Aquarelle Course
The Program Focus
Aquarelle is the art of controlling the elements of water and pigment. This program is designed to reveal the uniqueness of this specific medium: from understanding the physics of paper to creating sophisticated, large-scale works.
Questions You Will Answer
Secrets of Mastery
What is the true magic and uniqueness of Aquarelle? We will explore how to maintain color purity, avoid overworking the paper, and prevent unwanted surface damage.
Technical Excellence
How do you achieve a perfectly smooth wash without visible streaks? What is granulation, and how can you turn this effect into an artistic advantage?
Speed and Patience
How to work meticulously and calmly, given that Aquarelle requires patience? At the same time—how do you learn to make instant decisions while the paint is still wet?
Program Content and Technical Mastery
Foundational Drawing and Basics
A high-quality Aquarelle begins with a flawless graphite linear drawing. The primary priority of this program is mastering the transfer of a photographic prototype into a precise initial sketch. While working from photography is our first priority to ensure structural accuracy, we also learn to adapt these skills to live setups, including still lifes, models, and 'en plein air' sessions.
Material Science
You will study various paper types and understand how their quality directly impacts the final result. We will master methods for mounting paper on wooden boards and learn to use the board's tilt angle to achieve unique color effects.
Tools and Paint Chemistry
The program includes an in-depth study of Aquarelle paint types and mixing principles. You will learn to work with professional brushes—including those with French ferrules—and use auxiliary materials such as gum arabic and masking fluid.
Application Techniques
We will practice both wet-on-wet (alla prima) and wet-on-dry techniques, as well as multi-layer glazing, which allows for the creation of deep, transparent colors.
Artistic and Philosophical Heritage
Modern Aquarelle has evolved far beyond small-scale sketches. Mastering this art opens doors to prestigious contemporary art exhibitions and international festivals across Italy, the USA, France, and beyond. Today, these works reach impressive dimensions, captivating viewers with the grandeur of large-scale masterpieces and the precision of hyperrealism. Simultaneously, Aquarelle remains the ideal tool for abstraction and expression. This course provides a powerful technical foundation for professional illustration in books and magazines, as well as applications in fashion design.
Course Duration and Individual Pace
The full curriculum is structured as a comprehensive path of 40 double sessions or 80 academic hours, which includes the student's essential self-work. However, as these are private individual sessions, the total time required to master the material is flexible; it adapts entirely to your personal progress, artistic background, and the time you dedicate to practice. There are no rigid deadlines and no grades; the focus is exclusively on your individual mastery of the craft and the quality of your artistic development.
Format and Logistics
The training is conducted as private individual sessions with the teacher traveling to the student's studio or home, for maximum comfort and efficiency. You choose your package of 1, 5, or 10 lessons. Note that all necessary materials and equipment are not included in the session cost. Lessons are conducted in Basel, Basel-Landschaft, and bordering suburbs of Germany and France.
Program Content and Technical Mastery
Foundational Drawing and Basics
A high-quality Aquarelle begins with a flawless graphite linear drawing. The primary priority of this program is mastering the transfer of a photographic prototype into a precise initial sketch. While working from photography is our first priority to ensure structural accuracy, we also learn to adapt these skills to live setups, including still lifes, models, and 'en plein air' sessions.
Material Science
You will study various paper types and understand how their quality directly impacts the final result. We will master methods for mounting paper on wooden boards and learn to use the board's tilt angle to achieve unique color effects.
Tools and Paint Chemistry
The program includes an in-depth study of Aquarelle paint types and mixing principles. You will learn to work with professional brushes—including those with French ferrules—and use auxiliary materials such as gum arabic and masking fluid.
Application Techniques
We will practice both wet-on-wet (alla prima) and wet-on-dry techniques, as well as multi-layer glazing, which allows for the creation of deep, transparent colors.
Artistic and Philosophical Heritage
Modern Aquarelle has evolved far beyond small-scale sketches. Mastering this art opens doors to prestigious contemporary art exhibitions and international festivals across Italy, the USA, France, and beyond. Today, these works reach impressive dimensions, captivating viewers with the grandeur of large-scale masterpieces and the precision of hyperrealism. Simultaneously, Aquarelle remains the ideal tool for abstraction and expression. This course provides a powerful technical foundation for professional illustration in books and magazines, as well as applications in fashion design.
Course Duration and Individual Pace
The full curriculum is structured as a comprehensive path of 40 double sessions or 80 academic hours, which includes the student's essential self-work. However, as these are private individual sessions, the total time required to master the material is flexible; it adapts entirely to your personal progress, artistic background, and the time you dedicate to practice. There are no rigid deadlines and no grades; the focus is exclusively on your individual mastery of the craft and the quality of your artistic development.
Format and Logistics
The training is conducted as private individual sessions with the teacher traveling to the student's studio or home, for maximum comfort and efficiency. You choose your package of 1, 5, or 10 lessons. Note that all necessary materials and equipment are not included in the session cost. Lessons are conducted in Basel, Basel-Landschaft, and bordering suburbs of Germany and France.
Nude on Sofa and Skull. Aquarelle on Cotton Paper. Artist: Ilya Medvedev
