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Watercolor Classes Chicago

Unleash your creativity with watercolor painting classes in Chicago. Learn essential techniques, gain confidence in your artistic abilities, and create beautiful, vibrant artwork.

3 classes in-person in Chicago have spots left, and 12 classes live online are available.

Watercolors: Materials, Composition & Technique

Evanston Art Center @ 1717 Central St, Evanston, IL

Unlock the secrets of watercolor mastery as you explore techniques, compositions, and materials in this immersive art experience. Discover the art of vibrant washes, wet-in-wet painting, and sketch-free creations. Join a supportive community of artists for critiques and unleash your creativity with the guidance of a skilled instructor.

Tuesday Jan 9th, 9:30am–12:30pm Central Time

 (5 sessions)

$230

5 sessions

Pen & Ink & Watercolor (Ages 16+)

Evanston Art Center @ 1717 Central St, Evanston, IL

Unleash your creativity with Pen & Ink and Watercolor techniques! Join us for a hands-on artistic journey where you'll learn to create stunning drawings and paintings using a variety of pens and watercolor mediums. Get ready to explore new techniques and unlock your artistic potential.

Friday Jan 12th, 9:30am–12:30pm Central Time

 (5 sessions)

$230

5 sessions

Watercolor Open Studio

Evanston Art Center @ 1717 Central St, Evanston, IL

Unleash your creativity and master the art of watercolor in a serene and supportive environment. Join artists of all levels at the Evanston Art Center for a weekly session where you can freely express your ideas, receive expert guidance, and explore a variety of watercolor techniques.

Thursday Jan 11th, 1–4pm Central Time

 (5 sessions)

$230

5 sessions

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Watercolor

BrushCapades @ Online Classroom

Unleash your creativity with a hands-on tutorial that provides all the necessary materials for a 90-minute watercolor experience. Discover the joy of painting with a watercolor fan set, brushes, and high-quality paper, all included in this immersive workshop. Don't miss out on this opportunity to explore the beautiful world of watercolors!

Tuesday Dec 5th, 7–8:30pm Central Time

Watercolor 101

Art School of SF Bay @ Virtual Classroom

This workshop covers everything you need to know about watercolor to use it fluently in your projects: how to mix colors, use washes, work from light to dark, use reserve and additives, and even such advanced technique as watercolor underpainting. You will learn the science behind the watercolor fluorescent colors, learn how to lead your work, what to do to prevent and fix watercolor accidents. We will try our hands in both Classical European and...

Thursday Jan 25th, 6–8pm Pacific Time

 (10 sessions)

$400

10 sessions

Beginning Watercolor: Online

Chicago Botanic Garden @ Online via Zoom

Unlock your creativity and learn to paint sparkling, luminous watercolors with the Chicago Botanic Garden's virtual botanical art class. Explore brush techniques, color-mixing, and control of washes from the comfort of your own home. No prior experience is needed.

Wednesday Jan 10th, 9:30am–12pm Central Time

 (6 sessions)

$349

6 sessions

Exploratory Watercolor

New York School of the Arts @ Online Classroom

Unleash your creativity with watercolor as you delve into still life and abstraction in this dynamic course at the New York School of the Arts. Discover diverse techniques, master composition, and color, and receive personalized instruction and group critiques. Join us and create unique, individual paintings that truly reflect your artistic vision.

Thursday Feb 1st, 9:30am–12:30pm Eastern Time

 (10 sessions)

$430

10 sessions

Expressive Watercolor

Chicago Botanic Garden @ Online via Zoom

Explore the fluid beauty of the watercolor medium and learn watercolor techniques.  Each session will progress to a more controlled “found” finish. There will be a strong emphasis on values and design.  Three class sessions will be taught online via Zoom and three class sessions will be taught at the Chicago Botanic Garden. All registrations must be submitted online two days before your class starts. Registered students will receive...

