Course "Atmospheric Light in Watercolor" Nicholas Tobias

NEW ONLINE COURSE

by Nicholas Tobias

Atmospheric Light in Watercolor

Create 5 atmospheric watercolor paintings, each telling a unique story. Move beyond simple replication and develop your own visual language, capturing the essence of light, mood, and emotion in your work!

LIFETIME ACCESS

This course will help you advance from creating a simple replication of a scene to conveying its essence and mood. After practicing watercolour for a few years, we often try to become more stylistic and creative with our paintings. This course will help you make this transition by focusing on capturing the light and atmosphere of a scene rather than copying it.

Difficult techniques applied to achieve effects such as soft backgrounds and subtle transitions in colour will be covered in detail, making it easier for you to use them in your own paintings. This course will enable you to take the next step in your watercolour journey!

Together, we will paint 5 scenes which have light as the star of the show. It will be important to capture this light in order to convey the right mood.

Nicholas Tobias,

the author of the course

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Focus on Atmosphere and Mood:

According to Nicholas, this course is related purely to atmospheric light and the idea of capturing a mood. It's very much focused from start to finish on achieving that end goal. Atmosphere and mood are absolutely a passion of our artist. It's something that he fell in love with in watercolor.

Storytelling Through Art:

Nicholas says that with painting, you want to create a narrative, tell a story. It's usually a visual story, but it can be through emotion, through the senses.
The ability to break down a scene into manageable pieces and create a story through composition is transformative.

Storytelling Through Art:Focus on Atmosphere and Mood:

Logical, Step-by-Step Approach:

Nicholas teaches the way he would have wanted to be taught, having not known about anything. He goes about it very logically, asking himself questions: What information do I want the student to know? How is it going to be a benefit to them?

Nicholas’ technique is two washes, it involves a limited color palette and thinking about shapes. It's all about visual communication and simplification.

Wide Range of Subjects:

Together with Nicholas, you will delve into all the different aspects of watercolor: composition, tone, edges, types of light, types of mood, drawing, and storytelling.
The course covers a wide range of subjects (landscapes, cityscapes, seascapes) while maintaining a focus on light and mood.

Wide Range of Subjects:

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Professional watercolor artist
Inspired by his travels, he captures memories through photos, sketches, and plein air paintings, which he later brings back to the studio to recreate the essence of light.
The interplay of light is what excites him most about watercolor, as it allows him to convey atmosphere and emotion in a way that feels truly immersive.
Nicholas has exhibited his work at various events across the UK, including the prestigious Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours Exhibition at the Mall Galleries in Central London.
He has twice received the top 200 award at the international watercolour masters exhibition out of more than 4500 global applicants (2021 and 2024).

HERE YOU MAY FIND NICHOLAS' WORKS

Nicholas focuses on capturing light, mood, and atmosphere, working in a magical realism style that adds mystery and emotion to his work.
He is passionate about preserving the authenticity and handmade traditions of painting in a modern, technology-driven world.
He has a logical and transparent teaching style, breaking down complex scenes into simple, digestible steps for students.

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«I have painted with watercolor since my Fine Art classes at the University and I started teaching it soon after and have taught it ever since. I love the fresh, flowing approach to the medium.

Watercolor gives me an oblique strategy approach to art because one has to to approach it in an almost „opposite“ way of thinking from other media. It keeps my brain active! I use watercolor a lot for studies, plein air sketches, and underpaintings for my pastel paintings.»

Degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts, Summa Cum Laude, with augmented Master level courses.
Teaching art for 35 years. Multiple media and levels.
Workshops, Classes and Demos, both live and virtual, with local and international students.

HERE YOU MAY FIND TERRILYNN’S WORKS

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Certificate of completion (Premium Plan)

Upon completion of the course for the students we issue a certificate. The certificate could be used as a proof of your qualification's upgrade at work (if it is related to arts) and for your private affairs as a recognition of your mastery in painting.

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Which materials do you need for the course?

Brushes (One large brush for big washes, One medium brush for small washes, One small brush for details, One flat brush to wet the back of the paper)

Paper (100% cotton 300gsm paper from a reputable brand. Nicholas uses Saunders Waterford)
Palette (Metal Holbein palette)
Paints. A mix of Daniel Smith (DS) and Windsor and Newton (W&N) (Paynes Grey (DS), Cobalt Blue (W&N), Cobalt Turquoise light (W&N), Rose Madder Genuine (W&N), Pyrrol Scarlet (DS), Sepia (DS), New Gamboge (DS), Chinese White (DS))
Masking tape to tape the sides of the paper down
Masking fluid to selectively keep the white of the paper
Spray bottle to keep paper moist or create texture
Water container
Paper towel to lift or blot away washes from the paper
Small towel or spunge to help regulate how wet or dry the brush is
Pencil and eraser to sketch out the scene before painting