Watercolor Workshop in Santa Barbara, CA with David R Smith, Nov 6-11, 2022.
Painting Workshops.
When quality matters!
When quality matters!
Painting Tours: USA-Santa Barbara-David R Smith
With breathtaking coastal mountains to the east and sublime beaches to the west, Santa Barbara is one of the most beautiful places in California.
With its perfect Mediterranean climate, Santa Barbara is a little gem with lush gardens and distinctive white-washed, terracotta-tiled Spanish architecture. No doubt that it deserves its name of “American Riviera”.
Day 1: Orientation Meeting and Welcome Dinner
5 pm: Meet your fellow travelers, your teacher and your tour leader at our selected hotel for our orientation meeting followed by a welcome dinner.
Days 2 to 5: Sketching in the heart of Santa Barbara
You will sketch in plein-air some of the emblematic spots of Santa Barbara. Here is a non-exhaustive list of some of them:
The Queen of the Missions
The Santa Barbara Mission is known as “Queen of the Missions” for its exceptional beauty.With its grand double bell towers, lush gardens and the majestic San Ynez mountains as a backdrop, the Mission is one of the city’s most picturesque landmarks.
The Rose Garden
We will enjoy a picnic in the Rose Garden, a wonderland of more than 1,500 rose plants. Spring is the best time to see the roses in their full glory. An exceptional foreground for your sketches with the Mission in the back.
The Court House, one of the most beautiful public buildings in America
With its Spanish-Colonial architectural style, dated from 1929, the court house will be the a perfect subject 
for your sketches: distinctive red tile roof, four-faced clock tower, verdant grounds and sunken gardens, elegant arches.
Inside, you will admire the amazing architecture, including spiral staircases, thick wooden doors, hand painted murals and subtle touches that reveal the building’s historic Spanish roots. You can even climb to the top of the 18th century clock tower for breathtaking panoramic views of downtown Santa Barbara.
Spanish Colonial Village
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this adobe building from 1820’s was an affluent Spanish-Mexican-style home that became the social, political, and cultural center of Santa Barbara.
Santa Barbara Wharf
From the oldest working wharf in California, you can sketch amazing views of the blue Pacific Ocean, breathtaking views of the harbor and beaches backed by the Santa Ynez Mountains, while enjoying salty breezes and soaking up the sunlight.
During the week: Wine Tasting
The ebb and flow of ocean breezes makes the Santa Barbara Wine Country region a jewel in the crown of California viticulture. At the end of a sketching day, we will treat you for a wonderful wine tasting experience of some local wines. We will enjoy different wines accompanied by some finger food, in a private setting.
End of Day 5: Show and Tell and Farewell Dinner
It is time to finish up some of the paintings started this week. The sketching workshop will end with a little “Show and Tell”.
We will then treat you for the farewell dinner before saying goodbye.
Day 6: Departure
You can leave at your convenience after breakfast or extend your stay to enjoy this wonderful city. If you live close to Santa Barbara, you can leave after the farewell dinner the night before.
About David R. Smith's Workshop to Santa Barbara, CA
Join David on a Watercolor Journey for 5 days in beautiful Santa Barbara, CA,.
You will learn the most valuable watercolor concepts and techniques. This workshop will save you countless hours of trial & error by demonstrating approaches in an easily understood manner that will open new doors of discovery and creativity.
David will discuss outdoor equipment options, considerations when choosing a composition, value study options to help prepare for the painting process, and provide numerous demonstrations and individual attention. Regardless of your level of experience, you’re almost guaranteed to leave with a handsome work of art, and the skills, concepts, and confidence to take your paintings to a higher level.
David will demonstrate a wide variety of techniques, including “wet-on-wet,” “spattering,” “spraying,” how to link shapes in a composition based on values, while also learning about edge quality of shapes, the importance of different consistencies of paint, and the different moisture qualities of paper – concepts and approaches that will keep your paintings fresh with exciting blends and textures, and keep you inspired and eager to explore your new watercolor capabilities long into the future.
David R. Smith's Biography
David R. Smith began his artistic journey studying Chinese Brush Painting in the United States and China. A decade later, he was introduced to Western style watercolor painting and was amazed at how enjoyable and forgiving it was compared to working on rice paper. Ever since, he has been hooked on watercolor painting, and has become a popular artist and instructor nationally and internationally, as well as a sought-after juror.
David is the recipient of the Skyledge Award (the highest recognition awarded by the Transparent Watercolor Society of America), an award winner and signature member of the American Watercolor Society, signature member of the National Watercolor Society, and his work has earned him numerous “Best of Show” awards, signature memberships, showings in galleries and museums across the United States and abroad, and inclusion in publications including Fine Art Connoisseur, International Artist, and multiple editions of SPLASH – The Best of Watercolor.
With over 25 years of experience as a public school teacher, he is skilled at breaking down complex concepts and skills into easily learned chunks and now enjoys helping workshop participants find success with watercolor. As much as he loves to paint, he has found sharing his watercolor passion through instruction even more gratifying and he is most rewarded when he hears a frequent comment: “This is one of the best workshops I’ve ever taken.”
Find out more about David R. Smith on his website.
More of David R. Smith's Art
Price of US$ 1,590 includes:
– 2 dinners: one welcome dinner on day 1 and one farewell dinner on day 5 (incl. wine)
– 1 picnic lunch brought to the painting site
– Wine tasting at a local winery
– All art classes (daily demos, one-on-one support and instructions)
– The use of folding chairs
– Complementary snacks and drinks brought to the painting sites
– Transportation of your painting supplies so you can walk “light” to painting locations (max 0.8 miles away)
– A tour leader throughout the week staying with the group to assist in all your needs.
Not included:
– Your hotel. We will book some rooms at the hotel where the teacher and the tour leader will be staying. If you are interested in staying with the group, we will give you more info.
– Some meals (the ones not listed as included)
– Painting supplies (but folding chairs will be provided).
Cancelation Policy
| If you cancel a US workshop: | Cancellation Fee per Person |
|---|---|
| More than 90 days before departure | The $600 deposit is forfeited (however $300 can be transferred to another trip with a departure date within 1 year of cancelation date) |
| 61-90 days before departure | 50% of total cost forfeited |
| 31-60 days before departure | 75% of total cost forfeited |
| 0-30 days before departure | 100% of total cost forfeited |
| If French Escapade cancels | You get a full refund |
How to Book
1To hold your spot, please fill out the reservation form below and send us a $600 deposit.
Note that the deposit is not refundable but is transferrable. See our Cancelation Policy below.
2Once you have submitted your reservation, you will receive a confirmation email with the details on how to submit your deposit via one of these 3 methods:
– by check (if you live in Canada, it needs to be a money order)
– via ZELLE (free instant money transfer offered by all major US banks)
– by credit card
– by bank transfer
3The remaining balance will be due 3 months before departure.
Cancellation Policy
| If you cancel a US workshop: | Cancellation Fee per Person |
|---|---|
| More than 90 days before departure | The $600 deposit is forfeited (however $300 can be transferred to another trip with a departure date within 1 year of cancelation date) |
| 61-90 days before departure | 50% of total cost forfeited |
| 31-60 days before departure | 75% of total cost forfeited |
| 0-30 days before departure | 100% of total cost forfeited |
| If French Escapade cancels | You get a full refund |