Painting Realistic Watercolor Landscapes
A course by Richard Thorn
, Landscape and Seascape Painter
Explore brush strokes, color, composition, and tone to illustrate striking landscapes that capture the detail and atmosphere of the natural world
- Best seller
- 100% positive reviews (6)
- 847 students
- Audio: English
- English, Spanish, Portuguese, German, French, Italian, Polish, Dutch
Explore brush strokes, color, composition, and tone to illustrate striking landscapes that capture the detail and atmosphere of the natural world
- 100% positive reviews (6)
- 847 students
- 16 lessons (3h 30m)
- 22 additional resources (5 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English
- English, Spanish, Portuguese, German, French, Italian, Polish, Dutch
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
According to Richard Thorn, an award-winning artist specialized in landscapes and seascapes, watercolor is one of the most conducive mediums for depicting nature in its purest form. Its expressive capabilities have made it his preferred painting method for more than 30 years. Throughout his extensive career, his art has graced major galleries across the globe, and earned him recognition from the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours, as well as at the Qingdao International Watercolour Exhibition.
In this online course, Richard teaches you his step-by-step process for painting realistic watercolor landscapes. Experiment with a range of brush techniques and explore color, composition, light, and texture to illustrate breathtaking scenes that capture the detail and atmosphere of the natural world.
What will you learn in this online course?
Course table of contents
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U1U1. Introduction
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U2U2. Landscape Preparation
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U3U3. Sketching and Painting the Landscape
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U4U4. Promotion and Style
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FPFP Final project
Meet your teacher for the course, Richard Thorn. He talks about his creative journey and how he forged his career as a watercolor artist, along with the influences that have inspired him and shaped his style.
First, take a look at the materials you need for the final project. Then, learn a range of fundamental brush techniques and how to determine a color palette based on those found in nature. Richard also explains what factors to consider when choosing a reference photo.
Before you start painting your scene, make a pair of preliminary sketches: one to define the overall composition, and the other to map out tones. Transfer your sketches to watercolor paper and paint the first washes, followed by more elaborate layers to add texture, depth, and nuance. Finish your piece by focusing on the intricate details and see how to incorporate gouache to highlight specific features and give it a realistic look.
To wrap up, Richard tackles the question of how to promote yourself and your work. He discusses which platforms are best for getting yourself out there and shares professional insights on nurturing style and making a statement with your art.
What is this course's project?
Paint a landscape or seascape of your choice in watercolor using the skills you’ve learned throughout the course.
Who is this online course for?
Anyone who wants to learn how to paint realistic landscapes with watercolors.
Requirements and materials
A basic understanding of drawing, perspective, and color are required for this course.
In terms of materials, you need:
- - Several types of brushes
- A dip pen
- Watercolor crayons and paper
- A mixing palette
- Watercolors and gouache paint
- Scratching tools such as a knife
- Black graphite or conte pencils
Reviews
A course by Richard Thorn
Richard Thorn is a professional painter specializing in watercolor landscapes and seascapes. His style relies heavily on techniques he’s developed himself to achieve robust texture and depth in his art. Richard’s approach to painting has evolved over the years, currently focusing on atmosphere, light, and the overall feeling of the subjects to capture the essence of the nature he sees.
His artwork has been sold and exhibited in many leading galleries throughout the UK, as well as America, Taiwan, and South Korea. He has earned numerous awards during his decades-long career, including two for best watercolor from the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours, and another for painting excellence at the 2019 Qingdao International Watercolour Exhibition.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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About Me
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Influences
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U2
Landscape Preparation
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The Materials
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Brush Techniques
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Determining Colour
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The Reference Image
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U3
Sketching and Painting the Landscape
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Compositional and Tonal Sketch
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The Final Sketch
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The First Washes
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Further Washes 1
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Further Washes 2
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The Final Details 1
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The Final Details 2
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The Final Details 3
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U4
Promotion and Style
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Promoting Yourself
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Subordinating Style: Making a Statement
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FP
Final project
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Painting Realistic Watercolor Landscapes
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What to expect from a Domestika course
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Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
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Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
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Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
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Certificates
PlusIf you're a Plus or PRO member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
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Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
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Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
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Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
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Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
Domestika's courses are online classes that provide you with the tools and skills you need to complete a specific project. Every step of the project combines video lessons with complementary instructional material, so you can learn by doing. Domestika's courses also allow you to share your own projects with the teacher and with other students, creating a dynamic course community.
All courses are 100% online, so once they're published, courses start and finish whenever you want. You set the pace of the class. You can go back to review what interests you most and skip what you already know, ask questions, answer questions, share your projects, and more.
The courses are divided into different units. Each one includes lessons, informational text, tasks, and practice exercises to help you carry out your project step by step, with additional complementary resources and downloads. You'll also have access to an exclusive forum where you can interact with the teacher and with other students, as well as share your work and your course project, creating a community around the course.
You can redeem the course you received by accessing the redeeming page and entering your gift code.
nienkeadamse
PlusOne of the best courses so far! Very nice to see the whole process. I love the dipping paintbrushes into the tubes!
fullhousefarm
Absolute best course, yet, that I've taken! I love how it shows the whole process of the painting, from drawing to end. And, I learned new techniques, that are amazing. Please do another class. I'd love a seascape.
jude.holt123
This is by far the best course I have come across. Listening to and watching Richard Thorne is a joy.
His work is fantastic and his manner of presentation very clear.
thomasearlmatthews
I very much enjoyed this detailed look into Richard's process of creating unique landscapes. It's a one of a kind walkthrough and I found it unparalleled.
michikoharwood
I am sure that I am not only one who searched and waited for Richard Thorn's tutorials to become available online. Certainly I have looked around nearly 10 years for his tutorials to become accessible since I discovered his style of painting landscape. This is a very rare opportunity to learn directly from him in a structured way. I can’t believe that he is finally offering a course online! Thank you very much. 🙏