X 2024-A1 - Pen & Ink with Watercolor with David Rueckert

Pen & Ink with Watercolor Workshop
Saturday & Sunday, January 27 & 28, 11:00AM - 3:00PM

In this workshop participants will learn to sketch and paint environments with pen and ink and watercolor.

Emphasis will be placed on having fun and enjoying the process. Instruction will be oriented toward loose, quick, and less detailed methods of sketching as opposed to longer, highly studied and more detailed approaches. We will embrace drawing imperfections as part of the process - in fact we may welcome them as they will often lend more character, interest and energy to your artwork.

Note: After developing skills through practice by working from photos in our classroom, you can then go on location, anytime, anywhere to capture the environment, whether you wish to participate in the popular Urban Sketching movement, or just apply them to making artwork from photos of your travel experiences!

Workshop Level - appropriate for beginner to advanced adult students, 18 and over. Younger students can contact the instructor to discuss whether their experience level is appropriate for the course.

David Rueckert has 20+ years of full-time, college-level teaching experience in graphic and media design as well as digital and traditional arts. He holds an M.F.A. degree in Art & Visual Technology with a specialization in Digital Arts from George Mason University, and an undergraduate degree in Fine Arts (Studio) from the University of Mary Washington. He has taught numerous previous workshops at the Virginia Beach Art Center.

Required Materials

• Pencil (2H or HB preferred) and Eraser (Both Optional)

• A black Bic Pen or other cheap ball point for warm up

• Artist Pen(s) with Waterproof Black Ink -
  • Pens may be Fineliners and/or Fountain Pens - both will be covered in class.
  • Ink must be waterproof. If you are not sure, choose from the following options:

• Fineliner Artist Pens - easiest, most direct option!
  • Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pens
  • Sakura Micron Pigma
  • STAEDTLER Pigment Liner
  • Uni Pin Drawing Fineliners
  • Recommended Economical sets of 4 to 6 pens with a variety of point widths are available from most makers. For example: Uni Pin - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F38T9C4?psc=1&ref=ppx...
  • If you can only afford a single pen, get a mid-range point size such as 02 or 03.

• Fountain Pen - fun to use once set up! Not required, bring or get one if you are interested.
  • Lamy Safari Pen filled with Platinum Carbon Ink - used and recommended by instructor.
    • Ink - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0028MTSFQ?psc=1&ref=ppx...
    • Pen - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0928SKXW3?ref=ppx_yo2ov...
  • Note: This pen comes with stock cartridges but also with a converter that can be filled with the Carbon ink - most fountain pen stock cartridges are not waterproof. Please do not use other inks such as India that may clog and ruin your pen!)

• Pentel Fude Brush Pen (Optional)
  • This is a water soluble brush pen available on Amazon for $5.88 at the time of this writing. Purchase if you think you might be interested in the sketching approach described next.
  • Great for creating sketches with variable-width, expressive marks that can be efficiently dissolved with water to create grey tones. There will be a brief demo of this technique, as it may be of interest to some participants.

• Watercolor Paints - bring whatever you have. Artist quality recommended.
  • If you are a beginner and must purchase paints and want an economical, great portable set, consider the following. It comes with Winsor & Newton’s Cotman line of paints. These are “student” level paints, but the color choices are well thought out and all are artist quality lightfast! Also available with W&N Professional Watercolor paints at 3-4 times the cost.
  • https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000N9B3WM?psc=1&ref=ppx...

• Watercolor Brushes - bring whatever you have - at minimum a mid-size flat and round.
  • If you must purchase, you will see the following brush sizes - flat (1/4, 1/2, 3/4) and round (2, 4, 6, 8). Get a mid size of one each, or if you can afford 2, a larger and smaller from the range of each.

• Watercolor or Multimedia Paper, Sketchbook, Pad, or Block - usually smallish in size for plein-air and urban sketching work, about 6x9 to 9x12 inches, or approximately A4 - A5 size.
  • Can be Hot Press (smooth) or Cold Press (textured) - both are acceptable. Pen and ink artists usually prefer the Hot Press for detail, many watercolorists the Cold Press for texture character. It’s a toss up since we are using both together.
  • Recommended artist quality 100% cotton from trusted brand such as Arches or Fabriano.

• White Pen such as Gelly Roll or Uni Posca Extra Fine Marker (Optional)

Contact the instructor with any questions on materials by email approximately a week before the workshop begins.

drueckert11@gmail.com

Supporter Tuition - Immediately qualify for Supporter Tuition with a donation of $50 or more.

Refund Policy: https://www.artcentervb.org/classpolicies.html
(Please read refund policy and email Ally Cassorla at create@artcentervb.org for a qualified refund)