Bold & Glow in Watercolor

Discover the power of painting boldly in this immersive watercolor workshop with Rehann Vazid. Designed for artists at all levels, Bold & Glow in Watercolor will help participants move beyond hesitation, strengthen their technique, and develop greater confidence in their own artistic voice.

Rather than approaching watercolor as one large skill to master, Rehann breaks the process into a series of approachable micro-skills. Through live demonstrations, guided exercises, plein air painting, independent practice, and personalized one-on-one feedback, participants will explore each element individually before learning how to bring them together into expressive, cohesive paintings.

Bold Brushwork. Let go of fear and embrace confident strokes that carry energy and clarity.

Glow of Watercolor. Explore how to harness clean pigments, transparency, and timing to capture luminosity in skies and water.

Color with Courage. Experiment with limited palettes, explore warm vs. cool contrasts, and push pigments to reveal vibrancy without muddiness.

Techniques for Light. Learn to drop clean color into wet washes, create color harmony, and avoid overworking your paintings.

Key Topics Covered

1. Seeing & Design

• Big shapes, placement, horizon, and focal point
• Simplifying complex scenes
• Understanding what to leave out

2. Value & Tone in Watercolor

• Organizing a painting through lights, midtones, and darks
• Learning tonal hierarchies
• Painting the strong colors of twilight without losing subtlety

3. Color Harmony & Temperature

• Review the foundations of the color wheel
• Explore warm vs. cool temperature relationships
• Discover harmonious color combinations
• Use limited palettes to create a wider range of colors
• Practice mixing neutrals for subtlety and softness
• Build your core “color vocabulary” for cohesive painting

4. Drawing & Simplification

• Proportion and perspective with a light-touch approach
• Contour and big-shape accuracy
• Using drawing as a guide, not a foundation

5. Water Control

• Understanding timing: wet, damp, and dry
• Types of washes: flat, graded, and variegated
• Color consistency: tea, milk, cream, and butter

6. Brushwork & Edges

• Calligraphic and expressive strokes
• Edge control: soft, lost, and hard

7. Bringing Color & Light Together

• Use warm–cool contrast to create radiance and depth
• Learn how grays add atmosphere and mood
• Blend colors to create luminous transitions
• Combine neutrals and saturated hues for balance
• Apply temperature shifts to evoke twilight and daylight
• Create paintings that GLOW, where color and light work together to become something more than pigment on paper.

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Materials to bring:

• Paper
  • 300 GSM (140 lb) watercolour paper, 100% cotton, Cold Pressed or Rough
  • Paper size: 38cm × 56cm, 4 sheets per day should be enough

Recommended brands:

• • Baohong masters choice ‍or the new Classic range  ‍CP/Rough (Excellent value, available in AUS & NZ). The paper of the same name available on Temu is NOT ideal.
  • Arches CP/Rough
• Brushes
  • A large mop brush for washes
  • A med round brush (your primary brush – natural hair or mixed, avoid synthetic-only brush if possible).
  • A small brush for details

The goal is to use one primary brush for most of your painting. Over time, this builds intuitiveness with water control, pigment loading, and calligraphic strokes.

• Paint

Prefer professional watercolour tubes. Avoid cake/pan sets. 

Required palette: 

• • Ultramarine Blue
  • Cobalt Blue
  • Crimson Lake/ Permanent Rose / Rose Madder (preferred over Alizarin)
  • Transparent Yellow / Aureolin / Indian Yellow
  • Burnt Sienna

Color Selection Tips

• • Choose transparent, single-pigment colours wherever possible
  • Avoid opaque & semi opaque pigments
  • Avoid colours made of more than 1 pigment. E.g. sap green (3 pigments)
  • A limited palette leads to colour harmony and fewer pigments overall creates cleaner mixes

Recommended Brands

• • Daniel Smith
  • Winsor & Newton
  • Schmincke
  • Camel Artist Watercolour‍  ‍(great value, perfect for everyday practice)
• Don’t Forget
  • Mixing palette
  • Water container
  • Towel
  • Masking tape or clips
  • Spray bottle
  • Backing board to paint on
  • Sketchbook

• Personal toiletries (shampoo, hairdryer, etc. — linens and towels are provided)
• Snacks
• Water bottle
• Layers for cool evenings
• Hiking shoes
• Raincoat

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Schedule:

Sunday

• 4:00–5:00 PM: Check-In at Adamah Retreat Center
• 5:00–6:00 PM: Welcome Dinner
• 6:00 PM–Evening: Introductions, Workshop Overview & Get Settled

Monday

• 8:00–9:00 AM: Breakfast
• 9:00 AM–12:00 PM: Demos & Studio Time
• 12:00–1:00 PM: Lunch
• 1:00–5:00 PM: Demos & Studio Time
• 5:00–6:00 PM: Dinner
• 6:00 PM–Evening: Open Studio Time/Hiking/Explore

Tuesday

• 8:00–9:00 AM: Breakfast
• 9:00 AM–12:00 PM: Demos & Studio Time
• 12:00–1:00 PM: Lunch
• 1:00–5:00 PM: Demos & Studio Time
• 5:00–6:00 PM: Dinner
• 6:00 PM–Evening: Open Studio Time/Hiking/Explore

Wednesday

• 8:00–9:00 AM: Breakfast
• 9:00 AM–12:00 PM: Demos & Studio Time 
• 12:00–1:00 PM: Lunch
• 1:00–5:00 PM: Demos & Studio Time 
• Evening: Chef’s Night Off — explore the area and enjoy dinner on your own!
• Open Studio Time/Hiking/Explore

Thursday

• 8:00–9:00 AM: Breakfast
• 9:00 AM–12:00 PM: Demos & Studio Time
• 12:00–1:00 PM: Lunch
• 1:00–5:00 PM: Demos & Studio Time 
• 5:00–6:00 PM: Dinner
• 6:00 PM–Evening: Open Studio Time/Hiking/Explore

Friday

• 8:00–9:00 AM: Breakfast
• 9:00–10:30 AM: Final Making & Refining
• 10:30 AM–12:00 PM: Group Critique, Discussion & Workshop Wrap-Up
• 12:00 PM: Workshop Ends

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View frequently asked questions here!