Frank Martindell's Watercolor Class

After viewing a watercolor painting exhibit at the Middletown Arts Center in the fall of 2003 I asked about course offerings.  I hadn't painted since a watercolor class I took in college in 1976 and I was looking for a way to get started again.  I figured, if nothing else, taking a class would force me to paint something.  Although wanting to paint for some time, even to the point of buying some paints and paper, I just never got around to it. 

In the MAC brochure I found the following:

WATERCOLOR -- Beginner to Intermediate
Thursdays--1:00 PM - 3:00 p.m. -- 9 weeks beginning 11/20
Thursdays--7:00 PM - 9:00 p.m. -- 9 weeks beginning 11/20
Instructor: Frank Martindell
Tution:  $68.00 

Instructor’s objective is to provide the basic instruction in the technology of watercolor painting; i.e., how it works so you can learn to paint & understand what you are doing. Instructor feels that anyone can learn to paint and paint reasonably well – if you are willing to put in the time and effort!

Thursday nights would be good and the price seemed reasonable so after thinking about it for about a week I sent my check.   I wasn't sure what to expect from the class.  There were 14 or so people signed-up for the 9 weeks starting in November.  Some were first timers like me and a few had never even tried watercolor painting before.  Others mentioned how many years they had been taking classes from Frank.  I felt comfortable in the class from the start.

Frank's teaching approach is to provide the same drawing to everyone.  We trace it onto a quarter sheet of paper (all have been 11" x 15" so far).   We are also given a photograph.  Frank has all of us gather 'round and he shows us how to create a few aspects of the painting before sending us off to do it too.  He describes various brush techniques, color characteristics, and which colors to mix.  For example he combines ultramarine blue and burnt umber -- often called "magic mix" -- to create all sorts of warm and cool shades of gray and even black.   He certainly makes it all look so easy! 

So we see a little and do a little (although sometimes it seems like he shows us more than a little). While we're painting, Frank walks around and offers his advice and insight.  The results are quite interesting!  From the exact same drawing, photograph, and instructions we all create paintings that are surprising different, at least to me, from one another!  Go to Variations to see what I mean. 

It's been a great way to learn and to get back into painting.  And it's been a lot of fun!  
I'm currently taking my fourth class.