Summer Workshops: Drawing and Watercolor!

Sign up now for June/ July Workshops at the Berlin Drawing Room!  
I will be offering the Drawing Workshop from June 24 - July 29 and the long awaited Watercolor Workshop from June 25 - July 16.  

To sign up, contact me at miraob@gmail.com. You will receive a registration form with payment instructions. 

Summer Drawing Workshop: June 24 - July 29

This workshop introduces basic techniques in drawing, with a focus on drawing from observation. Exercises explore technique, medium and strategies in visual thinking. This class is a perfect introduction for beginners, with some new skills to be learned for the more experienced. You will see your skills improve, no matter what level you are starting at!

Each class is structured around a formal topic: contour lines, tonality, negative space, portraits, etc...  with examples from art-history and contemporary art, followed by a brief discussion. We will build technique through guided exercises, followed by time for experimentation and longer drawings. We will draw from a live model and from still-life creations.

We will make an excursion to draw the ready-made still-lives of Berlin’s Natural History Museum, including dinosaur bones and exotic taxidermy. This class will take the form of a Drawing Scavenger Hunt!

Location: Berlin Drawing Room in Kreuzberg

Schedule: Tuesday 6-9 pm (June 24 - July 29)  Field-Trip: Saturday, July 12, 12-2 pm.

Cost: 140 Euro for the complete Workshop (7 classes: 6 regular plus 1 field-trip)
(materials are not included, find the supply list here)

for more info: drawing workshop

Summer Watercolor Workshop: June 25 - July 16

In this Workshop we will use the landscape of Berlin as a subject for learning the subtle medium of watercolor.  Basic color theory will also be covered. We will learn how to layer transparent colors to create the effect of cool shadows and warm sunlight, how to control the paint flow for fine detail as well as smooth backgrounds, and how to use the brush for different types of texture.

Tiergarten (Spring 2013)

The Workshop will take place twice per week, first in the studio and then outdoors. The classes held in Berlin Drawing Room studio will focus on technique, which can then be applied in the field. We will meet every Saturday in a new location, and paint plein-air.  See pictures below for some examples of past plein-air sites.

No experience required! This class is perfect for beginners as well as more advanced students who want to improve their skills or just discover interesting landscape locations with fellow painters!

June 25 - July 16

7 meetings: 4 x on Wedneday in the studio 
from 6-9 pm  
(June 25, July 2, 9, 16)
and 3 x on Saturday in the field from 12-3 pm. (June 28, July 5, 13)
cost: 140 Euros 

(materials are not included, find the supply list here)

for more info: watercolor workshop

Summer 2013 Workshops: Watercolor and Life Drawing

Here are the dates for the Summer Workshops offered at the Berlin Drawing Room. For detailed course descriptions, just click on the link for each Workshop.  Hope to see you at an upcoming workshop! For any questions or to sign up, CONTACT.

Student work from Spring Watercolor Workshop

Watercolor Workshop: July 31 - August 28

Discover the Berlin landscape through plein-air painting!

• 7 meetings: Wednesday 6-9pm, Saturday 12-3pm
• 4 x on Wedneday in the studio from 6-9 pm  (July 31, August 7, 14, 28)  **note that we skip August 21**  3 x on Saturday in the field from 12-3 pm. (August 3, 10, 17)
• 120 Euros for the complete Workshop.
• Materials are not included. Here is a link to the supply list.

Painting in the Berlin Drawing Room garden!

Life Drawing in August

Draw from a live nude model!

• August 1, 8, 15
• Thursday 6-9 pm
• 40 Euro for all 3 classes (with advance registration)
• - or- 15 Euro for individual classes

Life Drawing with charcoal!

Watercolor Workshop: July 31 - August 28

Sign up now to reserve your place by writing to miraob@gmail.com!
Summer Watercolor Workshop:

the Berlin Landscape

Treptower Park, Spring 2013

In this Workshop we will use the landscape of Berlin as a subject for learning the subtle medium of watercolor.  Basic color theory will also be covered. We will learn how to layer transparent colors to create the effect of cool shadows and warm sunlight, how to control the paint flow for fine detail as well as smooth backgrounds, and how to use the brush for different types of texture.

The Workshop will take place twice per week, first in the studio and then outdoors. The classes held in Berlin Drawing Room studio will focus on technique, which can then be applied in the field. We will meet every Saturday in a new location, and paint plein-air.  See pictures below for some examples of past plein-air sites.

No experience required! This class is perfect for beginners as well as more advanced students who want to improve their skills or just discover interesting landscape locations with fellow painters!

Tiergarten (Spring 2013)

July 31 - August 28

7 meetings: 4 x on Wedneday in the studio 
from 6-9 pm  
(July 31, August 7, 14, 28)
**note that we skip August 21**
and 3 x on Saturday in the field from 12-3 pm. (August 3, 10, 17)
cost: 120 Euros 

(materials are not included, find the supply list here)

This Workshop is limited to 10 students.

To sign up contact miraob@gmail.com and you will receive a registration form and payment instructions. 

