This two-day workshop will teach you what you need to know to become a competent watercolor sketch artist or create more finished watercolor paintings. I will discuss the equipment and materials you need to make your outdoor painting experiences successful.

I will also discuss choosing the right scene, editing and simplifying what you see and the importance of good drawing. I will demonstrate how to capture the effects of light and shadow, with controlled values and beautiful color.

Lee Ann Copen is a fine artist and teacher based in Southern Missouri. She has taught high school art for twenty two years, and many workshops in multiple different media through the years. She is a knowledgeable and experienced plein air painter and has won several awards for her work. Her artwork is available for viewing on instagram or her website leecopen.com

Hello Everyone,

Painting plein air brings on many unique challenges, but typically those challenges are outweighed by the sheer experience of being fully immersed in the beauty of nature and the unparalleled lessons you learn from painting on site. I will teach the ins and outs of painting plein air, that I have learned through years of painting and sketching outdoors, and more recently at Plein Air Competitions. This is a watercolor workshop, but because I paint in several different media, I know the concepts can be applied to any media. I love sketching in watercolor and it is a practice I would encourage every artist to pursue. This workshop will teach you what you need to know to become a competent watercolor sketch artist or create more finished watercolor paintings. I will discuss the equipment and materials you need to make your outdoor painting experiences successful. I will also discuss choosing the right scene, editing and simplifying what you see and the importance of good drawing. I will demonstrate how to capture the effects of light and shadow, with controlled values and beautiful color.

My teaching philosophy is based in teaching the fundamentals and encouraging students to pursue their own style. I do not want you to paint like me, I want to help you have more success and joy painting your own way. I believe painting is a life long learning process, that is sometimes hard to pursue alone, for this reason I cherish the opportunity to paint with other artists. I am looking forward to the opportunity to paint together. We will be painting in the studio and outside as weather permits.