NEW PROGRAM BY DAN MONDLOCH AND ARTEFACTO
Beyond Light and Shadow:
Painting Atmosphere in Watercolor
A foggy road on your morning drive or the last light on a beach can become your next painting, and Dan shows you how.
Learn to capture soft atmosphere, create luminous skies without heavy washes, and bring landscapes and figures to life with just a few fresh strokes.
1 sketch and 5 paintings · ~ 10.5 hours of HD video · Subtitles in 6 languages · Lifetime access
NEW PROGRAM BY DAN MONDLOCH AND ARTEFACTO
Beyond Light and Shadow:
Painting Atmosphere in Watercolor
Learn to capture soft atmosphere, create luminous skies without heavy washes, and bring landscapes and figures to life with just a few fresh strokes.
1 sketch and 5 paintings · Subtitles in 6 languages · Lifetime access
At a Glance
At a Glance
Our students name Dan one of the best instructors at Artefacto
Dan is a Signature Member of the Transparent Watercolor Society of America. He paints and explains each decision as he makes it, so the hard part becomes clear. In this program he shows you that atmosphere is not a special effect: it’s values and soft edges, and you can learn both.
From Dan: «The goal is to help students look more carefully at what is actually happening in the scene: how the values relate, where edges soften, how texture supports the effect, and what kind of light is present. Strong painting material can be found in familiar, everyday life».
Is This Program Right for You?
Your paintings are fine, but they haven't changed in a long time, and fog or evening light still feel out of reach. Each module takes one kind of light, so you see the step up from painting to painting
The same water and the same paint give you a clean wash one day and mud the next. Dan shows you how to get the value you planned every time, and why it works
A beach with rocks, surf, and people feels like too much. You learn to see ten objects as one shape, and the scene becomes easy to paint
You follow a tutorial well, then a painting from your own reference looks lifeless. Dan's plan works on any artwork, and the final project puts it to work on five of your own
You keep fixing until the painting looks tired. Here you learn where to stop, so your paintings stay fresh and you want to show them
Learning Program
Six modules, from a quiet mountain view to people on a sunlit beach. Each one adds a new kind of light
Module 1: Foundation
Every painting in the program starts here, with a plan you can see before you pick up a brush. If you're new to Dan, this gives you his base. If you took his first program, it's a quick refresher
1 lesson, ~ 30 min · Three values, value study and paint mix, preparing a reference, bonus photo examples of types of atmosphere
Module 2: Atmosphere in the Landscape
Distance comes from values, not from detail. You paint mountains fading into the air and feel the depth open up
3 lessons, ~ 2 hours · 1 painting · Values in a scene, the right paint mix, depth with overlapping forms
Module 3: Foggy Sunrise
Sunlight looks brighter when the colors around it are calm and neutral. You paint a road in the morning haze where the light seems to glow
3 lessons, ~ 2 hours · 1 painting · Soft gradations and texture for fog, values for distance, neutral colors around the light
Most skies go dark because of the paint mix, not the color. You paint sun rays over a lake and keep the sky bright
3 lessons, ~ 2 hours · 1 painting · Reading the parts of a sky, a paint mix that keeps it light
A busy beach gets easier when ten objects become one shape. You paint rocks, surf, and people without getting lost
3 lessons, ~ 2 hours · 1 painting · Elements of a beach scene, grouping objects into large shapes, simple figures in the distance
Figures look alive when you paint the gesture instead of the features. You finish the program with people on the sand in the evening light
2 lessons, ~ 2 hours · 1 painting · Warm and cool color for glow, figures as gesture, less detail in sand and waves
LESSON SAMPLE
THIS IS WHAT YOU WILL PAINT
Read the light. Plan the values. Paint it fresh
DAN’S METHOD
«Plan logically, paint intuitively». This is how Dan works, and how you will
- Plan logically. Before the first stroke you know what kind of light you’re painting and where the light, middle, and dark values go
- Paint intuitively. With the plan in place, you stop second-guessing and let the watercolor move
«Knowledge precedes ability. If you can see it, you can do it»
Support and feedback
You paint at home, and you still get answers to your questions
Written feedback from curator on your paintings, in the Premium plan
- Three detailed reviews of your finished paintings plus one creative assignment, within your first 90 days. Written by a professional curator — what worked, what didn't, what to change on the next sheet
- Premium plan
Student community on WhatsApp
- Daily conversation with painters working through the same four elements. Questions, work in progress, honest reactions. Moderated by our community team
- All plans
Certificate of completion
- Issued when you finish the course. Recognition of your work — usable professionally if your work touches the arts, and worth having either way
- All plans
Meet Your Instructor:
Dan Mondloch
- Signature Member, Transparent Watercolor Society of America; exhibited at the National Watercolor Society International Show
- Jean Stern Legacy Award, Laguna Plein Air Invitational; Best of Show at Grand Marais, Paint du Nord, and Hudson Plein Air
- Featured in Splash 17 and 18, PleinAir Magazine, Watercolor Artist, and Southwest Art
- Stage demonstrator at the Plein Air Convention; teaches in person and online
Student Results
More than 100 students have completed Dan’s first program at Artefacto.
Here is what they say:
WHAT WILL YOU ACHIEVE DURING THIS PROGRAM?
