So, you’re an absolute beginner with watercolours and you’re desperate to learn, but…
You don’t know where to start.
You tried and it was a disaster.
There isn’t a suitable course near you.
You’re completely confused by all those YouTube watercolour videos…
OR
Perhaps you used to paint watercolours but they’re too “tight” and you want to loosen up.
Or you do paint but just need a fresh shot of watercolour inspiration…
Good thing you found me, then!
Welcome! I’m Sarah Bell, a professional artist with my own studio and gallery in Penzance, Cornwall and I love to teach people just like you how to paint watercolours and draw.
Paint with Sarah!
Have you always wanted to have a go at painting watercolours or drawing? Or would you like to get better at it? I offer 1:1 tuition experiences to get you into watercolour painting.
One-to-One VIP Days
Design your own day! An exclusive time for you to learn exactly what you want, on the date you want to learn at my beautiful studio. Whether you already paint and want to loosen up your style, or you just dabble and want to learn some basic techniques in watercolour or drawing this is for you. If you’d like to paint flowers, landscapes, or portraits, or want a Masterclass in colour mixing, or painting trees or water, you’ll have my undivided attention and I guarantee you will leave my studio as a better painter.
Simply use the button below to send me an email with a bit about what you'd like to experience on your day with me, and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
Frequently asked questions;
What different types of watercolour tuition can you offer?
These are just a few of the topics we could cover - or you can come with your own goals of what you'd like to achieve with me;
- Introduction to Watercolours
- Watercolours for Beginners
- Watercolour for Improvers
- Animal workshops (landscapes & farm animals, ponies & horses, chickens & ducks)
- Landscapes for Beginners
- Landscapes & Farm Animals or Farmland
- Fashion Illustration
- ‘Painting Simple Figures’
- ‘Draw What You See’ - Drawing for Beginners
- Watercolour Skies
- Skies, Boats & Sea
- Seashore & Marine Life
- Buildings & Architecture
- Painting from Photos
I'm a total beginner, is your 1:1 tuition suitable for me?
Whether you have never picked up a brush before, or have often painted but been frustrated by the results, I can help you find your confidence!
I can teach you the absolute basics in watercolour: advice on what sort of brushes, palettes and paper to use and how to mix beautiful, fresh colours from just three tubes.
Great for those painters who always seem to end up with greys and browns, or insipid colours. We would experiment with making transparent, pure colours and create a colour chart for future reference. Time is spent looking at brush technique, and the wet in wet technique.
The afternoon is spent in putting all this information and experimentation into practice, making small studies of fresh fruit, vegetables and flowers, and just enjoying loosening up with lovely, juicy paint. The emphasis on this day is to familiarise yourself with simple techniques, to lose inhibitions and possible unhelpful habits with watercolour, and not on producing a finished painting. It’s all about enjoying painting and building confidence. It’s not unlikely though, that one of those little studies may be lovely enough to make you want to have it framed!
I'd like to improve my watercolour skills, would your 1:1 tuition be suitable for me?
I can work with you covering essential watercolour technique, glazing/layering will be covered in depth (that’s layer upon layer of transparent colour, to build up depth of colour; paint angular, flat sided objects, and create depth in your painting).
We will create tonal studies in blue to really look at how to make light and shadow work for our painting, with a mini workshop on looking at light and shadow, along with specifics such as on painting shadows on both flat and curved surfaces. We’ll look at how to create atmosphere by using both harmonious and complementary colour schemes, thinking about colour the way artists do.
There will be lots of advice on composition, and how to create lots of different paintings from the same subject matter. You will have my undivided attention to give help, encouragement, and administer watercolour first aid for any little mishaps! Go for it with all those new techniques to create your own still life watercolour.
What does a 1:1 tuition day with you entail?
All one day tuition experiences begin at 10am and finish at 4pm.
All materials are included, so you don’t have the headache of sourcing lots of things beforehand!
– Basic tea, coffee and milk is provided; if you take any special tea, or drinks etc., please bring those along.
– You will need to bring along your own packed lunch (please be aware there is nowhere to purchase food or drink in the immediate area).
There is an emphasis on frequent demonstrations, methodical, step-by-step tuition and encouragement. The atmosphere is relaxed, cheerful and supportive, so nervous beginners needn’t worry at all!
Where are your workshops?
Workshops take place in my art studio in central Penzance, Cornwall, fifteen minutes walk from the sea