Online watercolour course · with Lena Park
Learn to let the water do half the work.
Twelve short lessons, a real teacher, and a paintbrush you will stop being afraid of. Start with a full lesson on us, no card and no sign-up.
- Lessons
- 12
- Modules
- 4
- Video time
- 4h 06m
Lesson 2 · Your first flat wash
What you’ll learn
Four skills that make every painting easier
Control the water
Judge wetness by sheen, not guesswork, so washes stay smooth and blooms happen when you choose them.
Mix colour you can name
Build every green, grey and shadow from three primaries and a mixing chart you make yourself.
Paint light with paper
Plan your whites first and learn the lost-and-found edges that make a small study glow.
Finish with confidence
Know when to stop, then flatten, scan and sign your work so it is ready to frame or share.
Curriculum
Twelve lessons, four modules
The first two lessons are free. Open any lesson to see its notes and materials list before you enrol, or tick off the whole materials kit in one go.
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Module 1
Water, pigment & paper
The three things every wash depends on, and how to set up a desk that lets you paint without fuss.
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Module 2
Colour that behaves
Mix from three primaries, understand which pigments settle and stain, and keep your colour clean.
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Module 3
Shape, light & edges
See in three values, vary your edges, and let the white of the paper do the glowing.
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Module 4
Finishing a painting
Skies, a full botanical study and the last practical steps: flattening, scanning and sharing.
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Your teacher
Lena Park
Lena is a Portland illustrator who has painted for picture books, botanical prints and a lot of birthday cards. She has taught watercolour in small studio classes for eleven years, and started Brushwork Academy after too many students asked, “Can I watch you do that again?”
Her teaching is plain-spoken and unhurried. She paints every demo live, mistakes included, and explains why a wash went wrong before she fixes it.
- 11 years teaching in person and online
- 2,400+ students across 38 countries
- Every demo painted in real time
Student gallery
Work from the first six weeks
Student voices
Three students, three paintings
Each of them began with a streaky wash. Here is what they say about the course, beside what they painted.
“Eleven weeks ago I could not paint a wash without streaks. Lena’s rule about stopping when the sheen turns satin fixed it in one evening. I framed my first sky for my sister’s birthday.”
Grace Whitfield
“Lena told me all my darks were the same value, then showed me on my own painting how to separate them. The next one was the first I wanted to hang. That recorded walk-through is worth the upgrade.”
Kenji Morales
“Thursday evenings are the best part of my week. Twelve of us, tea going cold, everyone painting the same jar of sunflowers a different way. I came for the technique and stayed for the company.”
Aoife Brennan
Certificate
Finish the course, keep the proof
Complete all twelve lessons and Lena signs a certificate with your name on it, ready to frame beside your first sky.
- Emailed as a PDF within one working day of finishing lesson 12
- Prints cleanly at A4 or US Letter
- Your name exactly as you type it below
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12 lessons to go until your certificate unlocks.
Sample
Brushwork Academy
Certificate of Completion
This certifies that
Your Name
has completed all twelve lessons of the Brushwork watercolour course: 4h 06m of video across four modules, from a first flat wash to a finished botanical.
Pricing
One payment, no subscription
Every plan includes all twelve lessons and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Self-paced
$129
Everything you need to learn at your own speed.
- All 12 video lessons, lifetime access
- Printable materials list and colour charts
- Student community forum
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Most chosen
With feedback
$249
Lena looks at your paintings and tells you what to try next.
- Everything in Self-paced
- Written and recorded feedback on 4 paintings
- Replies within 5 working days
- Monthly live Q&A, first Sunday, 10am Pacific
Studio group
$399
Eight weeks of painting alongside a small group.
- Everything in With feedback
- Weekly 90-minute live session, Thursdays 6pm Pacific
- Group of 12 at most, recordings included
- Starter paint set shipped to the US or Canada
Questions
Before you begin
Do I need any painting experience?
None. Module 1 assumes you have never held a brush with water on it. If you have painted before, the colour and edge modules will still sharpen your habits.
What will I need to buy?
Most students spend between $60 and $85 on paper, three brushes and six paints. Every lesson lists exactly what you need, and the free first lesson includes a full shopping list so you can decide before you enrol.
How long do I have access?
For good. Once you enrol, the lessons are yours, including any we add or re-film in future.
How does feedback work on the middle plan?
Upload a photo of a finished painting. Lena replies with a short recorded walk-through and a written note about one thing that worked and one thing to try next. You can send four paintings at any point.
Can I get a refund?
Yes. If the course is not for you, email us within 30 days of enrolling and we will refund you in full, no questions asked.
Are the live sessions recorded?
Always. If you cannot make a Thursday session, the recording is in your account within a few hours, and you can still post questions for Lena to answer next week.
Enrol
Reserve your place
Pick a plan and leave your email. We will send a confirmation and payment link within one working day.
Not sure yet? Try the free first lesson first.