Cindy Briggs' workshops are focused on developing your own style and building confidence as you develop a deeper understanding of design and watercolor techniques. She creates an enriching and positive atmosphere for all levels of artists. Discover her process from start to finish to create paintings with dramatic light, jazzed up harmonious colors, and captivating compositions.
May 2021
Sunlit Watercolors – Burano, Italy – GoTerracotta.org/Online
May 17 & 18, 2021
10am to 1:30 pm Pacific Time
Virtually visit the colorful island of Burano, a ferry ride away from Venice. We will focus on painting colorful sunlit walls and mesmerizing reflections as we explore the village. You will learn how to capture light with your paintbrush as paint sunlight, reflective light, and colorful shadows. Then, we'll utilize the colors above and reflect them into the water. We'll focus on mingling colors, color choices, calligraphic brush work, and mixing colors. A tracing of the scene is provided so you can start painting right from the beginning.
Find out more »June 2021
Smithsonian Studio Arts Workshop – Quick-Sketch Watercolors: Landscapes
June 15 and 22, 2021
1:30 PM – 4:30 PM EST
2-Session Daytime Workshop on Zoom
Quickly capture a scene using flowing lines and spontaneous watercolor techniques. Instructor Cindy Briggs provides step-by-step directions in creating landscape paintings and vignettes inspired from virtual travel from Europe to California. This “go with the flow” technique is perfect for studies, travel journals, and finished fine art.
Complete one or more paintings as you use techniques in composition, drawing, and painting. Lessons explore managing watercolor consistency while applying mingling colors with wet-in-wet, wet-on-dry, and layering techniques. For experienced beginner and intermediate students. The artist provides images from her travels or you can use your own.
Find out more »Smithsonian Studio Arts Workshop – Postcard from Provence in Watercolor
June 16, 2021
1:30 PM – 4:30 PM EST
Studio Arts Workshop on Zoom
It’s quick and easy to create postcard-size paintings, whether you’re gazing at a lovely vista or referencing travel photos. Virtually spend the afternoon in Provence discovering how to capture a scene with flowing lines and colors. Learn to quickly capture light, shadow, and details that add life to your subject. From inviting doorways and windows to fields of lavender, share the “journey” using the instructor's photos from her "Life in Provence" series, or your own photographs if you prefer. The instructor also demonstrates how to enhance your artwork with calligraphy. All levels welcome.
Find out more »Quick Sketch Watercolors – University of Utah Lifelong Learning Online
June 19-26, 2021
10am to 3:30 Mountain Time
Discover how to easily draw with free flowing lines and confidently mix and mingle flowing translucent watercolors. Using fine point markers and transparent watercolor, you will see how quickly you can create exciting spontaneous small paintings, quick studies and journal entries. With two sessions you'll have time to experiment, expand your skills, and explore your own style as you get into the flow of creating. This class is great for all levels of experience. Participants are encouraged to bring a selection of reference photos or use those provided by the instructor. Students are responsible for their own materials; find a list online.
Find out more »Smithsonian Studio Arts Workshop – Watercolor Sunflowers in Spain
June 23, 2021
1:30 PM – 5:00 PM EST
Studio Arts Workshop on Zoom
Tournesols, girasoles, girasoli. In any language, a field of sunlit sunflowers surrounding a medieval village is a dream-like scene. Create your own field of sun learning how to paint with flowing watercolors while exploring positive and negative space, mixing a range of color values, and capturing sunlight with your paintbrush. A tracing and reference photo is provided to help you simplify the subjects and draw ahead of class time. This allows you to focus on finishing a painting in the session.
Find out more »Add People to Your Watercolors – University of Utah Lifelong Learning Online
June 29 & 30, 2021
6:00 pm -9:00 pm Mountain Time
Adding people to your paintings creates energy and life. Through demonstrations and instructor guidance, learn how to paint a figure and place people in a scene. You'll learn how to mix skin tones and simplify a figure. Then, you'll place figures in a scene and paint it from start to finish!
Find out more »October 2021
Santa Barbara, California – Watercolor Sketching Workshop with French Escapade
October 22 – 27, 2021
With breathtaking coastal mountains to the east and sublime beaches to the west, Santa Barbara is one of the most beautiful places in California. With its perfect Mediterranean climate, Santa Barbara is a little gem with lush gardens and distinctive white-washed, terracotta-tiled Spanish architecture. No doubt that it deserves its name of “American Riviera”.
Find out more »September 2022
Paint in Spain – Plein Air Watercolor Workshop with French Escapade
September 17-24, 2022
Join us on the Costa Brava of Spain and experience daily demonstrations, personalized instruction, and, encouraging support with Theresa and Cindy. “We show you how to design and simplify your subject, draw confidently, jazz up your colors, paint with serendipity and experiment with new techniques. Enjoy creating colorful paintings with an emphasis on your own unique point of view.
Find out more »
Watercolor step-by-step video & bonus quick sketch lesson available through open studio online.
Imagine traveling to Provence and painting the old world architecture with its charming textured stonework, lavender shutters and climbing vines.
From start to finish of this 145 min instruction video, you'll discover how to draw with flowing lines, mix captivating mingled watercolors directly on the paper, and create the illusion of dramatic sunlight and shadows.
Bonus: Cindy shares her quick-sketch technique so you can quickly capture your experiences and vision in your watercolor journal.
Click here for Cindy’s Online Watercolor Programs
