Setting the Tone for Expressive Watercolor

Setting the Tone for Expressive Watercolor

Fall Workshop | Registration opens Wednesday, August 5, 2026 6:00 AM EDT

414 Plush Mill Road Wallingford, PA 19086 United States
Duke Gallery
All Levels
10/26/2026-10/27/2026
10:00 AM-3:00 PM EDT on Mon Tue
$180.00
Member Discount Available

Setting the Tone for Expressive Watercolor

Fall Workshop | Registration opens Wednesday, August 5, 2026 6:00 AM EDT

This 2-day immersive watercolor workshop focuses on mood, atmosphere, and expressive mark-making. Participants will explore how color, value, edges, water control, and composition influence the “tone” of a painting while loosening up their watercolor approach.

  • These materials are just a recommendation that I use. It is important to use paper that is at least 140 lb or higher to get good results. You can use any of the brands below for paints and brushes. These make for excellent color mixing and granulation. I have listed a mix of both warm and cool colors in each of the color categories.

    Paper
    Arches 140 lb Cold Press Watercolor Block, Saunders Lb Cold Press. All are available in blocks of 9x12” or larger. I prefer the
    14”x11” size. A full sheet can also be cut into quarter sheets and attached to a board.

    Brushes
    Wash Brush - Synthetic blend mop brushes or Flat Hake brushes
    Round Brushes - 6”, 14” Some of the brands I use are Escoda Perla and Black Velvet Watercolor Brushes 3000S. Both are good synthetic brushes.
    Rigger or Liner Brush - These brushes make fine lines with ease. A good alternative is also a smaller size round brush like a size 2”.

    Paints: Daniel Smith, Holbein
    Yellows - Yellow Ochre, Isoindoline Yellow (Daniel Smith), Cadmium Yellow Light
    Reds - Quinacridone rose or Permanent Alizarin crimson, Quinacridone pink Pyrrhol Orange
    Blues - Cobalt Blue, Ultramarine Blue, manganese blue hue
    Oranges - Permanent Orange
    Greens - Viridian, Sap green
    Purples - Ultramarine Violet, Mineral Violet
    Browns - Burnt Sienna, vandyke Brown, Sepia
    Semi Opaques - Jaune Brilliant 1 and 2,(Holbein), Lavender (Holbein)
    Payne's grey

    Other Supplies
    Palette - I use a Stephen Quiller Travelling Palette that is very useful for mixing colors according to the color wheel. You can use any palette that you are comfortable with.
    Pencils - Mechanical or any 2b pencil, Kneaded Eraser, Viva Paper towel roll, Water container, masking tape, backing board to attach the paper, sponge, spray bottle (Holbein spray bottle), small sketchbook.
Radhika Srinivas

Radhika Srinivas is an award-winning artist, living and working in the Philadelphia area. She has participated in juried exhibitions and plein air events at a regional and national level. Some of her notable awards include the Outstanding Watercolor Award in the Bold brush Online monthly competition in 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2023. During a trip to France in 2022 with a plein air group, two of her paintings were acquired by Miles Copeland III, an entertainment executive and former manager of the music band, The Police.  Her paintings are also in the collection of the city of Wilmington, Delaware, The Valley Forge National Park and Raymond James Financial. In addition, her paintings are in private collections in the USA, India and Singapore.

Radhika has a bachelor's degree in fine arts from India, a post graduate degree in textile design from The Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, and a certificate in graphic design from The Parsons School of Design, New York. While living in the US, Radhika had pursued her career as a textile designer; her designs were featured in the International Textile Design shows at the Jacob Javitz Convention Center in New York. She worked in New York as a designer at a renowned custom carpet company, catering to elite clientele.

Her source of inspiration comes from her various travels around the world, Chester County, Pennsylvania and everyday urban street life. She enjoys painting en plein air and also out of her studio in Devon.  She is a signature member and the Past President of the Philadelphia Watercolor Society, a signature member of the National Watercolor Society, Pennsylvania Watercolor Society and the American Impressionist Society. She has gallery representation at the Square Pear Gallery, Kennett Square, PA.