A Watercolor Journey with Timothy Kitz

Sundays 1/20, 1/27, 2/3 & 2/10.
10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Series: $100.00 + $60 cash material fee, $35 cash drop-in (please bring exact change!)
Join watercolorist and urban sketcher Timothy Kitz in a 6-week immersive watercolor course, open to all levels and drop-ins welcome. Timothy will share tips about both medium and technique while going through weekly demo exercises to hone your compositional vision, principles of color values, color mixing and brush work. The gorgeous views framed by the Art Lab’s picture windows overlooking the ocean will provide ongoing inspiration.
Classes feature in-depth watercolor instruction with an emphasis on representational scene painting and “en plein air” techniques, as well as delvings into the artistic legacy of watercolor practice. Timothy conveys an appreciation for this unique medium, its fluidity, spontaneity, simplicity of form and the complexities of proper application.
All basic materials will be provided, but students are encouraged to bring their own brushes, palettes and nontoxic colors.
More materials detail:
Although basic shared equipment is included in this class, you are encouraged to bring your own easel rigs, brushes and color palettes. Paper will be provided but students are encouraged to bring what paper they prefer. The instructor will let you know what paper is required for each week’s exercise; if you are dropping in, please bring 1-2 sheets of cold-press 140 lb. 11″x14 watercolor paper and a bound or ringed sketch pad of 90 lbs. paper of any size for exterior journaling.
The curriculum will cover:
Medium and Materials: Watercolor paint, palette, brushes and paper used and the importance of building a working process that is ergonomic and efficient.
Composition: The fundamentals of composing a pleasing picture: compositional forms, vanishing point fundamentals, the Rule of Thirds etc.
Drawing: The importance of learning to accurately render the scene or image for placement in the painting; architectural perspective, rendering styles, the human form, the discipline of regular sketching and visual journaling.
Brush Work: The application of paint to the paper in watercolor. A thorough explanation of brush types and sizes their appropriate use, effects and the subtleties of individual calligraphy.
Value and Color Theory: An explanation of the Color Wheel, the importance of Values, The layout and use of the Palette, as well as the Watercolor Vocabulary will be discussed.
En Plein air: Students will have opportunities in the relaxed and picturesque environment of the Palisades to paint an outdoor scene.
Beginners who enroll can use our watercolor workstations. Even if you have no watercolor equipment you can take part in this class!
Timothy Kitz is an accomplished award winning watercolorist whose “plein air” and studio works reflect an ongoing creative journey producing landscape, coastal and urban scenes of a distinctive style, freshness and fluidity. His appreciation for and highly personal interpretation of the local environment can be traced to influences by the California Scene movement and the early coastal impressionists. A largely self-taught watercolorist, the evolution of his craft has been informed by a lifetime of passion for the medium through an extensive book collection, exhibition pilgrimages and through workshops. As a painting instructor, he conducts popular weekly watercolor workshops at the Santa Monica Camera Obscura Art Lab and Sinai Temple in Westwood California. He is regularly sought after as a juror, demonstrator and to conduct workshops for regional arts organizations. He received his formal fine arts education from the University of Toledo School of Design and Herron School of Art of Indiana University. He continues to hone his plein air experience and exhibition presence through active participation and exhibitions with the Allied Artists of the Santa Monica Mountains and Seashore, the Valley Watercolor Society, the National Watercolor Society and the California Art Club.
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Camera Obscura Art Lab at 1450 Ocean offers arts, crafts and culture classes year-round. Polish your writing, take a better picture, learn how to make paper, knit, sew, and find a community of artists and movers!
Visit us at 1450 Ocean Ave at Broadway in Santa Monica & http://smgov.net/camera
Contact camera@smgov.net & 310-458-2239
Classes at http://ow.ly/IehoU
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Join our email list at http://smgov.net/artsignup
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Train/Bus: Metro terminus at 4th St/Colorado, 4 blocks away. Upon exiting the station go west on Colorado to Ocean Ave, cross the street to the Pier and go north in the park just past Broadway. http://metro.net or http://bigbluebus.com.
Directions: The Camera Obscura Art Lab is at 1450 Ocean Ave on the west side of Ocean just north of Broadway.
By Metro – 4th St. Santa Monica Downtown stop, walk two blocks west to Ocean and 1.5 blocks north from the Pier entrance.
Parking is $6 or less for 3 hours in Parking Structure 6 (2nd between Broadway and Santa Monica), and $5 on weekends at the Civic Auditorium lot just down Main Street at 333 Civic Center Dr. Meters on Ocean Avenue; $2/hr maximum 3 hours. More info: smgov.net/parking.
Buses: visit bigbluebus.com or metro.net for more information.
Bike share lockup just south of us in the park; for personal bikes remember to bring a strong lock.
Registration: We encourage reserving online with a credit card. Some classes accept drop-ins. Bring cash to cover material fees, if applicable. Refunds/Transfers: Full refunds are given if class is cancelled before taking place – enroll online with confidence. For student withdrawals for any other reason, $15 processing fee for each multisession activity refunded; one-time classes & expended material fees are nonrefundable. Requests must be made in person, by mail, fax (310-899-0840), or email to communityclasses@smgov.net within 24 hours of first class meeting. All class dates, times, locations, and instructors are subject to change.
About: Visit the Camera Obscura Art Lab at 1450 Ocean to get a different perspective. The City of Santa Monica offers arts, crafts and culture classes for adults here year-round, and you can polish your writing, take a better photo, learn how to make paper, get your groove on and find a community of makers and movers. Weekly hangouts with artists through the ongoing Studio Residency program as well as workshops and one-off experiences bring insight into a variety of artistic work. This community practice space offers room for you to develop your own creativity and learn from others.