Paint Your Pet – Intermediate Watercolor Weekend (May 31 & June 1)

Ready to turn your furry (or feathered!) friend into a frame-worthy watercolour masterpiece? Join Sarah for a fun and focused weekend workshop where we’ll explore the art of pet portraiture. With plenty of individual guidance and group camaraderie, this class is designed for intermediate painters who want to sharpen their technique and capture their pets’ personalities on paper.

Over two relaxed afternoon sessions (Saturday and Sunday, for a total of 8 hours), we’ll dive into the full process—from observation and planning to layering and finishing touches. We’ll start with a guided dog portrait to practice key techniques, then shift to painting your own pet from a photo you bring.

Topics covered include:

• The importance of observation: breaking down an image
• Preserving whites for eyes and highlights
• Working with values to shape fur and features
• Colour mixing for realistic tones
• Wet-in-wet and wet-on-dry approaches
• Building up layers for dimension
• Making corrections without overworking
• Exploring different pet portrait styles
• Adding fine detail for realism and expression

Sarah will paint alongside you, sharing her step-by-step approach and giving tips in real time. You’ll walk away with two finished pieces, a deeper understanding of pet portraiture, and the joy of painting in community.

Bring:

• A high-quality 8×10″ close-up photo of your pet (printed or digital)
• A pre-drawn 8×10″ sketch (traced or freehand is fine)
• Your favourite brushes and paints
• A 9×12″ block of professional-grade watercolour paper (or larger)

Materials

Please see supply list for this class’s requirements.