Course Offerings

Watercolor 102: Landscapes for Beginners

Course ID: CSP-4000MB2
Overview
Course Outline
Requirements
Intended Audience
More Details

Build your skills and confidence as you explore the art of landscape painting in watercolor. Designed for students with basic experience, this class offers a structured, step-by-step approach to capturing natural and man-made scenery – from skies and trees to lakes, boats and buildings. Through guided practice, you'll create six finished paintings and one personal project based on your own reference photo. Strengthen your technique and develop a deeper understanding of composition, perspective and color.

Course Objectives

Students will be able to apply specific landscape painting techniques taught in class to complete a series of in-class projects featuring elements such as sky, water, foliage and architecture.

Students will be able to create landscape compositions that apply principles of perspective, structure, color harmony and value contrast.

Students will be able to analyze reference photos and complete preparatory work – including value studies, color studies and pencil sketches – prior to final painting.

Outline of instruction

Skies & Clouds – Learn to paint expressive skies using wet-on-wet and layering techniques to create light, atmosphere and mood.

Trees & Grasses – Explore brushwork and color variation to suggest texture, movement and depth in foliage.

Mountains & Stones – Understand structure, shape design and atmospheric perspective to create natural landforms.

Lakes – Practice painting water surfaces with calm reflections, transparency and subtle movement.

Beaches – Capture shoreline scenes with attention to sand textures, water transitions and light.

Boats – Study the shape and form of boats and how they interact with water and light.

Buildings – Learn to integrate man-made structures into natural scenes using simple perspective and composition techniques.

Using a reference photo of their own choosing and with instructor guidance, students will complete a final landscape painting applying all the techniques learned throughout the course.

CEUs

Industry Standard, State or National Certification

Certification

None

Website

None

Certification Learning Outcomes/Requirements

CE or CU Articulation

Prerequisites

Students taking this course should have already successfully completed Watercolor 101 at Wake Tech or have a similar level of experience and/or instruction. Watercolor 101 covers the basics of watercolor painting, including washes, color mixing, basic brushwork, basic color theory and color schemes.

Text and Supplies Needed

Please see section details for more information about required supplies for this course.

Clinical Site/Special Facilities

None

Requirements for Successful Completion

80% attendance

Accreditation/Special Approval Requirements

N/A

Intended Audience

This course introduces landscape painting to students with basic watercolor skills, while also offering a valuable review of foundational techniques for more advanced learners.