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What if you could achieve stunning, luminous results with just a few transparent colors?
Welcome To
Led by award-winning artist, Debbie Friis-Pettitt, this online academy will transform your watercolor journey as you learn to paint with a limited, 3-color palette.
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We love to brag about our students!
Here is just a small selection of paintings which the Watercolors That Glow students/members created using only 3 transparent colors.
Join WATERCOLORS THAT GLOW and get INSTANT ACCESS to 100+ tutorials!
Join the annual or monthly membership and get access to:
• 12 LIVE WORKSHOPS (1 per month)
• All current on demand tutorials (100+)
• A weekly Q&A live ZOOM gathering. Real time personal help!
• New prerecorded tutorials monthly AND a vibrant community of other painters.
MEET YOUR AWARD WINNING INSTRUCTOR,
DEBBIE FRIIS-PETTITT
When I began exploring the world of watercolor, I was baffled by the abundance of conflicting advice and guidelines. Consequently, I attended countless workshops and invested in a plethora of books - but each had its own rules and seemingly essential colors which I then had to add to my palette. As my collection of colors soon exceeded 30, it only added to the confusion. So, after a few years, I found myself yearning for a simpler approach; one that didn't involve deliberating over the appropriate color!
With the aid of just 3 transparent, staining, and permanent colors, as well as my recipe cards which outlined specific color combinations, I learned how to reduce confusion and incorporate harmony into my paintings. Gradually, my watercolor paintings took on new life with impressive value ranges and vibrant colors - culminating in awards at various art shows and competitions! And now my joy lies in imparting these skills to beginners as well as experienced painters.
Awards & Recognition
Accepted into the Splash 22 "The Creative Spark" annual book recognizing 250 of the best of the best watercolor artists from all over the world. 22nd year of publication.
First place for painting in the 2018 Sedona Fine arts Festival. Over 250 juried artists. Held every year in October in the beautiful state of Arizona for artists from all over the world.
First place in the 3rd annual Women in Watercolor International Juried Competition. Award in Still Life / Floral.
1st annual Women in Watercolor International Juried Competition. Merchandise Award for Still Life/Floral.
"Lemons & Plums" accepted into the 24th edition of Splash.
Exhibitor for 2 years in a row at the #1 art show in the USA - La Quinta Fine Arts Festival. A premier art show of the world's top artists showcasing fine art, photography, and sculpture.
Join Debbie for a live, virtual workshop!
While Debbie's self-paced watercolor tutorials offer flexibility and convenience, a live, virtual workshop with an expert unlocks a new level of learning.
Get personalized feedback and ask questions in real-time, keeping you motivated and accountable.
Watch Debbie demonstrate techniques firsthand, gaining a deeper understanding and a focused approach saving you time and frustration.
Enroll in a virtual workshop and experience the dynamic, interactive environment that accelerates your watercolor journey.
Annual members of Watercolors That Glow get complimentary access to ALL live, virtual workshops.
Frequently Asked Questions
Drawing skills are great to have, but, you can be a great painter without spending months or years learning how to draw. You don't need ANY drawing skills to learn how to paint with watercolor. I go over the transfer methods with each tutorial.
YES! All my how-to tutorials on techniques, supplies, and color are in one convenient tutorial. Everything from paint, paper, colors, painting with a limited palette and creating color wheel recipe cards. It's a good idea to watch the Getting Started tutorial first before starting any painting tutorial.
All my tutorials and workshops are painted with just 3 colors. I pick a palette out of 6 basic colors. One yellow, 1 red (either a warm or cool) and 1 blue (either a warm or cool) Thats all you need! In each tutorial you'll find a Mini PDF booklet with links to colors, tools, templates, helpful tips and hints. You will also find the image and drawing to download.
Yes. Each tutorial has a downloads section with the image and drawing as a PDF and JPEG. Also in the downloads is a PDF booklet with the colors, tools, links and templates.
You have a few options for printing out your image and the drawing if you are using it:
#1 - You can print the image out 8x8 on your home printer. (paper is 8 1/2 x 11 the largest you can print is 8x8).
#2 - You can email the jpeg or pdf file to your local printer (staples, office depot, ups store). A few dollars to print it the size you would like.
OR.....
#3 - If you want to paint the image bigger than 8x8 you can split the image up into squares with a FREE program Image Splitter OR https://imagy.app/split-image/ You can download, then print each section out on your home printer then tape it back together.
The workshop images and some of the more detailed and larger tutorials have the image already split for you under the downloads section of the tutorial.
You have a few options. You can contribute to the discussions within the lessons, ask a question in the free watercolor community, or join my private Facebook watercolor group!
If you're a Watercolors That Glow! member you'll have access to me in an exclusive members only weekly Thursday live ZOOM gathering. In the Zoom gathering you can ask questions about a tutorial or your own painting and get personal help from me and other members.
All the tutorials from beginner to advanced are go at your own pace. You can rewatch any tutorial as many times as you like as long as you are a member. If you have purchased tutorials individually, then you have access forever.
