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!
9,5 hours of HD video • 5 paintings • Subtitles in 6 languages • Lifetime access
At a Glance
At a Glance
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.
What is unique about this course?
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.
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..
Is This Course Right for You?
Not just copy references
You need a system to simplify them
Master wet-into-wet techniques, and achieving nuanced visual elements
You're not sure where to soften, where to sharpen
Ready to develop your own visual language
You want to paint them confidently
Course Table of Contents
Introduction
Learn more about your instructor Nicholas Tobias and see how the learning process will be organized.
Lesson 1: How to design your painting
During this lesson, you will learn the basics of composition and understand how to create harmonious and visually appealing scenes. You will also understand how to convey different types of mood through color, light, and shadow.
2 video lessons, 1 hours 15 min
Lesson 2: Using tone to capture light
At this lesson, you will learn what tone is and how it affects the perception of light in a painting. Together with Nicholas, you will do practical exercises for recognizing tone in color and identifying the dominant color.
3 video lessons, 1 hours 56 min
Lesson 3: Soft and hard edges
Here, you will learn why it’s important to use different types of edges (soft, hard, and lost) to create depth. You will also see how to make strong contrasts in the focal point to draw the viewer’s attention.
3 video lessons, 1 hours 48 min
Lesson 4: Storytelling
During the lesson, you will learn how to add "actors" (people, animals, and objects) to your scenes to bring them to life. You will see how to convey emotions through composition and color, creating works that tell stories.
3 video lessons, 1 hours 53 min
Lesson 5: Simplification and visual language
At this lesson, you will learn how to simplify complex scenes to focus the viewer’s attention on the main elements. You will understand how to use brushstrokes to create energetic and dynamic paintings.
3 video lessons, 2 hours 40 min
Conclusion
Summary of techniques learned, creative task and feedback giving.
This Is What You Will Paint
Nicholas's Method
- 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.
Support and feedback
During your studies, you receive personal feedback from professionals and the support of a creative community of like — minded people - learning becomes easier, more inspiring and more interesting.
Get individual written feedback on your paintings
- 5 detailed reviews of your final paintings + 1 creative task within the first 75 days.
- Professional feedback from a curator - Terrilynn Dubreuil (Premium plan)
- Expert critique from an academically trained fine artist.
Join our international and artistic community
- Connect with like-minded artists, share advice and feedback.
- Join daily discussions on drawings and art-related topics.
- Enjoy a welcoming space moderated by our Community Manager and Support Team.
Certificate of completion for Premium Plan
Upon completion of the course for the students of Premium plan 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.
Meet Your Instructor
- Nick is an urban designer by trade and over the years watercolour has developed from hobby to passion to lifestyle.
- Nick is inspired through travel taking memories, in the form of photos, sketches and plein air paintings, back to the studio to recreate the feel of light.
- This aspect of watercolour is what excites him as atmosphere and emotion can be fully expressed through the play of light.
- Nick has exhibited at various events in the UK including at the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours Exhibition at the Mall Galleries in Central London.
- Recently Nick achieved the top 200 Merit award in the 2021 International Watercolours Masters competition.
By the end of the course, you’ll be able to:
Create atmospheric works that convey light and mood
Simplify complex scenes, highlighting key elements
Tell visual stories through your paintings using composition, tone, and color
CHOOSE YOUR PLAN
Plan
Standard
"Atmospheric Light in Watercolor"
- 17 video lessons in full HD (9.5 hours)
- 5 watercolor works by the end of the course
- 24/7 access from any location at your own pace
- LIFETIME access to the video lessons
- Access to the moderated students community on WhatsApp
Bonus
- 30 ArtiCoins
Plan
Premium
"Atmospheric Light in Watercolor"
- 17 video lessons in full HD (9.5 hours)
- 5 watercolor works by the end of the course
- 24/7 access from any location at your own pace
- LIFETIME access to the video lessons
- Access to the moderated students community on WhatsApp
- Individual feedback from a professional curator on each of the 5 paintings + 1 creative task within 75 days
- Certificate of completion
Bonus
- 40 ArtiCoins
Plan
Standard
"Landscapes and cityscapes set"
Course "Watercolor Mastery" + Course "Atmospheric Light in Watercolor"
- 7 modules + 17 video lessons in full HD (18 hours)
- 10 watercolor works by the end of the courses
- 24/7 access from any location at your own pace
- LIFETIME access to the video lessons
- Access to the moderated students community on WhatsApp
Bonus
- 60 ArtiCoins
Plan
Standard
"Atmospheric Light in Watercolor"
- 17 video lessons in full HD (9.5 hours)
- 5 watercolor works by the end of the course
- 24/7 access from any location at your own pace
- LIFETIME access to the video lessons
- Access to the moderated students community on WhatsApp
Bonus
- 30 ArtiCoins
Plan
Premium
"Atmospheric Light in Watercolor"
- 17 video lessons in full HD (9.5 hours)
- 5 watercolor works by the end of the course
- 24/7 access from any location at your own pace
- LIFETIME access to the video lessons
- Access to the moderated students community on WhatsApp
- Individual feedback from a professional curator on each of the 5 paintings + 1 creative task within 75 days
- Certificate of completion
Bonus
- 40 ArtiCoins
Plan
Standard
"Landscapes and cityscapes set"
Course "Watercolor Mastery" + Course "Atmospheric Light in Watercolor"
- 7 modules + 17 video lessons in full HD (18 hours)
- 10 watercolor works by the end of the courses
- 24/7 access from any location at your own pace
- LIFETIME access to the video lessons
- Access to the moderated students community on WhatsApp
Bonus
- 60 ArtiCoins
You Have No Risks — We Support You!
Struggling to capture mood, not just copy a scene?
5 atmospheric paintings. Light as the hero. Move from replication to your own visual language.
Worried about the level?
Full refund within 14 days if it's not the right fit after the first lessons.
No time?
Lifetime access to every video. 2 hours a week is enough.
Materials for the COURSE
1) Watercolor Palette: A limited palette is fine — Nicholas covers his recommended colors in the first lesson
2) Watercolor Paper: 140lb (300gsm) minimum, 9×12″ or larger. Cold press or rough. 100% cotton rag paper recommended
3) Watercolor Brushes: One large flat wash brush (3/4"—1″). One round brush (size 6, 8, or 10) that forms a sharp point when wet
4) Good Extras to Have on Hand: Plastic wrap, old toothbrush, spray bottle with water
Lots of flexibility with supplies — no need for exact items!
FAQ
Still have questions?
Our team is here to help. Not sure which plan is right for you? Just reach out — we'll guide you in a few minutes.
Contact us
You already know why you love watercolor.
But you also know the feeling: a painting that should work — but doesn't. The colors are fine, the subject is there. Something is missing. And you can't name it.
This course exists to name it. To help you see what's missing — light, mood, atmosphere — and give you the tools to put it there.
Until one day you finish a piece and think: yes. That's exactly what I wanted to say.