Language
Portuguese
Duration
2h / 1 day
Difficulty
Beginner
Next Date
29/03/2026

Watercolor is one of those mediums that rewards letting go more than holding on. My Splash of Colour watercolor workshop for beginners in Lisbon is a playful and intuitive painting session that prioritises creative exploration over technical perfection, giving you the space to experiment, make unexpected things happen on paper and discover what your own instincts do with colour, water and a brush. This edition draws inspiration from the story of The Princess and the Pea, using fabrics and patterns as the starting point for exploring texture in watercolor through a series of small focused exercises.

We work through the core watercolor fundamentals across the session: wet-on-wet and wet-on-dry techniques, gradient transitions, colour mixing and expressive brush control. You will develop a feel for water-to-pigment balance, explore how different paper types respond to the same mark, and experiment with texture effects that go well beyond what most beginners expect to be able to produce in a single afternoon. The environment is supportive and unhurried, designed to build genuine confidence through guided practice rather than instruction-following. Whether this is your first time with watercolor or you have joined one of our previous sessions and want to keep developing, this workshop meets you where you are.

What you’ll learn

🎨 Wet-on-wet and wet-on-dry watercolor techniques

🎨 How to create gradient transitions and blend colours naturally

🎨 How to control water-to-pigment balance for different effects

🎨 Texture techniques inspired by fabrics and patterns

🎨 How to experiment with different paper types and expressive brushwork

What’s included

🖌️ All materials including watercolor paints, brushes and paper

🖌️ Full guidance from Ana Oliveira throughout the session

🖌️ A series of small exercises and guided creative practice

🖌️ Your finished watercolor pieces to take home

What you leave with

A set of watercolor pieces made during the session and a genuine feel for the medium that gives you a real foundation to keep painting independently at home.

I am Ana Oliveira, a sculptor and animator based near Azambuja, dividing my time between stop-motion film projects and freelance ceramics work including personalised animal portraits. I bring the same hands-on and playful approach I use across all my creative practice to this workshop, because I believe the best way to learn watercolor is not to study it but to play with it until something clicks.

Open to participants aged 14 and over. Sessions run with a minimum of 4 participants. No prior experience with watercolor or painting needed.

Related Tags: Arts & Crafts, Art, Painting

Location

Rua da Boavista 132, Lisboa, Portugal

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FAQ

Who is Ana Oliveira?

Ana Oliveira, born in Lisbon and currently living near Azambuja, is a sculptor and animator. She divides her time between stop-motion film projects and freelance ceramics, creating personalized animal portraits. In this workshop, she brings a hands-on, playful approach to watercolor, guiding participants to explore techniques and discover their own creative expression.

What is the WATERCOLOR workshop like?

This is a relaxed, hands-on workshop where participants experiment with watercolor on plants, flowers, landscapes, and imaginative creatures. Various techniques and materials are introduced, making it perfect for beginners or anyone wanting to loosen up and enjoy painting. It’s a playful space to explore color, form, and creativity without pressure.