Animalsin Watercolor and Graphicswith Valeria Renne

Hey there, welcome to the first lesson of the «Animals in Watercolor and Graphics — course with Valeria Renne».

Today we’ll get to know each other a bit better. I’ll also tell you about the course and what’s coming up for you.

Duration — 55 minutes

In this lesson, we’ll check out the main anatomical points that are easy to spot on lots of animals. We’ll also get to know the muscle structure that shows up on their bodies.

In this lesson, we’ll learn how to:

• quickly figure out the structure;
• paint convincing animal figures without spending ages on construction.

Duration — 1 hour 25 minutes

In this lesson, the main goal is to get the hang of different ways to paint fur — short and long, smooth and wavy. While painting a baby zebra, we’ll practice showing the body’s volume using light and shadow.

In this lesson, we’ll learn how to:

• use brushstrokes to show both smooth and wrinkled skin;
• work with the striped pattern so you don’t lose the shape;
• show spots and stripes on fur in a way that makes the animal look three-dimensional.

Duration — 1 hour 48 minutes

In this lesson, we’ll create lively thickets around the animals, working with shapes and contrasts. We’ll learn how to spot the main thing in complex scenes, simplify background details, and add bright pops of color right where they help tell the story.

In this lesson, we’ll learn how to:

• simplify the silhouettes of plants and, most importantly, use contrast to show the surroundings of the main subjects (animals);
• work with a limited palette, adding pops of color for extra expression.

Duration — 1 hour 42 minutes

In this lesson, we’ll paint a deer with big, lush antlers decorated with leaves and ferns. We’ll learn how to show the texture of fur, capture the volume of the antlers, and add a bright botanical accent against a calm background.

In this lesson, we’ll learn how to:

• work with the background, blending some details into it while it’s still wet;
• work with a limited palette;
• keep a sketchy style in your painting, and keep things light with your watercolor;
• use a liner brush to add depth and dimension to the green foliage;
• use brushstrokes to show the texture of fur.

Duration — 1 hour 20 minutes

We're heading into the jungle: we'll paint a thoughtful Andean bear in deep shade and playful capuchins among lush greenery. With watercolor, we'll capture the softness of fur, the light in the leaves, and the wild nature vibe.

In this lesson, we’ll learn how to:

• place the animals on the page to create a dynamic diagonal composition;
• create a painting by combining construction and sketching along the outlines;
• control how the pigments move on wet paper;
• pick out light silhouettes using water;
• go from a colored spot to clean paper in a few different ways.

Duration — 1 hour 30 minutes

We’ll paint an underwater scene: a graceful turtle and a shark swimming among schools of fish. With watercolor, we’ll capture the movement of water, the light beneath the surface, and show you how to combine soft washes with graphic details.

In this lesson, we’ll learn how to:

• create a scene using several references;
• build the turtle and create the shark’s volume while everything’s still wet;
• use a light tone to capture the feel of clear water in a warm tropical sea;
• use a liner pen to highlight the details, but don’t overload the outlines with too much tone;
• create a bunch of moving little fish using those simple childhood shapes.

Duration — 1 hour 10 minutes

We’ll paint a touching scene from life: fluffy chicks in a nest, surrounded by forest grasses and flowers. We’ll capture the softness of their feathers, the warmth of the nest, and the lively anticipation of their very first flight.

In this lesson, we’ll learn how to:

• work in several stages, starting with a wash of general shapes;
• use a mask on a color layer or a fill layer;
• build up the flow from the edge of the paper to the center of your composition using lines;
• show different textures: the nest, the feathers;
• boost your watercolor colors with colored pencils.