Yes I do! Live stream workshops are great when you really like to have a community experience and be able to ask questions as I'm painting, and just have fun with a group of like-minded individuals.
All Members get complimentary access to ALL live, virtual workshops. Weekly live Q&A's with help. AND, live paint for fun gatherings.
If you're not a member, you are welcome to enroll in individual workshops.
Thanks for asking!
You can get all the details HERE.
Not sure where to start?
Enroll in this FREE course, Getting Started with Watercolor, and get an overview of everything you need to get started: Paper, image transfer, paint, supplies, tools, projectors, color wheels, and mastering water control!
FREE Orange Poppy beginner watercolor tutorial
Pick up your brushes and let's get started painting this vibrant orange Poppy with this FREE BEGINNER TUTORIAL! Learn how to create value, color with a simple limited palette of three transparent colors.
Testimonials
Dive into what artists are raving about! Hear what watercolor enthusiasts are saying about these incredible tutorials!
"In the past I tried tons of classes on Facebook trying desperately to learn watercolor, I had little success and spent a ridiculous amount of money on multiple tubes of paint. Then I discovered Debbie and her “Watercolors that Glow” website. I learned to use a limited palette and now know I only need to purchase the same 5-6 paint colors to tackle any tutorial that she has to offer.
The first tutorial that I tried was life changing, something to actually be proud of! I have since completed multiple tutorials and am always surprised at how I am now able to achieve amazing results every single time."
"If you are hesitating to spend time to learn from Debbie I must urge you not to hesitate. I have painted for many years, and cannot tell you the tubes of paint I’ve bought and the color charts I’ve painted. I joined Debbie’s website and have painted better watercolors than I ever did. I invested in the paints she recommended so I would have the tools to improve and have never looked back! The magnolia painting is my favorite but my friends have different ones and are asking me to let them buy - but they are my babies and learning examples - so a hard NO! I have confidence now in my new color choices and abilities to branch out painting from my own photos or from sites that share their photos for artist’s use and these watercolors are receiving many compliments and sales."
"I always wanted to learn how to paint with watercolors. When I found Debbie’s Watercolors That Glow, I knew I hit the jackpot! I was a complete beginner and I learned to paint very quickly from her tutorials.
Debbie creates all her tutorials using a very limited palette. It’s incredible the colors she can create using only three pigments. She will teach you about value, the importance of water, why you want to use quality paper, all about transparent and staining pigments and so much more. She does all this while making it easy to follow. She doesn’t leave you guessing how she got from point A to point B – everything you need to know is included.
The amount of information about painting with watercolors she will teach you is amazing. The live stream workshops also have the added benefit of connecting you with like-minded people on Zoom. I have made wonderful friends during these workshops, and I always look forward to the next one.
There is also a Watercolors That Glow Facebook group. This group is different than most FB groups. There is something about it where everyone seems to be rooting for each other to succeed. I haven’t seen this anywhere else on FB and Debbie created this environment. It feels good to be a part of it.
"Debbie's watercolor method uses 3 primary, transparent, staining colors to achieve an infinity of hues, values, and textures. I have followed several of her tutorials which focus on different subjects and backgrounds, but all the tutorials employ the same fundamental principles: the gradual building of layers, creation of tone and value, and understanding how each part of your painting relates to the whole. Debbie patiently explains every step, from the drawing to the finished painting. What I enjoy most about her tutorials is her generous manner of imparting her knowledge and skill (no hidden secrets!), alongside her kind and encouraging attitude (she shows you how to overcome watercolor errors). A real plus is her imaginative use of special tools to achieve masterful effects in the background and highlight tiny details, all of which add a wow factor to your paintings."
"I am delighted to write this testimonial for my amazing mentor Debbie, who has been an exceptional art teacher and a true master of watercolor painting. Her proficiency in this delicate medium is nothing short of extraordinary, and her ability to teach and inspire is unparalleled.
From the moment I joined her class, I was struck by her passion for art, and she has an incredible talent for breaking down complex techniques into simple (I must emphasize that her skill of making any color recipe just using limited palette of 3 pigments is mind-blowing), understandable steps. Her workshops are a perfect blend of structured learning of watercolor pigments and creative exploration. Debbie has a unique ability to inspire and motivate her students. She fosters a sense of community, and her enthusiasm for art is contagious. Under her wing, I have grown not only as an artist but also as a person, gaining confidence in my abilities and discovering a deep love for watercolor painting.
I wholeheartedly recommend my beloved teacher Debbie to anyone seeking to learn or improve their watercolor skills without getting lost in the ocean of numerous watercolor pigments.Thank you, Debbie for sharing your knowledge, passion, and love for art with us.
"I have dreamed of being able to create a watercolor painting in which I could capture the wonderful glow that I could often see in nature, but have never been able to recreate on paper. Now with Debbie's great tutorials, her limited palette and mastery of mixing an amazing range of colors from her paint selections, that dream is becoming a reality! Forever thankful to be a able to create watercolor paintings that GLOW!"