I just attended an excellent workshop provided by the Toronto Watercolour Society, of which I am a member. The guest artist was Stephen Quiller. He is a fabulous artist of international acclaim and so inspirational. He paints impressionistic landscapes in water media, primarily around his home, which is in the "high country" in Colorado. I had admired his paintings and so was determined to get the most out of the opportunity. Next time I will remember these helpful conclusions that I reached at the end of the workshop and hope they will be helpful to you if you will be attending one in the future:
*Check the work of the instructor on the Internet to ensure the work is exciting to you and something to help your art grow.
*Read instructional books written by the artist if possible, in advance to get a "heads up" on the approach.
*Bring a camera and capture images as the work progresses for review later. Most instructors won't object.
*Take notes of new techniques and helpful hints. They may become more significant to you as your painting evolves.
*Ask questions, but find out if it is preferable to wait till there is a break in the demonstration.
*Have plentiful and appropriate supplies. Check them before you leave as it is more than annoying to be without your brushes etc. A list of supplies is usually provided in advance, but review it carefully, and see if you already have materials that can be substituted. (You can end up with very specific supplies that are not used)
*Spend time with others. Often the best tips come from fellow students.
*Be open to whatever is happening and don't be afraid to try new things.
*Be prepared to produce paintings that disappoint you. You are there to learn new things - not create masterpieces, with others around, in a limited period of time.
*Most of all - have fun!
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