Painting Cafe Charm in Watercolor
Adult Class | Registration opens 11/3/2026 10:00 AM MDT
The beloved cafe was a meeting spot for talented creatives, like the Impressionists, and it still captivates the artist to paint its charm and soul. With its vintage chairs, wooden tables, and groups of chatting friends, learn how to edit and capture the character and ambiance with simplified shapes, creative brushwork, and little detail. From a cozy pocket-size interior to a sprawling outdoor terrace, discover how figure placement, scale, and gesture bring life to this sanctuary suited for sipping a steaming cup of tea. Grab a mug and a muffin and develop your painting skills! Reference material provided. Introductory watercolor experience needed.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: In addition to developing skills using color, value, shapes, and edges, students will feel comfortable placing figures in a composition and gain an understanding of simplification in a painting.
WEEK 1: Figure Reading Newspaper at Cafe Table
WEEK 2: The Closed Market in Downtown Denver
WEEK 3: Sidewalk Cafe
WEEK 4: Cafe Interior with Figure Next to Window
- Introductory watercolor experience needed.
- WATERCOLOR PALETTE WITH LID
- WATERCOLOR PAPER OR WATERCOLOR BLOCK (9” x 12” OR LARGER) 140LB COLD PRESS
- WATERCOLOR BRUSHES (#6 AND #8 ROUND, 1”- 1 1/2” FLAT)
- CADMIUM RED
- ALIZARIN CRIMSON
- CADMIUM YELLOW
- LEMON YELLOW
- YELLOW OCHRE
- BURNT SIENNA
- RAW UMBER
- OLIVE GREEN
- CERULEAN BLUE
- ULTRAMARINE BLUE
- COBALT VIOLET
- MINERAL VIOLET
- WATER CONTAINER
- SPRAY BOTTLE
- TISSUES WITHOUT LOTION OR PAPER TOWEL
Dennis Pendleton
BFA, Ohio State University Pendleton has been published in The Artist's Magazine, Southwest Art and Contemporary Artists of the American West, 5280 Magazine and Watercolor Magazine. He lectures nationally on watercolor history, watercolor techniques and cave paintings, and teaches workshops at various locations. Dennis has gallery representation through Elements 5280 Gallery in Denver and The Fechin Museum in Taos New Mexico. His work is in select collections such as the People's Republic of China, American Embassy in France, Kaiser Permanente in Louisville, Kaiser Permanente in Lone Tree, The Petroleum Club, Cherry Creek Bank, Norwest Bank, and First Bank. As well, his work is the collections of the Columbus Museum of Fine Art, A R Mitchell Museum, and Fine Art Museum at The Ohio State University. Dennis has taught at ASLD for 22 years and teaches workshops in the United States and Europe.