Beginning Essentials Part 3: Your First Paintings
Start to finish painting on your own -6 videos of instruction
This course is the third and final part of the Essentials of Beginning Watercolor series If you have painted in watercolor before, you won't need to take Parts 1 and 2 before taking this course, but if this is your first time dipping into watercolor, I would like to suggest that you start with Part 1. You are also welcome to take the entire series, Essentials of Beginning Watercolor, which includes all three parts of the series and provides 10 hours of foundational instruction for those just starting out in watercolor painting!
Now that you have learned the basic skills and techniques of beginner watercolor, it’s time to do what you came to my site for: paint pictures in beautiful watercolor!
We’ll get started by focusing on three important tools you will use as you start painting these pictures and your own compositions:
- Why “losing an edge” is important in a composition
- How to choose good photo references for your composition
- An easy way to put your signature on your paintings
Then, we’ll move on to the five-course bundle. You’ll be guided through each lesson, step-by-step, painting three different pictures as you apply the skills and techniques you've learned in my course.
- Winter landscape
- Stormy seascape
- A loose style bunny rabbit
- Hummingbird and daisies
- A colorful rooster
Once you’ve finished this course, you should have the basic skills and techniques you need to start painting your own works of art!
Be sure to keep practicing what you have learned in my courses. The more you practice, the more confident you will feel about starting new paintings.
Come paint with me!
Jayne
Your Instructor
As a native of San Diego and graduate of San Diego State University, I have been painting and exhibiting my work for more than 30 years throughout Southern California. The bold lines, fluid shapes, and my color palette are influenced by my father’s paintings and my degree in graphic design.
My work is inspired by the idea of capturing that emotional and visceral response we feel when we see a beautiful but fleeting image—a moment of color, intensity, movement, and expression that stays with us long after.
While known for my representational and abstract work, my love is for portraits, and I have been honored with awards that include Best in Show for Cowboy at the San Dieguito Off Track Gallery and the Logan Award and Golden Award for Maasai Boy at the San Diego Watercolor Society’s 34th International Show.
For over a decade, I have been running workshops and juried watercolor shows in the San Diego area while teaching all levels of watercolor painting at a local community college and in my studio in Encinitas, CA. I find tremendous satisfaction in teaching and love seeing my students, improve, gain confidence, and express themselves through watercolor.
"Watercolor painting looks easy. When you get started though you discover it is quite complex.
But JANE really does make it easy. She speaks clearly, And the learning flows easily.
I have learned so much about composition,color, tone pattern and everything else that goes into making a beautiful watercolor painting.
Her online classes reflect her many years of professional teaching . I really have benefited from watching and re-watching some of her lessons.
I have in the past and will continue to recommend her classes to any and all who are interested in exploring their inner artist"
Jeff Rakoff
"I’ve taken watercolor classes from Jayne Spencer for many years, and now I’m taking her classes online! She is a terrific teacher, carefully explaining everything. She’s easy to follow and I've learn so much!!"
Elizabeth Lineberger