Six modules from now, you look at a misty morning and think «I can paint that»
You see your own progress
Put your first and last painting side by side and the difference is clear
You understand why it works
When something goes wrong, you check the values and fix it
Clean fog, bright skies
Your paint mix gives you the value you planned
Busy scenes stop scaring you
You see the big shapes first and the details last
You paint without the video
Your own photos, your own light, the same plan
Six pieces you're proud to share
1 sketch and 5 paintings that look fresh, not overworked
THE COMPLETE DAN MONDLOCH SET
Everything Dan teaches at Artefacto in one order.
Available: November 7 to 13 only
Start with how light and shadow work, watch Dan paint four more scenes, then move into fog, haze, and golden hour
Beyond Light and Shadow. Dan’s new program: fog, haze, dramatic skies and golden hour. 6 modules · 6 paintings
The Art of Light and Shadow in Watercolor. Dan’s first program: where light comes from, how shadows work, and how to simplify any scene into three values. 15 lessons · 10h 45min · 4 paintings
4 recorded Zoom demos with Dan. In each session Dan paints a full artwork: a waterfall with the damp paper method, autumn reflections with his color mixing strategies, winter streets where he shows how colors change next to each other, and a rocky shoreline simplified with Notan. 4 sessions · 4 paintings
14 paintings, with Dan explaining every step
CHOOSE YOUR PLAN
Standard Plan
150 USD 250 USD
Perfect for artists who want to learn Dan’s way of painting atmosphere and light at their own pace
Program «Beyond Light and Shadow: Painting Atmosphere in Watercolor»:
- 6 modules, 15 video lessons in full HD (~10.5 h)
- 1 sketch and 5 paintings + creative task on your own photos
- Bonus guide to types of atmosphere
- Subtitles in 6 languages
- Student community on WhatsApp
- Lifetime access
- Certificate of Completion
Premium plan
180 USD 280 USD
For artists who want written feedback on their paintings from a curator
Everything in the Standard plan plus:
- Written feedback on your paintings from professional curator Terrilynn Dubreuil
The Complete Set
250 USD 900 USD
For artists who want everything Dan teaches at Artefacto in one order
Everything in the Standard plan
plus:
- Dan’s first program «The Art of Light and Shadow in Watercolor» (15 lessons, 10 h 45 min, 4 paintings)
- 4 recorded Zoom demos with Dan (4 paintings)
- 14 paintings with Dan in total
* Available only during Black November
Standard Plan
132 EUR 220 EUR
Perfect for artists who want to learn Dan’s way of painting atmosphere and light at their own pace
Program «Beyond Light and Shadow: Painting Atmosphere in Watercolor»:
- 6 modules, 15 video lessons in full HD (~10.5 h)
- 1 sketch and 5 paintings + creative task on your own photos
- Bonus guide to types of atmosphere
- Subtitles in 6 languages
- Student community on WhatsApp
- Lifetime access
- Certificate of Completion
Premium plan
158 EUR 246 EUR
For artists who want written feedback on their paintings from a curator
Everything in the Standard plan plus:
- Written feedback on your paintings from professional curator Terrilynn Dubreuil
The Complete Set
220 EUR 792 EUR
For artists who want everything Dan teaches at Artefacto in one order
Everything in the Standard plan
plus:
- Dan’s first program «The Art of Light and Shadow in Watercolor» (15 lessons, 10 h 45 min, 4 paintings)
- 4 recorded Zoom demos with Dan (4 paintings)
- 14 paintings with Dan in total
* Available only during Black November
Additional learning materials
for The Complete Dan Mondloch Set
Program «The Art of Light and Shadow in Watercolor»
- Learn the proven process that helps you bring depth, clarity, and atmosphere to any artwork
- Create 4 stunning paintings, discover how to see light like an artist, simplify any scene, and make your watercolors glow — even if you’ve struggled with values, composition, or consistency before
- Lifetime Access
Value: 250 USD / EUR
4 recorded Zoom demos
for The Complete Dan Mondloch Set
4 paintings:
Session 1. Waterfall in Motion — The Damp Paper Method
Learn to paint a vibrant waterfall using the damp paper method for soft edges and natural flow
Session 2. Autumn Reflections — Color Mixing Strategies
Explore the warm beauty of fall and learn how to mix rich, natural colors for your landscape
Session 3. Winter Streets — Understanding Color Relativity
Capture the quiet beauty of a winter morning while exploring how colors change in relation to one another
Session 4. Rocky Shoreline — Simplifying Values with Notan
Discover the power of Notan — the art of simplifying light and dark into strong, clear shapes
Value: 400 USD / EUR
YOU HAVE NO RISKS, WE SUPPORT YOU
Start with the first lessons and decide for yourself
Not sure it's your level?
If after 1–2 lessons in the first week the program isn't right for you, we refund you in full within 14 days after purchase
Worried you won't find the time?
Each module takes about 2 hours and ends with a finished painting. One module a week, and in six weeks you're done. Your lessons never expire, so a busy week doesn't set you back
Afraid a painting won't work out?
Module 1 starts with the basics, and Dan explains every step as he paints. In Premium, the curator tells you what to fix
Materials for the Program
Use the brands you’re comfortable with, and choose artist quality over student grade where you can
Paper: 100% cotton, 140 lb (300 gsm) cold pressed or rough, quarter sheet 11×15. Dan paints on Arches
Paints: your usual watercolors plus white gouache. Dan shares his color list in the lessons
Brushes: one large, one medium, and one small round or flat, plus a rigger for fine lines
Extras: a sealed board or plexiglass 16×20, a natural sponge, a spray bottle, 4 bulldog clips, paper towels, and a pencil
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
READY TO PAINT THE LIGHT?
Next time you see a misty road or a beach at sunset, you will know how to paint it