
The Impact of Colour | November 13 and 14, 2021
the impact of colour
Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 November.
18.00 to 20.30 Berlin time or to be agreed with participants
Live online workshop with Andrea, founder of GardeniaFair, Berlin
This workshop will be lead by Andrea Figari, founder of GardeniaFair and is part of the Big Watercolour Bundle online course, which includes “Eventually Everything Mixes” with Amé Binnarä Kim and “Fly like a Bird” by Yves Kervoelen. There is an price advantage in booking the bundle, check out the Bundle page. Read more below.
Enter discount coupon code EARLYBIRD on the checkout to get 20% off until Saturday 16 October 2021
Workshop Info
Overview
The Impact of Colour will focus on how we can combine colours to express what we want. Inspired by great colour masters such as the Bauhaus Masters Johannes Itten, Paul Klee and Josef Albers, the worshop will strengthen your knowledge of colour combinations and help you pick the perfect match for your paintings.
You will learn
- Introduction to basic colour theories
- Exercises to loosen up before painting
- Using a colour star
- Choosing colour combinations
- 7 types of contrasts
- Examples of contrasts in modern art
- Using contrasts to express moods
- Abstract uses of contrasts
This workshop is good for all skill levels
Basic knowledge of paint and the handling of paint and brush are a plus. You can accompany the course with watercolours but also with collages, drawings, frottage, stencils, gouache or acrylic paints.
If you wish to brush up your colour mixing and matching skills to make the best out of your bird paintings, make sure to sign up to Ame’s workshop on colour mixing and and Andrea’s workshop on the Impact of Colour
Workshop content
The Impact of Colour explores visionary ideas and innovations in the art of colours first taught in the 1920s at the Bauhaus school for art and architecture in the 201th century. Many of these principles still inspire modern and contemporary art and design -over a century later.
1. A brief history of colour in art
Starting with a review of art history focusing on colours, we arrive at the teachings of the pioneer Bauhaus school Masters Johannes Itten and his fellow colleagues Paul Klee and Vassili Kandinsky. Along the way we will also explore how the basics of colour contrasts in very well known masterpieces, which we will now look with the perspective of colours, rhythm and contrast.
2. Contrasts, rythm and composition
We will use methods and stylistic elements of the Bauhaus school, such as exercises focusing on pairs of opposites, rhythm, composition, texture and contrasts. This will also allow us to use painterly compositions, exploring new ways of using paint to create texture, use forms and negative space in the art pieces.
3. Dont be afraid of the blank page: add colour!
Composition ideas can go from pictorial spaces and surfaces to geometric forms. We go back to basic methods of design to enrich your paintings.
4. After The Impact of Colour
By the end of the course you will not only understand how to use the design and colour principles of the Bauhaus school, but also how to bring them to life in your own 21 century art practice. The colour and design skills you will gain will be at your disposal to use with any medium, in interior decoration or even picking up pieces of clothing to match.
RECOMMENDED MATERIALS
Your Title Goes Here
Recommended Paper
Please make sure the paper is suitable for watercolours and at least 250gsm. Ame’s personal recommendations are Hahnemühle Bamboo Mixed Media 265gsm, Hahnemühle Britannia MATT 300gsm, and Strathmore 400 series 300gsm.
Recommended Paints
For true beginners and those who aren’t familiar with pigments and colour names – I recommend getting a good, inexpensive set of palette such as the ones below, which are very affordable and of good quality!
- Winsor and Newton Cotman 12 Half Pan Set
- Van Gogh Travel Half Pan Set (of 12 or 16)
IF you are ready to get your own paints, here are my recommendations. You do not need to get all the colours, but please prepare at least six colours (both warm and cool primaries) and Burnt Sienna.
Warm Primaries:
Ultramarine Blue(PB29), Nickel Azo Yellow(PY150) or Hansa Yellow Deep(PY65), Pyrrole Red/Permanent Red Deep(PR254)
Cool Primaries:
Phthalo Blue Green Shade(PB15:3), Lemon Yellow(PY3) or Permanent Yellow Light(PY151), Permanent Magenta(PR122) or Quinacridone Rose(PV19) or Pyrrole Crimson(PR264)
Muted/Earthy(optional):
Perylene Maroon(PR179) or Indian Red(PR101), Yellow Ochre(PY42) or Raw Sienna(PBr7), Indanthrone Blue(PB60) or Cerulean Blue(PB35/36)
Essential for Mixing Neutrals:
Phthalo Green Blue Shade(PG7, Also known as Viridian in some brands) and Burnt Sienna(PBr7/PR101)
Recommended Brushes
A round and a flat brush of size between 8 to 10 would do nicely. Please make sure they are made for watercolours. There is nothing more frustrating than a brush that doesn’t hold enough water or pigments!
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TO SEE SOME OF THE IMPACT OF COLOUR´S EXERCISES
Single Session
Just one session- One live session with the artist.
- Total of 2.5 hours session
- Questions and Answers live
- Individual Feedback can be booked separately
Mix, Match, Fly. Super Workshop Bundle
6 Sessions, 3 workshops- Three workshops, total of 15 hours
- Workshop on 6. and 7 November “Eventually Everything Mixes” with Ame Binnara Kim. Learn More
- Workshop on 13. and 14. November “The Impact of Colour” with Andrea Figari. Learn More
- Workshop on 20. and 21. November “Fly like a Bird” with Yves Kervoelen. Learn More
Single Workshop
Two sessions per event- Two live sessions, total of 5 hours
- Live demonstrations with the artist
- Questions and Answers live
- Individual feedback with the artist can be booked separately
Get 20% off with code EARLYBIRD UNTIL OCTOBER 9 2021
Inser the coupon during checkout to get your discount.
Hourly Schedule
Saturday 13 November
- Colours, Conrasts and Textures
- How do colours contrast with each other? Different kinds of contrasts and how they work together (or not)
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Speakers:
Andrea from GardeniaFair
Sunday 14 November
- Playing with contrasts for maximum impact
- We will explore combinations and contrasts using templates and your own painting ideas
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Speakers:
Andrea from GardeniaFair

Speaker
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Andrea from GardeniaFairPainter, Photographer, Printer, Psychogeographer
Andrea Figari is a Berlin-based visual artist using watercolour, photography, screen, and lino printing and bookbinding as part of her creative practice.
Member of Drucksalon Atelier in Berlin, unfolding her creativity and creating with lino print and screenprinting.
Andrea explores colours and their interactions. Her fascination for colours has also sparked her interest in producing handmade watercolours using pigments and gum arabic. She hopes to bring these colours as a collection to a wider public soon.
Her work on photography has taken her to found PhotoDérive, an exploration of urban space through psychogeography. You can learn more at https://www.photoderive.org. Andrea has been the organiser of the Berlin Fotomarathon since 2006, offering hundreds of photographers the chance to discover the city. You can learn more at https://www.fotomarathon.de.
Within the creative community in Berlin, Andrea is part of the Berlin Kreativ Kollektiv -an initiative to promote local artists, creators, and local businesses. https://www.berlinkreativkollektiv.com