Watercolor & Lettering Workshops: A Photo Diary

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As soon as we got home last year, our schedule just went woosh and it’s as if I just woke up and BOOM, it’s already December 31 and I didn’t have time to review the year that was!

I just shrugged it off and said, “Yeah…That obligatory recap. Why should I anyway?” Then, looking back at my Instagram and travel photos, I realized I’ve been living too much in the future. I always tend to worry about things.  I would hop from one project to another without taking the time to pause & review.

I saw someone commented that they’ve been looking for photos from the series of workshops and I realized today that I haven’t been able to post stuff from the workshops lately!

Before I proceed, I’d like to thank Ponggo who for all the help!  If you attend the workshops, you’ll see why.  Haha.  Here are a bunch of photos from the sessions at Fully Booked, Scarsdale, Heima & Hey Kessy!

Above: The workshop begins with an exercise on watercolor washes.  It’s always amusing to see what the students get to produce each time.

I can’t believe that it’s already the latter part of January and I’m already done with 2 workshops for the year.  It was just like yesterday I took a photo of the poster above and was busy setting up the new schedules.

Above: It’s always fun to meet participants who can be OC in their own different ways.  It’s like I’m meeting a bunch of kindred souls or meeting my karma in the flesh. I get to see myself from the outside.  I also love sharing my favorite books during the workshops.  Surrounded by hardcore bookworm friends, I always thought I wasn’t so into books.  Yet, I realized, I’m the type who stares at pictures and designs.

The second part of the workshop focuses on brush lettering.  Lettering is the bigger umbrella but since we’re working with watercolors, we might as well work with watercolor brushes.  If you haven’t tried brush lettering, don’t worry, there are step-by-step procedures on how to familiarize yourselves with the potential of your watecolor brush such as the exercise above.  Also, I will NOT require you to write like me or anyone else.  I always ask the participants to find their own style and embrace their own (legible) handwriting. 🙂

Above Clockwise: Scarsdale croughnuts, brush dipping session, project making and some workshop kits.  I always miss taking a photo of that moment when the tables just have nothing but colors & name tags.  I promise to take a photo of it next time!

Above: Here’s our most prompt group from Scarsdale who used the Watercolor washes. I’m this close to creating badges for each group.  Each batch has a different strength but I’m lucky they’re all such a fun bunch I start missing them when it’s time for picture-taking!

Above: When I started conducting workshops, my friend Mansy advised that I should come up with name tags for the participants.  Now, it has the double purpose of color- coding which participants belong to which date and such. 🙂 I’m also enjoying how I can experiment with some color scheme or stye each time on a tiny space.  It’s like my mini playground.

Above is a set of name tags I did for the Fully Booked batch. I also tried using as much watercolor washes I can since this is the final objective during the project making session. :)

Above: Scarsdale Session last January 17
This is usually the time when the participants start being quiet while working on the washes.  I always tell them, “Class, this is not graded!  It’s okay to color outside the lines once in a while!”  Then the tension is lifted but some still go back to panicking while wiping off excess paint.  Hehe. You can read more about the Scarsdale workshop on Sienne’s blog here.

Above: The sweetest class from Fully Booked last January 10 and I’ll let you know why! The messages below came from them.  When I went home, I felt like I suddenly have a purpose in life. Hahaha.

Sweet words from Katrina of TheWordAffair.  So happy that the message came across. I’ve been trying to stress this ever since I wrote this blog post.

Above Left: If you have been reading the blog for a while, you will know that I rarely post photos of myself. Haha. But, this year the hubby is requiring me to do so.  This was such a hard task because I’m always caught midway through a word or a vowel…or with my arms doing all these funny motions.  Yes, I’m left-handed.  No, I don’t wear pink all the time. 🙂 Above Right: A photo with Ifchelle Cruz, one of the workshop participants whom I met from our Kris TV Interview a couple of years ago.

Above: Atty. Richelle Macapagal’s lettering work. *Okay, sorry Richelle, I had to write your full name. Hehehehe.* With every batch of participants, it’s like all the fields are represented: we have architects, interior desingers, doctors, med students, pharmacists, bankers, high school & college students, people who work for the media, moms, multi-media arts graduates and the like.

Above: Our session at Hey Kessy.

So happy to have had a couple of guys!  Can’t wait for the day when guys are holding as much workshops as girls do!  This day was also sort of a surprise schedule.  We were supposed to have one workshop sched last December so thank you to all those who came!

I like it that so far, each workshop venue has something to offer.  For example, the students can indulge in pastries & sliders at Scarsdale, they get to win a book from Fully Booked, get inspired to create at the crafty Hey Kessy and last but not the last, soak in all the inspiration at Heima.

This is Mika, she’s our youngest participant in a workshop setting so far.  I’m reminded of myself when I was a kid.  Prior to her, I was able to teach another 11-year old but in a private session.   I’m also amused how their minds are so malleable.  I think the nice thing about this age is that you don’t have pre-conceived notions about a lot of things yet so you don’t fight the instructions in your mind–you just follow. 

Above: I was able to dig up some callgraphy work I did when I was 12.  I received this set of Crayola markers when I was 10.  I didn’t even know if it was a thing or not but it looked interesting.  No much has changed, no?  I’m still into colors, and round letters. 🙂

Speaking of Heima, let me give you a quick tour of the place.  They have all sorts of magazines (Frankie being my fave), books, paper products, furniture, bone china conversation pieces and MT washi tapes.  I wish I had a studio that looked like this. Hehe. 

To the crafters and artists who are interested in holding a workshop at Heima, click here for more info. ❤

Above: This is the Paper Club section and if your eyes are keen, this photo was take last year when The Daykeeper was still available.  Currently, we have the last copy and you have less than 24 hours to join this promo here.

Hooray to meeting new faces and blog readers whom I’ve been Tweeting and exchanging comments with for so many years!  Yes, that’s Fozzy–our guest for the day and it’s nice to have everything to come in full circle.  She was the one who inspired me to pick up the pen again three years ago when I got injured and had more time to sit down. 🙂

Here’s to more workshops for 2015!

XOXO,

Tipsy

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