learn watercolor painting, drawing, or en plein air painting:
Private lessons: $85/ 1 hour; $150 / 2 hr. Please email hi@giselleharrington.com, or call (603) 369-2928.
Supplies lists (for students bringing their own supplies):
Outdoor/ En Plein Air Watercolor
upcoming classes
“Watercolor Painting for beginners” at Looky Here! Art center, Greenfield, MA
June 15 - July 20, 2026: 6 Mondays, 6pm - 9pm
Location: Looky Here!, 28 Chapman Street, Greenfield, MA. Cost: $300/ $325 with supply rental. 6 Mondays, 6pm-8pm. Bring your own supplies (see recommended supplies list above), or rent from the teacher for use in class. Sign up on the Looky Here website!
This class teaches you the traditional methods of handling transparent watercolor in representational painting. You will learn how to control watercolor through washes and glazes, creating soft edges, using wet-in-wet techniques and using dry-brush. You will also learn how to work with the time constraints of the medium through a simplification of value shapes: a key to success in watercolor.
*Class size limit: 10 students
“Watercolor Painting for beginners” at Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School’s Adult Community Education Program, Northampton, MA
June 30 - August 4, 2026: 6 Tuesdays, 10am - 1pm
Location: Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School (1st floor library in the main building), 80 Locust Street, Northampton, MA. Cost: $300/ $325 with supply rental. 6 Tuesdays, 10am-1pm. Bring your own supplies (see recommended supplies list above), or rent from the teacher for use in class. Register here on the Smith Voc website!
This class teaches you the traditional methods of handling transparent watercolor in representational painting. You will learn how to control watercolor through washes and glazes, creating soft edges, using wet-in-wet techniques and using dry-brush. You will also learn how to work with the time constraints of the medium through a simplification of value shapes: a key to success in watercolor.
*Class size limit: 10 students
“Painting Landscapes in Watercolor” at Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School’s Adult Community Education Program, Northampton, MA
June 30 - August 4, 2026: 6 Tuesdays, 1:30pm - 4:30pm
Location: Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School (1st floor library in the main building), 80 Locust Street, Northampton, MA. Cost: $300/ $325 with supply rental. 6 Tuesdays, 10am-1pm. Bring your own supplies (see recommended supplies list above), or rent from the teacher for use in class. Students will be responsible for a plein air easel set-up, but we will discuss how to assemble one during the first class. The easel set-up that I recommend will cost about $85, but there are various cheaper or more expensive options. Working from a beach chair or on a picnic blanket, without a plein air easel, is also acceptable for this class. Register here on the Smith Voc website!
When we think of watercolor landscape painting, we often think of the beautiful Adirondack or Bahamas paintings by Winslow Homer or the en plein air paintings of John Singer Sargent. In this class you will learn how to create impressionistic landscape paintings, by identifying a strong value design and simple color patterns. We will start with a grounding in watercolor brush handling, and how to glaze washes to build up paint layers in the traditional way. You will learn how to choose a scene to paint from, identify a simplified value and color design to paint, and capture this on paper in a planned-out series of watercolor wash layers. We will be using watercolor paint in this class, though the lessons in color and value composition will be useful across media. Students of all levels are welcome.
*Class size limit: 10 students
Fill this form for: Private lessons, requests for an upcoming class registration alert, and other questions or comments:
QUOTES FROM PAST STUDENTS
“I loved this course. Firstly because of Giselle’s quiet passion to lead us to appreciate, and understand the complexity and logic of water color painting. Secondly because of Giselle’s axiom that appreciation and understanding are nurtured by doing. Thirdly because our doing, with all its flaws, was met by encouragement from Giselle, but never by a diminution in her exacting standards. And finally, because I really appreciated Giselle’s skill as a water colorist and the sense she gave that teaching us was a part of her own process towards greater understanding and mastery of the art.”
“ As a retired art teacher, I appreciated the excellent lesson plans, the clear instructions and helpful demonstrations in Giselle’s watercolor class. She covered many techniques and was flexible in responding to individual queries.”
“Giselle’s Intro to Drawing class was a fantastic opportunity to help myself experience and answer the question that was in my mind “what actually is the foundation for learning how to draw?” Many of us in class and myself included, have never had any or much previous drawing training. Giselle’s guidance and encouragement helped each student tap into that special space within to flex their creative muscles — something I was seeking, and achieved, through this experience. This was also a great way to meet more members in the Western MA community!”
“The watercolor class was very well structured with a clear progression of techniques. Giselle is a very encouraging and thoughtful instructor and conveyed a great depth of understanding of the process. A very enjoyable experience.”
Intermediate Watercolor students at the James Island Town Hall
Watercolor class at the Veterans Affairs in North Charleston
Drawing class at the Isle of Palms Rec Center
A watercolor demo for Intermediate Watercolor students
Giselle, painting en plein air