Masterclass in Watercolour
Takes place in Tallinn, Estonia, 8-14 July 2024.
Led by renowned artists, Agnes Cecile and Victoria Olt, this 7-day course offers a unique blend of hands-on creation and expert guidance.
The course unfolds in two parts.
In the first part, immerse yourself in the art of crafting handmade watercolors, infusing a personal touch into your palette. You will learn what watercolour paint is made up, what makes it special and how to change its characteristics more to your liking. You will learn how to create your own watercolour binder from scratch, how different pigments work with different additives and create your dream watercolour palette.
From that we’ll transition into the second part, guided by artist Agnes Cecile, where you'll explore the depths of color and technique. You’ll start by learning the basics by creating a monochromatic watercolour painting. The next day your instructor will introduce a broader palette and will be guiding you to create vibrant, multilayered artworks.
The final class unites your newfound techniques, allowing you to synthesize your handmade watercolors into a stunning final project.
With each class building upon the last, this workshop promises a transformative journey, blending the alchemy of handmade pigments with the expressive freedom of painting, resulting in an unparalleled experience for artists of all levels.
Join us for a week of self-discovery, creativity, and the joy of watercolor expression.
Full refund upon cancellation up to 2 months before the beginning of the workshop.
Meet your instructors:
Agnes Cecile
Agnes Cecile was born in Rome, Italy, in 1991. She started to draw when she was a child.
When she published her earliest watercolor paintings online, she signed them as “agnes-cecile” for the first time. After attending a fine arts high school, she kept on following her vocation, experimenting with different painting techniques and discovering how to express herself through her images.
She soon became popular on social networks, which allowed her to reach a large public globally.
After several solo exhibitions in Rome, she joined events, held workshops, and took collaborations in different worldwide locations in the US, Canada, and Europe.
She joined Winsor&Newton as an ambassador and took the chance to improve her workshop quality.
In 2018, she released her first art book, a collection of ten years of work. Following that, in 2019, she held a retrospective exhibition in her home studio in Rome, to celebrate her tenth anniversary as an artist.
Visit Agnes Cecile's website and follow her on Instagram at @agnes_cecile.
Victoria Olt
Victoria Olt is an Estonian painter, born in 1997.
She studied fine art in the University of Seville where she also learned the basics of paintmaking. After school she worked in Madrid and in Amsterdam.
During covid she hid from the virus on the island of Nevis in the Caribbean. And she took up paintmaking again as access to art supplies was very difficult on a small island and found that she had quite some passion for the practice.
She found that making her own paint gave her a lot of freedom and control of the medium and allowed her to use materials that are rare or impossible to buy (like paint made of precious stones or colour changing paint) Ever since she has made all the paint used in her artwork.
She has recently presented 4 solo shows : “Starchild (2022)“, “I’ve saved all my secrets for you (2022), “Lost Gods” (2023), “I’ve Seen Love and It looks nothing like this” (2023). And participated in many more group shows and auctions.
The workshop will take place in Victoria’s actual studio in Tallinn in the Kristiine area.
Class Schedule
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DAY 1 - 8 July
Arrival to Tallinn airport airport and pickup.
In the afternoon we will have the introduction to the course, your teachers and your fellow classmates.
We will also learn how to make watercolour binder.
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DAY 2 - 9 July
In the morning you will learn the basics of paintmaking with your instructor Victoria Olt.
And in the afternoon you will be able to experiment with making your very own watercolour paints.
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DAY 2 - Evening : Old town
Half day trip to go visit the historic old town of Tallinn, in which we’ll see Agnes Cecile’s solo exhibition in Victoria Olt Gallery. We will walk through all the popular tourist spots: Climb Toompea hill for panoramic views of the old and the new city, see St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Cathedral of Saint Mary the Virgin and Saint Olaf’s Church.
Option for a proper medieval feast at Olde Hansa
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DAY 3 - 10 July
Second day of making watercolour. You will get free rein to make all the watercolour paints you can think of or have time to do. Victoria Olt will offer you personalised advice on packaging and presentation for your dream watercolour palette.
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DAY 4 - 11 July
Start of painting class with Agnes Cecile
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DAY 5 -12 July
Dive into the world of expressive monochrome with the first class led by Agnes Cecile. In this session, you'll explore the nuanced beauty of Payne's Gray, unlocking its potential to create a captivating, monochromatic masterpiece. Uncover the subtleties of shading, contrast, and emotion that can be achieved through the artful use of a single hue. This foundational class sets the stage for a journey of artistic self-discovery.
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DAY 5 - Evening: Telliskivi Creative City
Telliskivi creative city is an area of Tallinn known for its street art. Once populated by artists now is home to many nice restaurants and shops. Good for a nice stroll to look at the graffiti and have dinner at Fotografiska.
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DAY 6 - 13 July
In day 6 watch your artwork bloom as you expand your palette to 2 or 3 colours. Learn the art of colour blending, layering, and composition as you infuse your paintings with newfound vibrancy. Agnes Cecile will paint a demo painting and offer one-on-one guidance. Here is where you can try to paint with the watercolours you made in the first part of the course.
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DAY 7 - 14 July
In your last day of the course you will be able to bring together all the skills and inspiration gathered throughout the course to craft your final project. You will receive guidance from both of your instructors who will help you maximise your skills to create a piece that you are proud of.
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DAY 8 - Departure
What is included in the price:
Art classes, painting demonstrations and personalised advice by Anges Cecile.
Paintmaking classes, theory of watercolour as an art material and personalised advice by Victoria Olt.
Both instructors will be present for the entirety of the course, so you can ask advice from Agnes during the paintmaking class and you can ask for advice from Victoria during the painting class.
Use of materials required for the paintmaking class (Gum arabic, large selection of pigments, muller, glass slab, bottles for storing paint, pans, other varying tools for paintmaking)
You’ll get a full palette of handmade watercolours to take home from the workshop
Breakfast and lunch at the venue prepared by a private chef
Coffee (expresso based drinks, latte, cappuchino etc), tea, and snacks available throughout the day
Half day trip to Tallinn Old Town
Half day trip to Telliskivi Creative city
Access to a group chat with all your coursemates and both instructors
What is NOT included in the price:
Airfare to Tallinn
Basic art supplies that we aren’t making (pencils, eraser etc.)
Accommodation in Tallinn (faster bookers can get an airbnb in the same building where we have the classes)
Dinner at different restaurants across Tallinn
limited spots book now
limited spots book now
What sets this workshop apart? The unique opportunity to use your own handmade watercolors in the painting process, combined with learning the immaculate technique of Agnes Cecile. With each class building upon the last, this workshop promises a transformative journey for artists of all levels.
This is not just a workshop; it's a symphony of creativity, a celebration of individual expression, and a brushstroke towards unlocking your full artistic potential.
Takes place 8-14 July 2024.
Only 12 spots available