3 Week Photorealism Workshop | Tina's Art Studio | Portsmouth

Highland Cow at Sunrise: 3-Week Photorealism Workshop
There's something magical about this scene—the soft morning fog, the glow of the rising sun, weathered wood, wildflowers dancing in the foreground, and of course, that irresistibly shaggy Highland cow peeking over the fence. In this immersive three-week workshop, we'll break down this seemingly complex painting into manageable, approachable steps while exploring some of watercolor's most powerful techniques.
What I love about this workshop is that it's not just teaching one thing—it's teaching everything at once. In a single painting you'll learn landscapes, atmospheric perspective, sun glow, fog, weathered wood textures, florals, and animal portraiture. It's one of the most comprehensive photorealism projects I teach because every section introduces a different skill set, giving you techniques you'll use long after this painting is finished.
This class is designed for students who are ready to move beyond the basics and learn how to create depth, atmosphere, texture, and realism in watercolor. Throughout the workshop, you'll paint alongside me as I demonstrate every step in real time, explaining not only what to do, but why we're doing it.
By the end of the workshop, you'll have completed a stunning photorealistic watercolor painting and gained a deeper understanding of how to tackle complex subjects with confidence.
Week 1: Creating Atmosphere & Building the Landscape
We begin by developing the foundation of the painting.
In this session we'll focus on:
Planning the composition
Using drawing gum (masking fluid) to preserve highlights
Creating a believable sunrise glow
Painting soft fog and atmospheric effects
Establishing distance and depth in the landscape
Building layers in the sky and meadow
Understanding how values create space
This week is all about learning how to make watercolor do the heavy lifting before a single detail is added.
Week 2: Texture, Structure & Base Layers
Now that our environment is established, we'll begin bringing the focal elements to life.
Topics include:
Dry brushing techniques for realistic wood grain
Creating weathered fence textures
Painting the rustic barn and aged surfaces