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Category: Art classes with Jacqueline Newbold

Brushstrokes & French Daydreams in France 2027

Brushstrokes & French Daydreams in France 2027

This year’s trip to France was a beautiful reminder of why we travel with our sketchbooks: to slow down, to notice, to savor. Together we painted castles, vineyards, flowers, and tiny corners of Limoux that felt like secrets whispered just to us. Our days were filled with laughter, discovery, and the kind of creative energy that stays with you long after you’re home.

And now, with those memories still glowing, I’m excited to invite you to join me for France 2027. We’ll return to the charm and color of southern France — with fresh locations, new prompts, and even more opportunities to let your art wander.

Contact me for more information

Painting in France is a dream come true!

Painting in France is a dream come true!

As the leaves turn into marvelous shades of crimson and gold, I am already preparing for my watercolor painting workshop in Limoux, France, June 6-20, 2026! I am looking through my portfolio of watercolor journals dating back to 1991 and picking out my favorite page designs, subjects to paint, techniques that I have made up and techniques that I have learned from fellow artists. My journals are my art muse. Perhaps you have seen one of my articles that I have written for Art Journaling or Somerset Studio?

There is one spot left in my Watercolor Painting Workshop in Limoux, France, 2026! Would you like to learn more about my workshop? For more information, email me.

Painting in Provence, France and Italy, plein air painting, art journal, mixed-media
Watercolor Journaling, Part 3

Watercolor Journaling, Part 3

“Am I done?”  “How do I know if I am done?”  These are good questions that we all ask ourselves.  The answer is “Are you happy with your painting?”  Take a break, close your journal.  Later, take a fresh look at your painting.  Does it need a little something else?  Is it lacking a “je ne sais quoi?”  This is when I enhance my paintings with pen and ink.  This adds dimension and compliments the watercolor.  There are several ways to go about adding pen and ink to a painting.  The drawing can be drawn first with ink and then painted over with washes of color.  I prefer to paint my watercolor painting first then add my ink lines. 

Take a close look at this painting from my watercolor art journal.  You will see how I added pen and ink to the little French hilltop village. 
Would you like to come paint with me in Provence, France?  I am teaching a watercolor painting and mixed-media workshop May 10-17, 2019!  Registration is now open and the workshop is limited to 12 people.  For more information, visit French Escape

Here are more examples of how I add pen and ink to painting in my journals:

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Painting in Orvieto, Italy, Ristorante, Cafe
Watercolor Journaling, Part 1

Watercolor Journaling, Part 1

Watercolor painting sometimes get a bad rap.  “It is hard.”  “My paintings are muddy.”  “I can’t control the paint.”  Things run and go in unexpected areas with colors mingling in seemingly uncontrollable ways.  That is why I tell my students to put miles on your brushes.  It is all about timing and developing a feel for how much water is in the paint, on the brush, and on the paper.  The water on the paper is continually drying as you are painting unless you are adding more and more water.  Don’t do that!  Try to add less and less water as the paint dries.  See what happens!
I want to share with you how I use watercolors in my journals…. 
1.     First draw lightly with a pencil.  Draw simple shapes and just the outline of the subject.  This is called a contour drawing.  You don’t need all small details at this time.  And I say draw lightly because the graphite can make your painting muddy!

2.     Paint a light colorful wash with several colors.  One of my favorite combinations is cobalt blue, permanent rose and new gamboge or a similar yellow.  Let this dry. 

Hint – if you have trouble getting a beautiful wash and end up with streaks and hard edges you are not using enough water with your paint.  Try painting your colorful wash on wet paper – prewet the paper with clear, clean water. 

3.     Pick areas of your painting that need to be darken.  Paint these areas with another layer of paint.  Work light to dark in stages and steps.   

Check back for more tips!
Let’s Go – France and Beyond!

Let’s Go – France and Beyond!

Join me on a fun, imaginary watercolor trips to France and a Tropical Paradise.  I am gearing up for the 2017 Portland Art & Soul Mixed Media Art Retreat!  Here is a short video with lots of examples of what I will be teaching:

Art & Soul – Portland 

Playing with my Muse and Color

Playing with my Muse and Color

Introducing Pixie Star!  She showed up to help me along in my creative endeavors….

Ooh!
 Pixie Star loves being surrounded by color!

Pixee Star and I have been playing around with my color palette.  Those of you who know me, know that I am obsessed with color and watercolor is my favorite medium.  In preparing for my All About Color class that I am teaching in my Bend, Oregon Studio, I took a closer look at the yellows on my palette.  My goal was to have the warmest yellow and the coolest yellow available.  I am happy to announce that I found a cooler yellow than I already had!  It is the Daniel Smith Lemon Yellow.  It is bright, fresh, and semi-transparent.  Next I will try using it in triad and tetrad mixes.  If I come up with something great, I will let you know!
Here are some photos from my Color Class.  There is some serious color study going on!

Finding Inspiration to Paint, Part 5

Finding Inspiration to Paint, Part 5

A fun and easy thing to do to get you inspired to paint is to do some watercolor exercises.  It is also a great way to see how your paints interact with each other.  I love doing little studies and will often bind them in a notebook to keep for future reference.  Relax and enjoy watching the paint flow.  Here are a few of the studies I like to do.  What kind of watercolor studies do you like to do?

Finding Inspiration to Paint

Finding Inspiration to Paint

Do you ever find that it is hard to get inspired to paint?  Maybe it is just finding the time in our busy lives.  Sometimes I am so anxious to get all my chores done so that I can “go paint”.  But I sit down, surrounded by all my art supplies and nothing comes to me.  I feel uninspired.  What to do!  I wanted to post a few blogs about finding inspiration…
One great thing to do is to invite a friend or a few friends over to paint with you.  Set aside time, a few hours at least, and invite some friends for a relaxing, artistic afternoon.  I set out some stencils and inks in case someone wanted to use them in their art journals.  We explored different ways to add color to our stencils.  Here are some photos of our fun afternoon….

Just for You – Getting started with watercolor

Just for You – Getting started with watercolor

Registration is now open for my online workshop, Watercolor Toolbox.  The workshop starts today, June 6, 2016.  This workshop is especially for beginner watercolor artists.  Here are some of the things that are covered in this workshop:  how to correctly set up your watercolor palette, which brushes and paper to use, watercolor basics such as how to do a wet-into-wet wash, how to glaze, using value in your paintings.  The final project will be a fun, easy watercolor painting. 

Artful Gathering Starts Tomorrow!

Artful Gathering Starts Tomorrow!

Watercolor Toolbox Workshop starts tomorrow and runs for 6 weeks!  If you are new to watercolor this is the class for you!  

Have you ever wanted to try watercolor painting but did not know how to start? In this fun class, you will discover what makes watercolor painting exciting and beautiful. Exploring techniques to get you started on your artistic journey, you will learn the correct way to set up a palette and care for your watercolor art supplies as well as a variety of basic watercolor techniques. All your examples can be put into a file or journal creating a toolbox for future reference. This workshop is the perfect introduction to watercolor painting! 

There is a $5 registration fee to get you into the online retreat.
Included with your annual $5 Registration to Attend 2016
  • Access to our private event website May through August.
  • Access to all door prizes offered May – August.
  • Participation in any of our sponsor related activities May – August.
  • Access to mini promotional video tutorials May – August.
  • Access to all workshop descriptions and check-out for workshop enrollment May – August.