Using our viewfinders to choose an area of focus

On June 26 I was at Shalom Spirituality Center in Dubuque, facilitating the first session of Watercolor Playgroup, a plein air retreat. Unfortunately for the “plein air” plans, it rained all afternoon, so we took our artmaking inside. We worked from photos and used viewfinders to focus on an area of a scene that spoke to us. I demonstrated technique in drawing and watercolor using a workbook emphasizing shadows which I developed for the class.

   
Shadows are grounding in a drawing or painting.
On a rainy day I used a flashlight to get a distinct
shadow for this example for the workbook.