Ratindra Das In-Person Art Workshop: Watercolor With an Eye for Design - July 29-August 2, 2024

Focus on the workshop is "Design" in watercolor. Design is deliberate (analytical) and intuitive. It goes beyond just painting a pretty picture. My mission is to stimulate your creative mind through the "thinking" process. Design is not something "esoteric". It's not an exclusive domain of non-objective abstract painters. In everyday life, we subconsciously use design, like making furniture arrangements or installing wall hangings, etc., to make something pleasant to the eye. Design elements can be extracted from the objective world, or they could be completely non-objective, drawn from our visceral world. In this class you will learn to explore shapes and their relationship and placement on paper, explore lights and darks, and color in design. You will need reference materials, sketches, and photographs. I work mostly from my own sketches. However, you will be shown how to interpret the source materials.

This workshop will be held at Cheap Joe's Art Stuff in Boone, NC. Class hours will be Monday-Thursday from 9 am-4:00 pm with a 1-hour lunch break and a Friday class from 9 am-1 pm. The workshop tuition does not include additional dining (breakfast, dinner, snacks), lodging, travel expenses, and supplies. To see more of what Boone and the High Country has to offer, check here.

Your workshop tuition includes lunches Monday through Thursday catered by Wildwood Community Market and Deli, a local gourmet delicatessen specializing in locally sourced organic produce, meats and cheeses, and bread. This lunch option will allow students to focus on their art without the stress of traveling and dining. Additionally, Cheap Joe's Staff has organized a Welcome Dinner for participants who choose to participate at one of our excellent local restaurants.

• Monday July 29, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm EST
• Tuesday July 30, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm EST
• Wednesday July 31, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm EST
• Thursday August 1, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm EST
• Friday August 2, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm EST

Please see the Downloads tab for more information if applicable. Pre-class instructions, specific details, and a supply list will be emailed when you register for the workshop.

Workshop Terms and Conditions

Ratindra Das is a Dolphin Fellow and a signature member of the American Watercolor Society. He holds a Distinguished Master status in the Transparent Watercolor Society of America, a Master Signature member of the National Watercolor Society, a Master Signature member of the SanDiego Watercolor Society, a Master Signature member of Watercolor West, a member of the Watercolor USA Honor Society, and six other watercolor societies. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including eight in the American Watercolor Society. He was invited to exhibit in the 1st “Shanghai Zhujiajiao International Watercolor Biennial Exhibition” and in the exhibition of “ International Watermedia Masters in Nanjing, China,” “Taiwan World Watercolor Competition,” Republic of China. He is an Honorary Member of the Jiangsu Watercolor Research Institute. A popular workshop instructor and frequent juror of shows and competitions, he has served as a selection juror as well as an awards juror for the American Watercolor Society and many other national exhibitions. He has conducted workshops and seminars throughout the US, Mexico, Canada, Italy, Singapore and China. He frequently gives demonstrations to the general public as well as artists’ groups. Ratindra published two books, “Watercolor-with an Eye for Design,” and “Watercolor Beyond Obvious Reality- a Workshop in a Book,” which are available on his website, www.RatindraDas.net. He has been featured in several books and magazines and was included in a featured article “Break the Rules” in “Watercolor Magazine”, by American Artist, “Workshop 101” in Watercolor Artist, and in “Best of America Watermedia Artists, Vol 2”. He produced a workshop video titled “Painting a Personal Reality in Watercolor.” He is represented by the Blue Dolphin House and Gallery, Ephraim, Wisconsin; Mullaly’s 128 Gallery, Elk Rapids, MI; Li Fine Art Gallery in Singapore.