10 Minute Watercolors

Practice 10 minute paintings - This week my students painted 10 minute watercolors at the Vero Beach Museum. Each student was given a colorful photo of a bird with a brief time to sketch onto the watercolor paper and mix colors. When ready, I set the timer for 10 minutes and said “Go!”. Paint brushes were frantically swashing to cover the stark white bumpy paper before the bell rang. Losing edges and getting the paint dark enough were common frustrations. Working within such a short time constraint, the students were able to resist overworking the painting. With no time for fussing, the result was a more expressive and fresh painting. Below are some examples of bird perfection. Do try this at home.

Student Work