Light is the real subject. The wall, the street, the water — those are just what the light happens to be falling on, and once you start seeing it that way, everything gets simpler. This is two hours of short, focused exercises rather than one long painting. Each one hands you a specific tool: Deciding your lights first — protecting the whites before the first wash, so the glow is built in rather than rescued later. Shadows with colour in them — why a shadow is never grey, how warm light throws cool shadow (and the other way round), and how to mix one that stays luminous instead of muddy. Value before detail — getting the three-tone structure right so the picture reads from across the room. Most paintings that “don’t work” fail here. Edges that let the light move — where to let an edge dissolve and where to keep it crisp, so sunlight looks like it’s actually happening. Reflected light — the bounce that stops a shadow side going dead. You’ll leave with the exercises themselves, which are worth repeating at home, and a way of looking at any scene that tells you what to paint and what to leave out. Suitable for anyone comfortable holding a brush — you don’t need to have painted light deliberately before. Nothing to bring: all materials and brushes are provided, and there’s tea, coffee and cake throughout. Come for this alone at £20, or pair it with Watercolour Essentials that morning for £32 the two.

Description supplied by the event organiser.