Plein Air Watercolor at the Lake in Central Park with Patrick King

Students should meet at the Fountain in the circle at Cherry Hill in Central Park, near 72nd Street and Central Park West.

This workshop will meet Rain or Shine. In the event of a very rainy day, the workshop will meet at the Bethesda Terrace Arcade, about ten minutes walk from West 72nd Street and Central Park West. You will be notified the day before the workshop by email if the rain option is necessary.

Come study watercolor at one of the most beautiful vistas in the City - Cherry Hill overlooking the Lake. Learn to push the medium further and more robustly through successive glazing and other techniques.

Students of all levels are welcome in this outdoor workshop in Central Park. An emphasis on composition, drawing and perspective will be an integral part of the workshop.

The first part of the workshop will consist of a brief review of some of Patrick's watercolor paintings as well as a demonstration of how to plan your composition and move on to painting. Patrick will make the rounds as students begin drawing their compositions and throughout as many stages of their paintings as possible. At 12:45pm everyone will gather at Cherry Hill to review everyone’s work. In addition to Patrick's comments, he will encourage students to discuss each other’s work.

You may want to come early to scout out the location you want to paint, so you can spend the maximum time painting.

View of the Lake in Central Park from Cherry Hill.

SUPPLIES

Please Note: It is not necessary to buy everything for this workshop. It is always best to bring what you have and only supplement where you feel comfortable.
While one can purchase supplies online, Patrick thinks it’s important to shop for them in person if possible, especially when it comes to choosing paper. Feeling its surface and examining the texture is something you can’t do on a website.

PAINT

Patrick prefers tubes, but cakes are fine. If you choose tubes, squeeze a quantity in your palette a day or two beforehand so it can solidify and you won’t waste paint. You can buy student grade if you want to save money.

If you’re buying individual tubes here’s a list of recommended colors: Ultramarine blue, Cerulean blue, Alizarin crimson, Cadmium red light, Cadmium yellow light, Yellow ochre, Burnt sienna, Burnt umber, Hookers green, and Pthalocyanine green

The following are optional colors: Pthalocyanine blue, Raw Sienna, Raw umber, and Sap green.

PALETTE

If you buy a set it will probably come with a palette. Patrick recommends a reclosable one to keep your paints from running in transit. You could also use a large plastic lid from a container or even a plate. Enameled trays are great for mixing. Avoid plastic palettes as the paint will bead up.

PAPER

Paper is perhaps the most critical component of a watercolor. 100% cotton is recommended. Cold pressed paper (textured) is the best for beginners. Hot pressed paper (smooth) takes a lot more skill to use well. Choose from blocks or pads of several sheets. Blocks or spiral bound books are preferable for outdoor work. If you choose a pad, be sure it’s of sufficient weight to not buckle. Paper that’s at least 10” X 14” is recommended. Choose larger sizes if you can.

Paper for this workshop will be provided by Legion Paper @legionpaper

BRUSHES

Brushes can be the most costly, Patrick has found some very inexpensive ones that really hold up: https://a.co/d/cXWCLui You could augment such a set with a 1” wide flat brush. If you want to spend more the Robert Simmons Sapphire series is very good. If you want to spend a great deal of money you can’t go wrong with genuine red sable.

OTHER SUPPLIES

• Stool of some sort or tarp or blanket if you choose to sit on the ground.

• Plastic tub for water. Extra container for clean water backup.

• Pencil: #2 is fine

• Kneaded eraser

• Straight edge (optional)

• Small sketchbook or notebook for compositional drawing (optional)

You may want to include some sort of support for the paper - like foam core, Masonite or some other stiff board.

Please Note: There will be no refunds or exchanges on this workshop.

The fountain at Cherry Hill in Central Park, near 72nd Street and Central Park West. Fun fact: The fountain was originally built in 1870 as a "drinking fountain" for horses.

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About the Instructor

Patrick King is a Brooklyn based painter. He grew up in Racine, Wisconsin, which is still the subject of much of his work. He studied at Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Philadelphia College of Art, and Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. He has taught at The Art Students League of New York, Brooklyn Public Library, Temple University, Philadelphia University as well as several art centers in addition to conducting private plein air workshops.

Website:

Note: Tickets for this workshop are not refundable or exchangeable.

Legion Paper will provide paper for this workshop. @legionpaper

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Cherry Hill, Central Park West, New York, United States

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

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