"Thanks to Mira's lessons in just a few weeks my understanding of watercolours is light years ahead of where it was. She gave us some great tips and coaching and I now feel like I have a really firm grasp of the basics of colours and watercolours and a great skill for life." Testimonial from Spring 2013, scroll down for full text.

Work from the Spring 2013 Watercolor Workshop

To see more examples of student work from the Spring 2013 Watercolor Workshop, clickHERE.

The lovely garden at the Berlin Drawing Room.

Painting in the Berlin Drawing Room studio

Painting an unusual landscape at Gleisdreiecke (Summer 2012)

Plein Air Painting (Summer 2012)

Some reviews:

1. Wayne ChamanJune 19, 2012 at 12:08 PM

   After the Life Drawing workshop with Mira, drawing has become so important in my life. Its like a diary of my days. And so meditative being some minutes daily completely in the "here and now" with my pencil and really "seeing" what is there before me. I am 64 yrs old and never could draw. But now, I can and love it.....A new and important way to be myself and witness my world. Thanks, Mira.
   Wayne Mcknight
2. Greg RubenFebruary 23, 2013 at 12:53 AM

   I took the watercolor class last summer and would recommend it to anyone regardless of skill level. I had no experience with watercolors, and really hardly any experience with painting when I took the class. Mira is an extremely patient/open/encouraging teacher and the plein air days are a lot of fun (if the rain doesn't put a damper on things!). She introduced me to a new way of looking at things, of seeing and understanding color in the world around us. Do it!
3. keirossJune 17, 2013 at 7:09 PM

   I took this course in Spring 2013 and if you're considering it, here's my take starting with a bit about my background: 

   
   I have always enjoyed being creative but I had neglected painting since I was a kid. Although I tried a few times in the past, I was never able to get my head around watercolours or use them effectively. Anything I tried always turned into a frustrating mess.
   
   Thanks to Mira's lessons in just a few weeks my understanding of watercolours is light years ahead of where it was. She gave us some great tips and coaching and I now feel like I have a really firm grasp of the basics of colours and watercolours and a great skill for life.
   
   When I picked up a brush to start the course, all my paintings turned into a big wet mess and the paper got all messed up but now I am able to produce stuff that I'm pretty pleased with. Here's some of the stuff I painted following the course: https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/960194_10151402306597100_1264159431_n.jpg
   
   Also, the classes are relaxed and fun - there's no pressure at all and the trips with the class made it easier to start painting outside. 

Results of the Spring Watercolor Workshop!

I have so many wonderful images from the Spring Watercolor Workshop that I just had to share them! I am so impressed with the work my students made! Most of the people in this class were total beginners at the start. But by the end we had learned several techniques and concepts such as using transparent layers to build form, working with a limited palette to create a color world, and building up texture with a variety of brush strokes. 

So here are some images from the Spring Watercolor Workshop, including our excursions to Tiergarten and Treptower Park.  Enjoy!

(and look out for the Summer Watercolor Workshop in July!)

--------------------------------------

In this lesson we used photographic source material for our landscape paintings. 

Our lovely garden at the Berlin Drawing Room!

Tiergarten!

Treptower Park!

Last Class Exhibition!

Spring Drawing Workshop and Watercolor Workshop start in April!!

Registration is now open for the Spring Drawing Workshop and the Spring Watercolor Workshop! 
Class size is limited, so sign up now by writing to instructor and coordinator Mira O'Brien at miraob@gmail.com. You will receive a registration form and payment instructions.

Spring Drawing Workshop: April 8 - May 13

This class introduces basic techniques in drawing, with a focus on drawing from observation. Exercises explore technique, medium and strategies in visual thinking. The class is a perfect introduction for beginners, with some new skills to be learned for the more experienced.

Each class is structured around a formal topic (contour lines, tonality, negative space...), with examples from art-history and a brief discussion. We will build technique through a series of guided exercises, followed by time for experimentation and longer drawings. We will draw from a live model and from still life creations.

We will make an excursion to draw the ready-made still-lives of Berlin’s Natural History Museum, including dinosaur bones and exotic taxidermy. This class will take the form of a "Drawing Scavenger Hunt"!

Schedule: 7 meetings. 6 x Monday 6-9 pm and one field-trip.

- Field-Trip to the Natural History Museum on Sunday, April 28, 12-3 pm.

Cost: 120 Euro
SUPPLY LIST

Spring Watercolor Workshop: April 24 - May 15

In this Workshop we will use the landscape of Berlin as a subject for learning the subtle medium of watercolor.  We will learn how to layer transparent colors to create the effect of cool shadows and warm sunlight, how to control the paint flow for fine detail as well as smooth backgrounds, and how to use the brush for different types of texture.

The Workshop will take place twice per week, first in the studio and then outdoors. The class held in Berlin Drawing Room studio will focus on technique, which can then be applied in the field. We will meet every Saturday in a new location, and paint plein-air. 

No experience required! This class is perfect for beginners as well as more advanced students who want to improve their skills or just discover interesting landscape locations with fellow painters!

Schedule: 7 meetings: 4 x on Wedneday in the studio from 6-9 pm  and 3 x on Saturday in the field from 12-3 pm.

Cost: 120 Euro
SUPPLY LIST