2025 Workshop 2

Underpainting in Watercolor

Starting May 5th, 2025
Discover how to create beautiful undertones using an underpainting technique in watercolor. This method helps establish shadows and provides a foundation that enhances the overall color harmony of your painting. You will learn what underpainting is, how to choose the right underpainting color, which areas of the painting to apply it to, and how to incorporate this technique into your own artwork effectively.

Apple watercolor painting by Mallery Jane — Artwork by Mallery Jane

Starting May 5th, 2025

Lesson 1: What is Underpainting

Underpainting in watercolor involves applying a light layer of paint to establish the basic tones, values, and/or mood of a painting. It also can serve as a way to establish values. We’ll paint a tree with an underpainting on the right side and no underpainting on the left so we can compare halves.

Starting May 12th, 2025

Lesson 2: Monochromatic vs Complementary Underpainting

We’ll explore how to pick your color for underpainting as we compare two pepper paintings. There is no “wrong” color, there are just different options we’ll explore that can change the final look of your piece.

Starting May 19th, 2025

Lesson 3: Warm vs Cool Underpainting

Starting with a warm or cool underpainting will dramatically change the overall mood of your piece. Neither is right or wrong, but it is helpful to understand the differences to give you confidence in achieving your desired outcome. We’ll compare two oranges completed with a warm vs cool underpainting.

Starting May 26th, 2025

Lesson 4: Underpainting vs No Underpainting

We’re going to paint the same landscape scene twice: one with an underpainting and one without so you can really see the difference in the end. We’ll add multiple layers in landscape one as we create underpaintings, and we’ll paint landscape two more traditionally working from light to dark.