Watercolor: The Next Place to Start A continuation of beginner watercolor running Thursday evenings with instructor Kate Kern Mundie. Where: The Philadelphia Sketch Club 235 S. Camac St. Philadelphia, PA 19107 Upstairs Gallery When: Thursdays from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM, April 2026 April 2nd April 9th April 16th April 23rd April 30th Pricing: PSC Members for five weeks: $205 Non-PSC Members for five weeks: $250 Materials not included; students will provide their own materials. Instructor Bio Kate Kern Mundie is a fine artist working in painting and drawing media, known for paintings that reflect environmental change. Kate regularly exhibits her landscape paintings, teaches painting and drawing, and is a demonstrator for Winsor & Newton. She brings years of experience in plein air and observational work. Her teaching emphasizes clarity, strong foundations, and a practical, inclusive approach to materials and technique and a clear, approachable teaching style grounded in real-world practice. Class Description:

This five-week beginner continuation class focuses on gaining control and confidence in watercolour. Students will work on gradient control, water bead timing, intentional mark making, and edge management. Selected master watercolours by Winslow Homer, John Whorf, and Mark Adams will be studied and copied to better understand restraint, structure, and economy of means. 

Students provide their own materials. Weekly at-home exercises will reinforce technique and support steady practice. 

A full materials list and weekly class schedule can be found at the bottom of this page.

 

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PSC Member: All five weeks - $205

Non PSC Member: All five weeks - $250

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Next

 

 

Weekly Class Schedule:

Week 1 – Water Control & The Water Bead 

• Review of foundational washes 

• Understanding how the water bead forms and moves 

• Exercises in smooth gradients 

• Controlled timing studies 

At-home exercise: gradient strips focusing on even transitions and learning your paint 

 

Week 2 – Gradient Control & Value 

• Long gradients across larger areas 

• Using value to create depth 

• Connecting water control to mark restraint 

At-home exercise: Limited value study using only 2 pigments 

 

Week 3 – Mark Making & Master Studies 

• Studying and copying selected works 

• Observing economy of marks 

• Suggestion vs description 

• Placement and rhythm of brushstrokes 

At-home exercise: Small master copy study (6×8 or similar) 

 

Week 4 – Edges, Texture & Intervention 

• Soft, hard, and lost edges 

• Combining controlled marks with wet passages 

• Selective texture (with specialty tools provided in class) 

• Knowing when to stop 

At-home exercise: Edge control study with three distinct edge types 

 

Week 5 – Bringing It Together 

• Planning a small resolved painting 

• Integrating gradients, marks, and edges 

• Individual feedback 

• Discussion of continued practice strategies 

 

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Materials List

(Find the materials list on Blick’s website here.)

Paint:

Professional or student-grade watercolour (tubes preferred) 

Reds 

• Winsor Red or Scarlet Lake 

• Permanent Rose or Quinacridone Rose 

Blues 

• French Ultramarine 

• Winsor Blue (Green Shade) 
  (If using another brand, this may be labeled Phthalo Blue (Green Shade).) 

Yellows 

• Lemon Yellow 

• New Gamboge or Cadmium Yellow (or Cadmium-Free Yellow) 

Green 

• Sap Green 

Earth Tone 

• Brown Madder 
  (Burnt Sienna may be substituted if preferred.) 

Optional (for value control) 

• Payne’s Grey 

(Students may use existing palettes if similar.) 

 

Brushes:

• Round brush (size 8–12) 

• Smaller round (size 4–6) 

• 1″ flat or wash brush 

Synthetic or natural/synthetic blend is fine. 

 

Paper:

• 100% cotton watercolour paper recommended 

• 140 lb (300 gsm) cold press 

• Pad or loose sheets 

• Suggested size range: 9×12 to 11×14 

 

Other Supplies:

• Mixing palette (white surface) 

• Two water containers 

• Pencil (HB or 2H) 

• Eraser 

• Paper towels or cotton rag 

• Painter’s tape or board for securing paper 

 

Optional but Helpful:

• Spray bottle 
• Small sketchbook for planning