We are so happy that many of you have been enjoying our Watercolour Workshops since they launched in the Autumn, but we know there are still some of you unsure what they involve and whether or not they are too 'technical' due to being online.
We have made sure that we have kept the spirit of a Claire's in-person class and have ensured that the sound and picture grade are of the highest quality by working with a great production team.
One of our unique advantages is that when you buy one of our Workshops it is yours to keep forever, it doesn't disappear after 3 months.
Firstly, you don't need amazing technical ability to start painting online with Claire.
You then receive a LINK, which you press/click and this opens and downloads the Workshop onto your device..... and then you're ready to go!
YOU MUST DOWNLOAD IT WITHIN ONE MONTH THOUGH OR THE LINK WILL NO LONGER WORK. THIS IS KEY!
(let me know if this has happened to you and I will resend it!)
Once it's downloaded onto your device you will always be able to find it and come back to it in your 'downloads' section.
If you have ANY technical questions, please, please, please let me know.
Along with your Workshop, you will receive some PDF attachments, if you click and open these you will find a paint chart like the one above, a materials list of paint colours, brushes and equipment you will need, and images of the stages of your picture which are incredibly helpful. You can print all of these out on your printer and have alongside you whilst you work.
We have an Online Materials Shop, which is really useful for watercolour paper, Claire's watercolour paints, mounts and a fabulous Starter Box full of everything you need to get started.
The cameras have been positioned close to the paper, paints and Claire's hands so that you can see close up what she is doing, the technique she is using and the colours she is mixing.
Claire teaches the painting in stages, so you can press pause and have a rest and come back to your work. You can rewind it easily and rewatch sections. We use different angles and you get to see Claire's smiley face too!
Each Workshop is different so you can learn different techniques, for example our Croatian painting looks at reflections, techniques and small detail, our Porthmeor Beach looks at waves coming over the sand and how you keep your colours transparent, Winter Scene shows you that snow can be full of character and colour, and our Rhododendrons shows you how to be loose with your painting and keep the vibrancy in your glorious colours.
Click here to see our available Workshops
Our Beginners and Refreshers Workshop goes right back to basics and is a great one to watch through before you even start painting. Claire shows you the difference between papers, brushes and paints. She takes you through mixing the paints with some little exercises, followed by helping you create a masterpiece which includes several washes and results in a calm countryside scene.
If you don't fancy too much painting and would like to work on your drawing skills, we have Cyril the Squirrel, which is a Pen and Wash Workshop.
I'd like to share some feedback we've received to help you consider investing in one of our Workshops:
"Claire's so good at this, tell her to do more"
"Online delivery works really well and I loved the way the workshop was split into stages, it was certainly useful to be able to pause the recording, especially for drying time"
"Very user friendly, lots of useful and helpful information on the attached PDF sheets. The actual video was great, I liked the angle, which made it easy to see which paints Claire was mixing up and what she was painting"
"I'm loving the sound of the sea on the Porthmeor Beach Workshop"
"Claire has a wonderful way of breaking down into easy to understand painting techniques, building confidence and her use of colours is gorgeous"
"The Cornish seascape workshop was my first online one and I was so pleased with what I'd managed to achieve thanks to Claire's tuition"
"The camera together with Claire's narrative captured the process of working very clearly"
"Well done to you and Claire, the workshops are a fantastic achievement, Online Workshops are a real bonus to have at the moment"
Any questions please ask away, and hopefully Claire will soon by on your tablet, ipad, computer or television in high definition!
For those of you who have recently joined our mailing list or started following us on Facebook, Claire and I have been working together since 2005 running small day Workshops in Newbury, we haven't yet reopened since Covid but hope to later in the Spring/early Summer. Our days are very relaxing, they include a lovely lunch with a glass of wine, all of your materials are included and you will complete a finished painting to take home with you.
We put together these Workshops so everyone can continue to paint at home, practice their skills and continue to feel part of the lovely Treetops community.
Claire teaches on painting holidays throughout the year and at Marlborough Summer School.
