A beginners guide to contemporary botanical watercolour with Natalie Martin
Welcome! My name is Natalie Martin and I'm a watercolour artist based in Victoria, Australia. This is my first online course, and where else do you start but at the beginning? In this self-paced beginners guide to contemporary watercolour we start from square one and build your skills and confidence towards painting botanical specimen from observation. I have essentially broken down my own process into accessible, bite size pieces ready for you to devour.
Working through a series of technique based exercises I share all my hot tips. We'll look at getting the paint moving fluidly on the page, how to hold your brush, manage water control, swirl and twirl that brush like a pro, relax into the process and so much more.
I delve not only into what materials you'll need and how to work them, but why as well. I believe understanding why I use and recommend certain things over others can better inform you as an artist and your own choices. My philosophy is build your kit gradually, rather than an enormous initial outlay. Discover and play with the medium first. Find your feet in it and tailor your materials accordingly.
My own style: loose, organic, flowy is all about gaining an expression of the subject on the page - not replicating it exactly. I talk about how I source my inspiration and how working from observation has really informed my practice. I encourage you to find your own creative voice. Your choices, your interpretation, your eye will all inform how your work will turn out.
What to expect:
9 videos shot in High Definition with an overall run time of 90 minutes. The beauty of a self paced online course is that you work through this course to pause and practice before proceeding onto the next stages.
An understanding of watercolour as a medium and other necessary materials
A final project - a botanical watercolour painting
Outcomes:
A fundamental skill set in watercolour
Course Notes
Emergency Reference PhotosDownloadable files included:
Materials List
What you'll need:
I go into greater detail on materials required in the second video of the course. I have tried to keep the supplies required to a minimum so it's more about the painting than the supplies!
• Watercolour paints
• Round brushes - size 10 and 4
• Watercolour paper
• Pencil and eraser
• Two water jars
• Palette (an old plate will do)
• Paper towel
• Surface to work on
• Computer, tablet or phone
I have put together a painting kit of all the materials you'll need available below.
Welcome to Watercolour is available on Teachable as a one off purchase cost. You receive lifetime access to the course videos and can work through the course at your own pace. You can purchase the course alone, or bundle it with the materials you need to get started.
*The course is also available on Skillshare (a subscription based platform). There you will find the whole Welcome to Watercolour course, as well as many other courses across other disciplines! You can subscribe to Skillshare and pay a monthly subscription to access the entire library of Skillshare online courses. You will only have access to the course while you have a Skillshare subscription.
"Excellent class in every way—instruction, videography, demos! "This class is well-suited to those new to watercolor and to seasoned watercolorists seeking a more contemporary style or in need of a kick start from a slump. I found Natalie’s view on “color and playfulness” in art refreshing. I will definitely be trying out the exercises shown in this class. Thank you for sharing, Natalie!”
"Loved every second of this Skillshare class. Really encouraging and helpful:)”
"I want more! I learned more from these few short lessons than I have watching hours and hours of beginner art tutorials! The whole brush stroke thing finally fell into place. I love that I now have a whole range of skills that I can use to create the kind of art I’m most interested in. Thank you so much!"
When does the course start and finish?
These Teachable online courses are a self-paced online course that you’re welcome to start as soon as you’re ready and receive your login details. The beauty of the online courses is that you can go at your own pace and in your own time. Practicing and pausing as you progress through the course and the ability to revisit sections as you need.
Buying the Course Only...
As soon as you have completed your order you will receive an email from Teachable about how to redeeming and enrolling in the course. Once you have set up with your Teachable login, you'll be able to have lifetime access to the online course. If after a few minutes from completing your order you have not received an email, please check your junk mail folder. Happy painting!
Buying the Online Course and Watercolour Painting Kit Bundle…
When buying the Online Course and Watercolour Painting Kit Bundle, the Online Course access info will be emailed to you from Teachable and the Painting Kit will be physically posted to your shipping address. If after a few minutes from completing your order you have not received an email, please check your junk mail folder.
Can I gift this Course?
We would be delighted for you to gift this course. At this stage we offer an Emailable Gift Certificate that your gift recipient can redeem for a course online. See above for the Email Gift Certificate.
What materials will I need to do the course?
I put an emphasis on the painting over the materials, expensive art materials tend to be a hindrance to the experience. If you have a set of watercolours already, use those! You don’t need to dash out and buy a whole lot of new supplies to match what you see in the course. You’ll also need a brush or two, some watercolour paper, pencil and eraser, a couple of water jars, and some paper towel. I have two kits available in my online store that provide you with all the materials you need, see more here.
Good lighting helps too, natural light is best if you can manage it, a good workspace as well as a pinch of creative courage! We delve further into materials in the second video of the course covering not only what, but why.
Are your courses suitable for kids?
Yes! My beginners course ‘Welcome to Watercolour’ although not created specifically for kids is young person friendly, I suggest from ages 8 and up. My second course ‘Magic of Colour Mixing’ has a bit more technical content in it, so I would suggest from ages 10 and up. Even better, sit down with your kids and do it together!
What’s the difference between Teachable and Skillshare?
Purchasing the course through Teachable is a once off fee and once enrolled in the course you have lifetime access. The online course available through nataliemartin.com.au are through Teachable. Skillshare on the other hand is a subscription based model. To access the courses available you’ll need to maintain a monthly subscription service to Skillshare. Once you cancel your subscription you will no longer be able to access the course.
Sign up to get the occasional newsletter featuring new print releases, workshop dates, upcoming shows and events.
