Painting the Griffith Observatory

Gavin Snider is an artist who lives and works in New York. He spends his days painting the city and the people in it. This workshop will focus on plein air watercolor painting. We'll take on the architecture of The Griffith Observatory, and the landscape that surrounds it.

We’ll practice building up a painting from light to dark, carving out a scene with increasing detail. Gavin will show you how to harness the unexpected and go straight to the blank page, embracing the idea that you’re not really creating a painting; you’re documenting an experience.

This workshop is intended for painters of all levels of experience, from beginner to professional. Materials are not provided. A list of supplies that Gavin uses are listed below. However, guests are encouraged to bring any media that they're comfortable working with.

These are the materials Gavin uses for outdoor painting:

• 2 round watercolor brushes, one large for washes, one medium/small for details. A fine tip is more important than size. Gavin uses a size 10-12 brush for washes and a size 3-6 brush for details.
• Arches watercolor block, 140 lb Cold press, 10x14 in size, or fairly similar large, thick paper with a bit of texture. (The watercolor block is nice because it doesn't need to be taped down.)
• Travel palette (see below for paint suggestions)
• 2 water cups and a sketch board with holes to hold them.
• Travel stool (Though most of the time Gavin stands to paint, this is not always the most comfortable approach)
• Bulldog clips to hold materials down (especially helpful for individual watercolor pages)

Paint colors are listed in order of relevance to the observatory. The watercolor brand and quality matters less than the technique and the paper quality. Some of his preferred colors and their uses are listed below.

• Winsor & Newton Prussian Blue - Skies
• Winsor & Newton Yellow Ochre - Facades & Sidewalks
• Daniel Smith Moonglow - Shadows
• Daniel Smith Indigo - Shadows and Details
• Winsor & Newton Burnt Sienna - Brick
• Winsor & Newton Winsor Green (Blue Shade) - Copper Roofs, Trees
• Daniel Smith Green Gold - Trees & Grass

Host or Publisher Gavin Snider