Saturday Jan 20th, 1–4pm Central Time

 (6 sessions)

$449

6 sessions

Painting in Watercolor - Level 2

Santa Monica College

Join a class designed for those who wish to improve and guide their watercolor techniques toward a more personal and creative direction. In a supportive, constructive, and stress-free environment, learn how to achieve desired effects that will enhance previous painting attempts, and find out about effective methods for attaining more satisfying results with new projects. For class supplies please click here

Sunday Jan 7th, 2–5pm Pacific Time

 (6 sessions)

$128

6 sessions

Online Watercolor 202 - Intermediate

Pastimes for a Lifetime @ Live Online via Zoom

Take your watercolor skills to the next level with this intermediate class at Pastimes for a Lifetime. Learn advanced techniques for texture, tone, and color layering, and discover how to create deeper, richer colors in your paintings. Perfect for artists interested in fine art or illustration.

Tuesday Dec 5th, 3–4pm Pacific Time

 (4 sessions)

$160

4 sessions

Watercolor Still Life

New York School of the Arts @ Online Classroom

Learn to bring everyday objects to life in vibrant watercolor compositions at the New York School of the Arts. Sharpen your observation skills while exploring pigments, layering techniques, and more. All levels of experience are welcome in this experimental and boundary-pushing class.

Friday Feb 2nd, 10am–1pm Eastern Time

 (9 sessions)

$430

9 sessions

Watercolor at Home

New York School of the Arts @ Online Classroom

Experience the beauty of watercolor painting from the comfort of your own home with this course at the prestigious New York School of the Arts. Discover the art of still life, tablescape, and roomscape, while learning about light, transparency, opacity, color, and layering. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced artist, this course offers group critiques and individual instruction to help you refine your skills.

Friday Feb 2nd, 10am–1pm Eastern Time

 (9 sessions)

$400

9 sessions

Painting the Natural World

Chicago Botanic Garden @ Online via Zoom

Discover the captivating world of watercolor as you learn to create expressive marks and mix colors to depict the beauty of nature in this online course offered by the Chicago Botanic Garden. Explore the art of painting the natural world from the comfort of your own home, and unlock the secrets to achieving sparkling and sensitive effects with watercolor. Previous experience in watercolor or a similar medium is recommended.

Wednesday Jan 10th, 1–3:30pm Central Time

 (6 sessions)

$349

6 sessions

Color Mixing

Chicago Botanic Garden @ Online via Zoom

Learn to mix accurate, exciting color including the vivid, specific hues of flowers, the bright and subdued greens of leaves, and the deep, subtle colors in shadows. You will make charts for permanent reference and then apply this knowledge as you paint flowers and leaves from live specimens.  You will work in watercolor, but exercises apply to all media. A supply list will be sent.

Saturday Mar 23rd, 9am–12pm Central Time

 (6 sessions)

$449

6 sessions

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Discover the Best Watercolor Classes in Chicago

Watercolor painting has a rich history, and much of that history is celebrated in the Art Institute of Chicago. The institute’s collection is home to thousands of watercolor artworks, from renowned icons to lesser-known artists. Browsing the collection, you’ll find hundreds of artists that will inspire you and help you learn new concepts of watercolor. 

Chicago's rich artistic history, from iconic architecture to world-class museums, provides endless inspiration for watercolor artists. In addition, you can find natural inspiration for your art when you visit Chicago. For example, visit the lakefront, look out over stunning cityscapes and diverse neighborhoods, and capture the beauty of a bustling city. You’ll find nearly endless topics to paint while you live in Chicago. 

The best way to learn watercolor in Chicago is by taking art classes. Art classes are taught by professional artists who will lead you through the basics and ensure that you establish proper watercolor techniques. CourseHorse offers a list of classes and local Chicago art schools that you can book. Keep reading to learn more about art classes in Chicago. 

Why You Should Learn Watercolor in Chicago

There are many benefits to learning watercolor, especially while living in a vibrant and active city like Chicago. Firstly, starting watercolor as a hobby provides a delightful and fulfilling way to alleviate stress, channel creativity, and make the most of your free time. Whether you're seeking a therapeutic outlet or a way to create meaningful gifts for others, watercolor painting can bring joy and fulfillment to your life.

Next, learning watercolor in Chicago allows you to join a community of like-minded individuals. The city has numerous local watercolor clubs, groups, events, and organizations dedicated to the arts. Through these connections, you’ll have opportunities to connect with fellow watercolor students and artists. You can share ideas, gain inspiration, and create valuable connections that enhance your artistic journey.

