2026 Workshop 3
The Joyful Sketchbook: Watercolor Movement & Shine
Started October 5th, 2026
Beauty surrounds us constantly and calls to us from every direction. But inspiration, as wonderful as it is, can also feel overwhelming. Our camera rolls overflow with colors, textures, faces, everyday moments, and the photographs from trips we never want to forget. We want to create from all of it — but sitting down with hundreds of photos and a blank page can leave even the most eager artist feeling frozen. Where do you even begin? This workshop answers that question.
Sarah Simon — (@themintgardener) — will walk you through her complete process for translating the mood and memory of a place into an 8-page sketchbook journey, using her French retreat as the guiding inspiration. From a vibrant mood board all the way through to a finished collection of art pieces you'll be proud of, every step is clearly taught and immediately transferable to any subject matter you choose.
Lesson Info
In this course, you will learn:
- How to begin — learn where to start
- Watercolor foundations — the essentials that make everything else possible
- How to incorporate mixed media — combining watercolor with graphite and colored pencils for structure and drawing
- How to build a color palette that captures the feeling of a specific place and mood
- How to limit your palette and discover beautiful, unexpected color combinations
- How to edit your reference photos — narrowing down from 170+ images to the ones that truly FEEL like you
- How to fill your pages with intention — building toward a cohesive, beautiful body of work, with all of the playful learning steps along the way
Started October 5th, 2026
Lesson 1: Materials Exploration
Instructions
Color Palette Recipes
This lesson invites us to play in our sketchbook! Sarah shares a few of her favorite tricks to beginning a new sketchbook (let the first marks be your name! Start at the BACK to relieve some of that performance pressure). Whenever Sarah has new materials to try, she likes to fill her sketchbook pages with playful marks, painting the colors in fully saturated to light washes and learning to mix a few colors to make pretty blends.
Started October 12th, 2026
Lesson 2: Inspiration Exploration - Viva la France!
Choose 10 reference images from Sarah's selections, the included mood board, or your own collection, and create a series of one-minute sketches. Explore color palettes, loosen up your drawing style, and practice capturing the details and shapes that inspire you. The focus is on observation, expression, and building confidence… not perfection.
Started October 19th, 2026
Lesson 3: Timed Studies
Take your favorite sketches from Lesson 2 and develop them further through quick composition studies, close observation, and simple watercolor. You'll practice slowing down, seeing shapes and proportions more accurately, and discovering which subjects are worth exploring as finished paintings.
Started October 26th, 2026
Lesson 4: Develop Your Favorites
Choose one favorite image from your studies and bring it to life as a finished piece. Learn how simplifying your reference through cropping and converting to black and white helps you understand composition, values, and light before painting. Using your watercolor palette from earlier lessons, you'll build your painting thoughtfully from light to dark while focusing on observation and intentional choices.
Started October 26th, 2026
Lesson 4 BONUS: Finishing your sketchbook pages.
Supply List
Paper
400 Series Watercolor Strathmore Journal, 8.5” x 5.5” , 140lb/300gsm, cold press
Paint
Daler-Rowney Aquafine Watercolor Tin Set of 24
MaimeriBlu Sarah Simon @TheMintGardener Custom Watercolor Tube Set
Brushes
Princeton Velvetouch Sarah Simon @TheMintGardener custom set of 6
- Sarah specifically uses the ¾ Wash and the Round 4
NOTE: The Sarah Simon custom set is currently out of stock until January, but Sarah specifically uses the Velvetouch ¾” Wash Brush and the Velvetouch Round 4 Brush for this Workshop
Pencils
LYRA Rembrandt 12 piece Graphite Pencil set (with eraser & sharpener)
- Sarah specifically uses the HB Graphite Aquarell and the B Art Design
LYRA 72 Assorted Colors Metal Box Set of Colored Pencils
- In Lesson 2, Sarah specifically uses the following combinations:
- Pale Geranium Lake + Wine Red + Pink Madder Lake
- Olive Green + Paris Blue + Scarlet Lake
- Deep Cobalt Blue + Peacock Blue + Light Blue
- True Blue + Dark Violet + Light Ochre
Pens
Lyra Graduate Manga Pens (Permanent Fineliners)
- Sarah specifically uses size 03 to label drawings
Other Materials
Large plate for an additional palette to make mixing easier
Water jar
Paint Recipes
MB = MaimeriBlu
DR = Daler-Rowney
- ANTIQUE ROSE DAHLIA = MB Permanent Red Deep + MB Titanium White
- ZINNIA CORAL = DR Vermillion + DR Alizarin Crimson
- DEEP WINE = MB Permanent Red Deep + MB Titanium White + MB Payne’s Grey
- BLUSH PETAL = DR Alizarin Crimson + MB Titanium White + DR Cadmium Yellow
- GOLDEN RUDBECKIA = MB Naples Yellow + DR Vermillion
- MARIGOLD AMBER = DR Yellow Ochre + DR Cadmium Red Hue + MB Dragon’s Blood
- HOT COSMOS PINK: DR Rose Madder + Dr Alizarin Crimson
- GARDEN FOLIAGE: DR Sap Green + MB Hooker’s Green
- FRESH SPROUT: DR Sap Green
- CORNFLOWER BLUE: DR Ultramarine Blue + MB Titanium White
- BARK & EARTH: DR Light Red + DR Payne’s Grey
- PETAL CREAM: DR Yellow Ochre + MB Titanium White
Violet Shade for the Iris
- CORNFLOWER BLUE: DR Ultramarine Blue + MB Titanium White, plus DR Purple
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