Education – past event – Urban Landscape Watercolours: Fast & Loose

An ONLINE watercolour workshop with Rex Beanland, CSPWC

May 13, 2021 6-9 pm EST

May 14, 2021 6-9 pm EST

May 15, 2021 10-2 pm EST

Urban Landscape Watercolours - Fast & Loose - An ONLINE watercolour workshop with Rex Beanland, CSPWC

This interactive paint-along workshop will be offered via Zoom.

Learn to paint the Urban Landscape in a fast and impressionistic way.  By downplaying the details, focussing on big shapes and an effective value pattern, participants will practice creating a strong centre of interest and making eye catching paintings.

Rex Beanland will share what he has found to be a proven method to painting fast and loose. This is the 3 Wash Method.

Rex explains the 3 Wash Method

“The first wash is where I cover the entire surface with colour, all the lightest values. The second wash is all the mid values which includes all the buildings, beginning the people and the cars. The third wash is the darks, the lights and the final details to tie it all together. Following this method allows me to paint quickly and with focus.”

What to expect from this workshop:

Rex says;
“As a retired school teacher, I learned that the fastest and most effective way to master something big like doing a complex painting is to break it down into smaller, easy to learn, individual skills. When you isolate and master these basic skills separately and then put them together in the painting you experience – Less Stress, More Success!”

“I have created a number of mini lessons, many of them on video, that teach a number of basic urban landscape elements. These lessons include: how to paint figures, how to draw and paint cars and how to understand value in watercolour. You will be amazed at how quickly you can master these elements and how quickly your painting will improve.”

Rex will demonstrate a painting in sections and participants will be able to paint along.  Questions can be asked via Chat and participants will be encouraged to share their work for discussion throughout the workshop.  This interactive give and take will offer additional learning opportunities for all participants. 

Participants will receive a Zoom link a few days before the start of the event.

Please direct questions about the workshop to education@cspwc.ca

Equipment needed for the workshop:

Materials list is available for download here

To take part in the Zoom demo, you’ll need a microphone and camera-enabled computer OR an iPad/smart tablet OR a smart phone (Android or iOS) PLUS a robust internet connection.

You’ll also need to download Zoom on your device (free version of Zoom is fine). Please update your Zoom to the latest version.

Recordings of the workshop will be available for two weeks after the event.

About Rex Beanland

I started painting in watercolour as a young child and I just never outgrew it. Something in that mysterious interaction between water and pigment continues to fascinate and inspire me. I have painted exclusively in watercolour for the past 25 years.

About 15 years ago I began focusing on the Urban Landscape and that is when my art career really took off. I originally gravitated to this subject because I loved perspective and buildings but what keeps me painting the Urban Landscape is the people. I am fascinated by and endlessly curious about the people who live, work and play in cities. So I paint the cities. I’m looking to capture that interaction between people and their environment.

I have been profoundly influenced in teaching art by my experience as a public school teacher. I learned so many invaluable lessons on how people learn and how to facilitate learning. This understanding is the basis of my teaching and keeps the student front and centre in my workshops.

Portrait of Rex Beanland
Portrait of Rex Beanland

Further samples of Rex’s work: