Watercolor Basics with Michelle May
Ready to dip your brush into something new? Join artist Michelle May at Juniper Rag Contemporary for a low-key, hands-on introduction to watercolor. Whether you’re a complete beginner or an artist curious about exploring a new medium, this workshop will get you comfortable with the basics and put a brush in your hand.
We’ll explore the essential watercolor techniques and brushstrokes—from controlling water and pigment to creating washes, layering color and experimenting with expressive marks. Once you’ve gotten a feel for a few fundamental moves, you’ll put them to work creating your own small paintings. Think of it as a little technique, a little experimentation and a chance to see where the water takes you.
Michelle May is an artist, designer, and the co-founder of Juniper Rag. Her career spans award-winning luxury stationery, collaborations with top brands, including BRIDES Magazine, and the evolving world of e-commerce. With a deep foundation in design and print, she developed watercolor expertise through the art of invitation design, bringing an understanding of color, composition, and the expressive qualities of the medium to her own artistic practice. As co-founder of Atelier ID Global and Juniper Rag Contemporary, Michelle has also helped identify and champion emerging artists for online audiences, connecting distinctive creative voices with new markets and opportunities. Today, she brings that blend of artistic practice, design expertise and artist advocacy to Juniper Rag, where making art accessible and creating meaningful connections between artists and audiences are central to the mission.
Basic watercolor techniques you'll explore
Water-to-pigment ratio — Learn how the balance of water and paint affects transparency, intensity, and flow.
Flat washes — Create smooth, even areas of color.
Graded washes — Transition from dark to light or blend one color into another.
Wet-on-wet — Apply paint to damp paper for soft edges, flowing color, and organic blends.
Wet-on-dry — Paint onto dry paper for sharper edges, defined shapes, and greater control.
Layering and glazing — Build depth and richer color by applying transparent layers once the paint has dried.
Brush control and mark-making — Experiment with brush pressure, angles, and movement to create different lines, shapes, and textures.
Lifting and preserving white space — Remove some pigment or leave areas of paper unpainted to create highlights and light.
What to bring: Your watercolor pad, paints, artist tape and brushes, along with a Masonite board or similar firm backing to tape your paper onto. Bring the supplies you have and come ready to play.
Thursdays are watercolor days at Juniper Rag! We welcome you to our boutique gallery for intimate, welcoming space for making art, learning new techniques, and trying something different. Each week brings a new workshop and another reason to pick up a brush.
Space is limited to just 8 participants so everyone has room to work and learn. Advanced registration is encouraged. Drop-ins are welcome when space is available.
Come curious. Leave with a few new skills, a handful of experiments, new people and maybe a new favorite ways to make art.
What you'll take away
By the end of the workshop, you'll have:
A working familiarity with essential watercolor materials and techniques.
A better understanding of how water, pigment and paper interact.
Several new brushstrokes and ways to create organic shapes.
Practice blending colors, layering washes, and creating soft and defined edges.
A few small paintings to take home.
The confidence to continue experimenting with watercolor on your own.
No prior watercolor experience is necessary.
This is an introductory, hands-on workshop designed to help beginners and curious artists get comfortable with the medium through demonstration, experimentation and practice. If you have ever wanted to try, we promise you will have fun and explore the medium in a supportive and relaxed atmosphere.
Michelle May
Artist and Co-Founder of Juniper Rag
JR Workshops to Strengthen Artists Behind the Art—
Unlike traditional art instruction, our workshops focus on strengthening the artist behind the artwork for all levels of mediums. By combining the expertise of our professionally led workshops and Juniper Rag's artist-centered philosophy, participants gain practical skills and transferable tools, greater creative awareness, stronger confidence and a deeper appreciation for the remarkable ways artistic practice supports mental health, resilience and personal growth.
These experiences are designed not only to help introduce people to creativity, but to help experienced artists make better work—and to help them build healthier, more fulfilling creative lives.
Max attendance for our workshop is set to 8 artists for an intimate and personal experience.
Artists, please feel free to bring your favorite materials or new experimental media. Anything goes. Water is available.
Location: Juniper Rag Contemporary, 138 Green Street, Studio 201, Worcester, MA
Material List for Watercolor Workshops
Paints: a set of tubes or pan watercolors including your primaries with warm & cool, red, yellow & blue and burnt Sienna. All you need is red, yellow and blue to make the others!
Paper: A few cut or manageable pieces of 140 lb cold or hot press sheet paper, or a block or loose sheets, so you can use several pieces.
Brushes: An assortment of your favorites, including 1 large round, size: 10 or 12 or larger. 1 medium round size 6, a fan brush, thin brushes. You do not have to spend a lot on brushes. Just the basics.
Tape: Any artist tape that will not pull up the paper fibers will due
Palette:
A mixing tray or palette, or simply a white plastic plate
A light weight plastic or masonite board to tape paper down
Artist masking or painters tape
Pencil 2B or whatever you have.
Optional:
Micron Pens
Salt
Alcohol
Clear or white wax crayon
Frisket
CC Lowell in Worcester on Pleasant Street can set you up with everything you need.
We will provide water vessels and paper towels.
Register here (if the class is cost prohibitive, please shoot us a message at info@juniperrag.com):
The Basics of Watercolor with Michelle May
Ready to dip your brush into something new? Join artist Michelle May at Juniper Rag Contemporary for a relaxed, hands-on introduction to watercolor. Whether you’re a complete beginner or an artist curious about exploring a new medium, this workshop will get you comfortable with the basics and put a brush in your hand.