If you’re interested in learning watercolor to start a career, then taking a watercolor class is a great way to start. Watercolor is popular among illustrators and artists. So, you can work in the publishing industry or start your own art studio. Watercolor classes in Chicago offer many benefits. You will learn a fulfilling hobby, have opportunities to network and connect with other artists, and you’ll be able to learn new skills. 

In-Person Watercolor Classes & Schools in Chicago

Taking an in-person watercolor class is the best way to learn this art style. There are several techniques that you’ll need to master in order to have a good foundation and understanding of how to excel with watercolor painting. Luckily, there are several watercolor classes that you can consider taking in Chicago. 

A great class for beginners is the Watercolor 1 class from the Chicago Botanic Garden. This class includes six sessions to ensure that you’re able to master the art before you graduate from the class. You will learn basic color mixing and paint-handling exercises. Over the course of the class, you will progress to rendering textures and form in color and using paint-layering techniques.

There is a prerequisite to this class, however. Consider taking Botanical Drawing 1 and Color Mixing before signing up for the watercolor class. The prerequisite will give you a better understanding of how to draw natural flowers in art. If you have questions about either class, reach out to CourseHorse. 

The Chicago Botanic Garden also offers an English Watercolor Techniques class for intermediate students. This class includes six sessions and you will move forward from the skills you learning in Watercolor 1. You will learn an emphasis on the realistic portrayal of botanical subjects and traditional methods of dry-brush watercolor painting. You will also receive plenty of live demonstrations and personal instruction. 

You can also take Watercolors: Materials, Composition & Technique from the Evanston Art Center. This class also includes six sessions and lasts for three hours. During the class, you’ll learn several essential techniques, including: 

  • Watercolor techniques
  • Applying watercolor washes
  • Painting wet in wet
  • Painting without a sketch

You will create vibrant and subdued paintings with strong compositions. You will also learn to draw and paint a wide variety of still lifes. Throughout the course, your class will also participate in group critiques so you can learn from your classmates and receive supportive feedback as you learn the basics of watercolor painting. 

Virtual Watercolor Classes & Schools

Virtual classes are a great option for those who can’t commute to in-person classes. You get great instruction, live demonstrations, and personalized feedback from the comfort of your home. Keep reading to learn about some of the best online watercolor classes

If this is your first watercolor class, consider taking Watercolors for Absolute Beginners from 92nd Street Y. This class is the perfect class for those who want to learn watercolor but have no experience with the medium and little experience with art. It includes six sessions of classes and is open to those who are 18 years and older. 

According to the class description, here’s what you can expect once you sign up for the course, “[l]earn the basics of watercolor painting including—paint, brush, paper, value, color mixing, wash, wet-in-wet, wet-over-dry. Move on to form, light, color, and composition.” This class is a great way to learn watercolor painting quickly. 

Another great class to consider taking is Watercolors from Family Photos from 92nd Street Y. This class meets for three sessions and focuses on painting family photos. You will learn how to recompose and reinterpret your family photos by painting the faces you love the most in watercolor. 

If you’ve always wanted to capture a treasured family photo and turn it into art, this is one of the best classes for you to take. During the class, you will also learn varying watercolor techniques, such as wet-on-wet and glazing. 

CourseHorse lists some of the best watercolor classes in your area. If you’re interested in taking a class to learn the basics of watercolor, sign up with CourseHorse today. 

Private Group Watercolor Classes in Chicago

Are you looking for a way to reward your employees with a fun team-building event? CourseHorse offers the best watercolor classes for private groups in Chicago. You can book a team event and allow your employees to relax while following a guided watercolor class. 

One of the best classes is the Virtual Watercolor Workshop (Materials Included). The class lasts for 90 minutes, and your group will learn to apply watercolor techniques to create an abstract painting in this relaxing and creative workshop. You will build layers while painting a picture unique to your group. 

This class also includes the materials, and everything will be shipped to your group members before the start of the class. Everyone will be able to fully participate in this relaxing team event. For more information about CourseHorse’s group classes, visit the website. You can also browse through the extensive class list and learn more about the classes CourseHorse offers.

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