Sketching the Garden of Fragrance in Watercolor Pencil

Enjoy the intimate space of the Garden of Fragrance as you sketch and paint with the luscious colors of watercolor pencils. In this workshop you will learn how to use this versatile pencil to create images of the flowers of the garden in a loose and lively manner, inspired by the beautiful surroundings and lovely scents. The instructor, Karen Bash, has been teaching plein air drawing and painting classes at the Botanical Gardens for many years, both for Sharon Art Studio and as a private instructor.

Watercolor pencils can be used dry in a traditional manner or, when water is added to them, painted like watercolors. Students will follow along with the instructor’s demos, practicing how to both draw and paint with the pencils, using the original pencil color and also creating new colors. You will learn how to mix colors, both on the image and on a paper palette and how to sketch with dry or wet color, or a combination of both. Tips on how to design an effective composition and create value relationships that produce a strong image will also be taught. Explore your creativity in a serene and beautiful setting while learning how to use this unique medium.

This class is open to all skill levels. Watercolor pencils and brushes are included in the cost of the class. Students only need to bring paper and pencil along with some other basic supplies. A full materials list will be sent to students after registering for the class.

About the Instructor

Karen Bash has been teaching drawing and painting classes to adults and children for over 30 years in the SF Bay Area. She received her degree in Studio Art from SFSU, but in the year 2000 she began to paint landscapes en plein air (in the open air) and that has been her focus ever since. Karen has brought this passion for plein air sketching and painting to the classes she has taught for universities, non-profit organizations and as a private instructor. This includes working with the National Park Service teaching high school students nature journaling and working as an instructor for OLLI at SFSU teaching plein air watercolor painting to older adults. She is a long-time instructor at Sharon Art Studio, www.sharonartstudio, a community art center in Golden Gate Park, and has taught many classes for them in the Botanical Gardens.

You can follow her work on her website, www.karenbash.com , and on Instagram, www.instagram.com/karenbashartist/ . She is also a member of San Francisco’s art community Artspan, www.artspan.org