A System, Not Guesswork

You’ll learn how to break images into value, shape, and color decisions—so you know exactly what to do before the brush touches the paper.

Control Without Rigidity

Master water, edges, and layering so watercolor becomes something you direct—not something you fight.

From Copying to Creating

Move beyond reference dependence and develop a process that leads to consistent, personal, and intentional work.

About the course

If you’ve ever felt unsure where to start, afraid of ruining a painting, or stuck in overworking and muddy color—you’re not alone. Most watercolor instruction focuses on results: watch, copy, repeat. But when something goes wrong, you’re left without a clear way to fix it. This program is different. Instead of showing you what to paint, I teach you how to think. You’ll learn how to: • simplify the figure into clear value structures • organize shapes instead of chasing details • control edges and color transitions with intention • plan your painting before committing each brushstroke The focus is understanding, not imitation. Through structured exercises and deliberate practice, you’ll build: • stronger habits • visual memory • decision-making clarity • confidence in execution By the end, you won’t rely on luck or instinct alone—you’ll have a system you can trust and repeat. This is not a “watch me paint” course. It’s a program designed to change how you approach watercolor. → Join the program and start painting with clarity, control, and intention.

HI!

I’m Marcelo Daldoce, a watercolor painter and instructor with over two decades of experience working with the medium. Before focusing fully on fine art, I spent years as a commercial illustrator, where clarity, structure, and decision-making under pressure were essential. Later, during my MFA at the New York Academy of Art, I deepened my understanding of drawing, painting, and the role of structure in expressive work. Like many artists, I struggled with inconsistency—paintings that worked sometimes, and failed without a clear reason. That frustration led me to study not just how to paint, but how to think while painting. Over time, I developed a system based on value design, shape organization, edge control, and intentional layering—one that allows watercolor to remain fluid and expressive, without losing structure. Today, I teach at institutions such as the Art Students League of New York and lead workshops focused on helping artists move from hesitation to clarity. My goal is simple: to help you understand what you’re doing, so you can paint with confidence, direction, and purpose.

Curriculum

14 Chapters · 88 Lessons

  1. 1

    From Doubt to Flow 🌊 Painting People in Watercolor - WELCOME!

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      • Welcome!

  2. 2

    Orientation — Understanding the Program

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      How to take a picture of your painting

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      How to Share Your Painting Process Using Loom

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      How to Use Library References, Print Materials, and Stay Organized

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Palettes

  3. 3

    Class 1 — See Differently & Work Differently — Values & Habit (work every day)

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Lecture — Transformation — Values & Habit (work every day)

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Lecture — Understanding the Video Demos

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Video Demo: How to quick draw in your sketchbook

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      How to draw - Tracing

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Video Demo: How to use the markers

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Video Demo: How to Paint Consistent Washes and Values

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      Video Demo: How to paint quick values on sketchbook 1 - 100% Cotton Paper

    8. (Included in full purchase)

      Video Demo: How to paint quick values on sketchbook 2 - Cellulose Paper

    9. (Included in full purchase)

      Video Demo: How to paint quick watercolor values on post card

    10. (Included in full purchase)

      How to use the Color Study App for Values

    11. (Included in full purchase)

      PDF Library - Value Study

  4. 4

    Class 2 — See Differently & Work Differently — Drawing Is the Foundation

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Lecture: Understanding Drawing Concepts and Structures

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Video Demo: Understanding Drawing Concepts and Structures

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Video Demo: How to draw & map portrait - 1

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Video Demo: How to draw & map portrait - 2

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Video Demo: How to draw & map portrait - 3

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Video Demo: How to draw & map portrait - 4

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      Video Demo: How to draw & map portrait - 5

    8. (Included in full purchase)

      Video Demo: How to draw & map portrait - 6

    9. (Included in full purchase)

      Video Demo: How to draw & map portrait - 7

    10. (Included in full purchase)

      Lecture: Realism or Idealism - Portrait beyond likeness - Idealization or Observation

    11. (Included in full purchase)

      PDF Library - Faces to draw eggs

    12. (Included in full purchase)

      PDF Library - My drawings

  5. 5

    Class 3 — See Differently & Work Differently — Calligraphy & Overcoming Fear

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Lecture: Linear vs. Painterly and Related Concepts

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Lecture: Calligraphy & Overcoming Fear

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Video Demo: How to paint with confidence - Calligraphy

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      PDF Library - Simplified Notan and 3 Values

  6. 6

    Class 4 — See Differently & Work Differently — Soft Edges

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Lecture: Soft Edges

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Video Demo: How to Soft Edges - basics & sketchbook

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Video Demo: How to Soft Edges - Wet-on-wet & Wet-on-dry

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Video Demo: How to lift

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Soft Edges - Clarifying issues

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Video Demo: Soft Edges - Conclusion

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      PDF Library - References for soft edges

    8. (Included in full purchase)

      Mile Marker 1/12 - Please take a moment to answer these questions—your feedback is invaluable in improving the program.

  7. 7

    Class 5— See Differently & Work Differently — Color Transitions

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Lecture — Color Transitions

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Video Demo: Shifting Colors and Painting Simple Forms

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Video Demo: Color transition 1

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Video Demo: Color transition 2

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Color Study APP

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      PDF Library - References Color transition

  8. 8

    Class 6 — Building Consistency — Color Transitions + Soft Edges + When Your Eyes Lie: Understanding Values

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Lecture: When Your Eyes Lie: The White Palette Problem

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Video Demo: Simple Forms (Circle and Cube) with Color Transitions + Soft Edges

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Video Demo: Color Transition + Soft Edges

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      PDF Library - Color transition + Soft edges

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Palette Suggestion

  9. 9

    Class 7 — Building Consistency — Integration

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Lecture: Integrating Three Values & Reviewing Color and Light

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Lecture: Color. Layering the same temperature

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Video Demo: Integration

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      PDF Library - Integration

  10. 10

    Class 8 — Building Consistency — Face Anatomy

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Lecture: Face Anatomy

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Video Demo: Face Anatomy

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      PDF Library - Face Anatomy

  11. 11

    Class 9 — Vision Discovery — Color Theory

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Lecture: Complementary Colors

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Video Demo: Complimentary Colors

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Lecture: Triad (Three Colors) or Gamut

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Video Demo: Three Colors

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Video Demo: Three Colors

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Video Demo: Three Colors

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      Video Demo: Three Colors

    8. (Included in full purchase)

      Video Demo: Three Colors

    9. (Included in full purchase)

      PDF Library - Reference

    10. (Included in full purchase)

      PDF Library - Print

  12. 12

    Class 10 — Vision Discovery — People and Background

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Lecture: Full Figure and Background

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Demo 10/1 - Drawing Manikin

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Demo 10/2 - Painting Manikin

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Demo 10/3 - Drawing Figure - Three Values

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Demo 10/4 - Painting Figure - Three Values

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Demo 10/5 - Drawing Figure - Colors

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      Demo 10/6 - Painting figure - Colors

    8. (Included in full purchase)

      PDF Library - Print

  13. 13

    Class 11 — Vision Discovery — Composition

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Lecture: The History of Composition in Art

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Lecture: Composition Strategies & Visual Organization Ideas

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Demo 12/1 - Sketching Composition

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Demo 12/2 - Value & Composition Studies

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Demo 12/3 - Painting Chosen Composition

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      PDF Library

  14. 14

    Class 12 — Vision Discovery — Working From Photo & From Life

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Lecture: Working From Photo vs Working From Life

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      How to take a photo & lenses problems

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      How to use the Color Study APP

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Demo 11/1 - From Photo

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Demo 11/2 - From Life

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      PDF Library

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