Every mark you make has the power to describe form, texture, and atmosphere. In this workshop, students will experiment with a variety of graphite drawing techniques to create convincing textures such as bark, stone, foliage, water, fabric, and more. Along the way, you'll discover how thoughtful mark making adds richness, depth, and expression to your artwork while expanding your visual vocabulary for drawing, painting, and mixed media. This course is designed for students of all levels.
 
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Allison Luce
Cost: $50
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

Discover the captivating world of avian art with nationally acclaimed artist and instructor Addison Palmer in this enchanting one-day acrylic painting workshop dedicated to capturing the elegance and vitality of birds on canvas. Designed for painters of all levels—from beginners to experienced artists—this immersive class will teach you how to render the stunning beauty of feathered subjects through expert techniques in observing form and anatomy, mixing vibrant plumage colors, creating realistic textures, understanding light on curved surfaces, and composing dynamic poses that convey movement and personality. You'll master the art of painting intricate feather details, expressive eyes, graceful wings, and natural perches—all while learning to capture the spirit and character that make each bird species so distinctive and mesmerizing.
 
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Addison Palmer
Cost: $100
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

Unlock the Power of Color! Ever mix the perfect color in your head, only to end up with something dull or muddy on your palette? Understanding how colors interact can transform the way you paint—and give you much more confidence when mixing and choosing color. While many of the principles explored in this class apply across a variety of artistic mediums, this particular class will use watercolor as we explore the fascinating world of color. In this hands-on two-week class, you’ll discover the incredible range of colors that can be created from the primary colors, learn how to mix cleaner, more vibrant hues while avoiding unwanted grays and mud, and discover how to intentionally create beautiful neutrals.
 
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Joanna Chalson
Cost: $100
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

If you’ve always wanted to paint with watercolors but were afraid to try, this very beginning class will introduce you to the joys of creating beautiful, glowing watercolor paintings. Using the elements and principles of design and composition, you’ll learn the following techniques: color mixing, wet-on-wet wash, wet-on-dry techniques, glazing, color charging, tricks with salt, oozles, scaping and much more. This class is designed for those with no watercolor experience, or those who have tried watercolor painting but need a refresher. There will be a printed handout with each class.
 
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Nancy Carney
Cost: $300
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

Chris will demonstrate multiple paintings (seascape, floral, & island theme) from beginning to completion. Areas of demonstrations and techniques will include, design, drawing, color, value, washes, glazing, wet in wet, masking, dry brush, lifting out and more. Chris will guide you through the techniques and help you develop skills needed to produce beautiful watercolor paintings. He will not only tell you how but also show you! For more information about Chris, visit his website at www.dreyerdesign.com.
 
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Chris Dreyer
Cost: $200
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

Unlock the secrets to capturing light, color, and atmosphere directly from nature. Whether you're taking your first steps into outdoor painting or seeking to refine your plein air practice, this comprehensive three-day workshop with accomplished artist Lee Copen will transform your approach to working on location. Plein air painting offers unparalleled opportunities to observe and render the nuances of natural light and color—yet the ever-changing conditions and complexity of outdoor scenes can present significant challenges. Through expert instruction, practical demonstrations, and guided painting sessions, Lee will help you develop strategies to simplify the process, work with confidence, and enjoy the plein air experience. All levels of students are welcome; however, some drawing and painting knowledge and experience is important.
 
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Lee Copen
Cost: $550
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

A successful painting relies on the harmonious interplay of essential elements: color, value, technique, and a clear focal point. In this workshop, Aline explores these fundamental principles through an innovative approach—viewing subjects as abstract shapes to create compelling illustrative works. Students will work from their own photographic references, transforming them into expressive pastel paintings. Through daily painting demonstrations, Aline will guide participants in understanding color through the lens of temperature, intensity, and value, while demonstrating how to translate these concepts using pastel techniques. A key focus will be the practice of building shapes and strategically carving back into them to achieve a dynamic, painterly finish. This class is a great choice for intermediate and advanced-level pastel painters.
 
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Aline Ordman
Cost: $550
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

In this workshop designed for intermediate level watercolor students, you’ll begin to see the world through a new lens—learning how to transform everyday reality into expressive, impressionistic paintings that evoke mood and atmosphere. The focus is not on replicating every detail, but on capturing the essence of your subject. Keiko will guide you from that first spark of inspiration through a process of simplification, leading to a compelling painting rich in composition and meaning. Key topics covered in this class include: • Creating a strong preliminary drawing and composition • Exploring a range of watercolor techniques and brush handling • Understanding what makes a strong design • Mastering the relationship between light and dark values • Balancing planning with intuition • Learning how to simplify and edit complex visual information
 
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Keiko Tanabe
Cost: $650
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

Discover the joy of painting expressive, atmospheric skies in this dynamic workshop designed for artists of all levels. Join award-winning artist and renowned instructor Eric Jacobsen for an inspiring experience tailored to both oil and acrylic painters. Key topics include composition, value, design, choosing a motif, identifying and mixing accurate warm and cool colors, establishing a focal point, and valuable tips and do’s and don’ts for the landscape painter. Special emphasis will be placed on mark making, helping you bring energy and expression to your brushwork. The workshop will feature a combination of informal lectures, instructor demonstrations, and plenty of hands-on painting time, ensuring a well-rounded and engaging learning experience.
 
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Eric Jacobsen
Cost: $550
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738

There seems to be a never-ending quest to loosen up in watercolor and it’s probably the most common goal of students. My workshop will focus on using value studies from the outset to identify the large shapes in a scene. These large shapes provide the artist with opportunities for lost edges when painting in watercolor, which is essential if we are to take full advantage of the medium. Too often the 'found edges', or details, take over the painter's thinking process, and the result is a tight watercolor. We will move on toward color paintings using value studies as our guide, and complete color painting lessons together. Demonstration paintings will be done by Andy to reinforce the lessons.
 
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Instructor: Andy Evansen
Cost: $650
Sponsor: Art League of Hilton Head
Website, email, (843) 842-5738