No matter the subject, a painting needs a strong foundation and good design. In this workshop, Keiko will explain what to look for to make it happen. Lessons are taught through painting demonstrations and lectures for the participants to gain a better understanding of methods and techniques to make a watercolor painting that is simple yet strong. The goal is to capture the essence of the subject that conveys a certain mood and atmosphere. The process of simplification begins with visualization. The areas of topic covered in this workshop include: a preliminary drawing and composition, a variety of techniques in paint application and brush handling, what makes a good design, understanding of relationship of dark and light values, planning & intuition, and how to edit complex visual information. There will be plenty of one-on-one guidance and a question-and-answer session on a daily basis. A class critique may be conducted at the end.