
Aimed mostly at aspiring or intermediate level watercolorists, having some previous experience of the medium and wanting to stretch themselves. More advanced painters looking for a fresh approach may also get a lot from the workshop. Absolute beginners whilst welcome would find aspects very challenging and potentially offputting. It tends to be that they either have some luck or don’t, resulting in whether or not they see the potential in the method.
The workshop covers the use of:
Four colours maximum and minimal brushes.
Soft (including ‘wet in wet’) and hard edge technique in combination
Expressive, bold ‘see what happens’ approach.
Some ‘need for speed’!
Structure of the workshop
Jem will firstly discuss some references, which are provided for each student. The beginning point is careful observation.
Jem will then proceed with a short demonstration.
The main part of the workshop follows after this, with students following along as Jem breaks it all down to quickfire exercises that start simple and gradually build in complexity towards an overall approach.
Come willing to use up paper and paint boldly!
The two and a half hours will fly by, and you’ll leave hopefully with inspiration and a number of ideas to follow up that will require ongoing practise. There will be no ‘finished piece’.
Following each short exercise demonstration Jem will leave some time for students to have a go at the exercise, being meanwhile available to answer questions, before continuing with the next demonstration.
In this way probably between five and ten different sky paintings will be created during the two and a half hours, with students gradually getting more of a grasp of the method.
Please refer to the Materials list for details of what you need to bring and prepare in order to get the most possible out of the workshop.
Feel free to contact Jem in advance if you have any questions at all, by email: jembowdenwatercolour@gmail.com
🎥 WORKSHOP RECORDINGS available for 1-MONTH after the course ends!
High School, University, and College students get 20% OFF. See FAQs at the bottom of page.
Supply List
Materials List:
Please take time to read the following carefully and bring with you whatever ‘best fit’ you can obtain for the following:
Two blues and two ‘earthy reds’/browns. TUBE PAINTS, not pans. Student quality is fine.
A warm and a cool of each should allow you to find colour mixes that you like, though even this is not especially necessary for the two hours of the workshop.
Jem will be using his usual: Winsor & Newton Artist Quality: Winsor Blue (Red shade), French Ultramarine, Indian Red and Light Red.
We will begin our exercises using just two of the four colours. (You might like to test out your colour choice before the workshop. What you are aiming for is a blue and browny-red combination that allows you a reasonably convincing cloud ‘grey’ colour. Many possible combinations will allow for this.)
BRUSHES (made for watercolour, not other mediums)
At least one ‘Wash’ brush, medium/large.
Many types can be fine, but a large natural hair is good. (For info, Jem uses the squirrel hair quill ‘mop’ type.)
A least one medium/large size synthetic ‘Round’ brush with a good point (size 12 – 18 approximately, but sizes can vary a lot between brands which makes it difficult for me to describe this to you exactly).
This is the minimum requirement in terms of brushes. More/other watercolour brushes could be useful in addition. Bring all you have if that’s easy, so you have a choice and can hopefully arrive at the best sizes as we go along, though SMALL brushes will be little use.
Large (the larger the better) watercolour palette, ideally with several separate (large-ish!) mixing areas. Small spaces are a hindrance and should be avoided. One very large open space can also work fine.
PAPER
Plenty of paper! Either cold-pressed/’Not’ or Rough. Minimum of 300g/140lb weight.
Watercolour paper types can differ hugely, which is always an issue.
Jem uses a wood pulp-based (i.e. not cotton) paper, specifically the brand ‘Bockingford’, cold-pressed (usually 425g/200lb weight) by St Cuthbert’s Mill.
Cotton papers can be used, but it is a fact that different papers will give substantially differing results and require different ‘timing’ to what you will see demonstrated. Therefore if you are able to obtain the paper Jem uses, or similar, it should be helpful to you.
Size is not dictated, but you will want some small (very approximately 6 x 8 inch) sheets (or larger sheets divided up into sections is absolutely fine). And some others about twice this size, and possibly a couple of sheets larger than that if you are accustomed to working quite large, and have large brushes.
Jem advises not working very large (in your own terms) for these exercises as they become substantially harder the larger you go, with no real benefit! But you do want a bit of a range, allowing you to try larger as we go along.
If possible and to help us keep to time well during the workshop, please pre-prepare at least a couple of sheets, taped down to board/s along two edges of the paper at least, with masking tape or similar.
At the smallest size, paper within pads is okay, but in general it is best to remove larger sheets and tape them down so that they do not buckle and curl up once wetted.
Jem usually uses the self-adhesive brown ‘craft’ or ‘framer’s tape’ but masking tape is fine.
For larger sheets do tape along all four sides.
Jem will be demonstrating at between approx. eighth and quarter imperial size mostly, and even smaller for the first few quick exercises.
We want to have our board at a slight angle; between approx. 10 and 30 degrees. So have something to prop up your board, or use a desk easel if you have one.
Finally:
Absorbent rag or cloth for drying brush.
Toilet or kitchen roll for mopping up mishaps – or also for the above.
Soft pencil, eraser
Two water pots or jars; one for dirty, one for clean.
Instructor Bio
Jem Bowden is a plein air watercolour landscape artist whose paintings aspire to evoke the feeling of ‘being there’. His inspiration is beauty, awe, and those moments of felt connection with nature. Jem began painting landscapes as a child, discovering JMW Turner at about age ten, and later the French Impressionists. The British watercolour landscape tradition particularly influenced his development, with plein air painting becoming central to his practice. He paints outdoors whenever possible, finding that direct immersion, observation and response are essential to harnessing inspiration, a compelled and meaningful process, and to capturing the spirit of place. As a tutor, Jem loves to demystify watercolour and the visual world, making them accessible to painters at all levels. While he has won awards for his work, he finds greatest reward in helping others progress with their own painting, and hopes to bring people and the natural world closer together. MORE ABOUT JEM Jem turned professional as a full-time watercolour landscape painter and teacher in 2016, though he has been a dedicated plein air painter for most of his life. His path has been guided by a commitment to creativity and personal integrity rather than seeking the conventional markers of career success. This approach shapes not only his art but also how he works with students. Jem shares his knowledge fully and generously on all aspects of painting and the authentic painter’s life. He is an encouraging tutor who believes in honesty and directness—with his students and from them in return. This mutual forthrightness, combined with a spirit of openness and experimentation, is how real progress happens. While he can help anyone become a better painter, he doesn’t mentor with a focus on ‘business success’ or professional advancement. His interest lies in the deeper questions: developing not only your skills, but finding purpose and building a sustainable, fulfilling practice. For Jem, painting is a practice of presence, spontaneity and commitment approached without fear or expectation. It is ultimately a psychological and philosophical matter, a continual challenge, as well as a therapy! Jem’s experience includes authoring the Watercolour Diploma course for London Art College, contributing regular features to The Artist and Leisure Painter magazine for over a decade (among others), and being invited as both demonstrator and exhibitor at the International Watercolour Masters. He has created instructional videos and tutored courses at home and abroad, though in recent years he focuses primarily on teaching in his local area of Scotland and online, where he can work more intimately with dedicated students. Beyond credentials or accolades, Jem believes that any true ‘artist statement’ is found in the paintings themselves— particularly in the spirit of the process with which they are made.
