Jean Francois Arnaud
"Painting the Light, not the Details"
I have taught this course more than fifty times around the world; it has been extensively refined. It’s quite technical, but students learn the solid foundations of watercolor and thus gain the keys to progress over time, after the workshop.
1. Academic Drawing: In this segment, we delve into a crucial aspect of my work — the art of
drawing. Understanding drawing is fundamental. We explore the significance of practice, the art of observation, and the knowledge of key principles in composition and construction. This foundation lays the groundwork for the entire artistic process.
2. Exploring Watercolors: Moving forward, we immerse ourselves in the world of watercolors. Using a simplified palette with a limited range of colors, we begin with the primary hues: blue, yellow, and red. From these primary colors, we expand our palette with carefully selected additional shades. Drawing from my background in printing, I decipher the primary color components in images. These supplementary shades serve to enhance the artist’s intention, infusing vibrant colors into our work. This unique approach, developed and refined over years, is something I’ve been sharing with my students, and it has proven to be remarkably effective.
3. Capturing Essence Through Light: I’ll reveal my process and together, we’ll capture sunlit landscapes with the goal of distilling only the essence: light and atmosphere. My process unfolds in three stages: first, painting the light; second, rendering shadows; and finally, infusing the watercolor with life through carefully placed touches of saturated color. This three-step method is designed to create captivating and evocative paintings that capture the heart of a scene.
