Turn One Color Into A Variety Of Shades

Learn everything you need to know about values - Key to successful painting

Establishing good, strong values is one of the most important elements that makes a painting successful. It's more important than technique or color. Values can direct the viewer’s eye in and around the painting with strong contrasts of light and dark; most beginners paint in the mid-value range, so their work looks flat.

In this course, you’ll learn everything you need to about values. I’ll show you examples of my paintings so you can see the power they have.

One to the biggest challenges for a watercolor beginner is control — how much water and how much pigment to use. You’ll learn this important skill in all three lessons, gaining expertise in how to control water to mix different values. I’ll do a step-by step demo so you’ll see how I mix the color and control my water.

If you’re a beginner, the skills you learn in this course will help you be a stronger painter. Experienced painters are also welcome — since it’s always good to revisit the basics to sharpen your skill set.

Once you’ve painted the value scale, you’ll have two more lessons to practice and master your new skill.

Let's have some fun! I look forward to painting with you!


This is such a valuable class. I learned not only how to apply watercolor but how to find values. Also how important values are to a successful painting. I've enjoyed creating from what I've learned.

Janan Dini

The lesson on value study is very well done. The instruction is very clear and the photography is like looking over the teachers shoulder.
I highly recommend this instructor.
Patti Mc Donald

I just watched the "value Lesson" & painting along. Jayne speaks with confidence, easy to hear tones and repeated a few important techniques to remember. This is the 1st online class I've taken... its perfect! I will be sharing this with very painter and non painter I talk too.

Grace Trujillo

Your Instructor


Jayne Spencer
Jayne Spencer

As a native of San Diego and graduate of San Diego State University, I have been painting and exhibiting my work for more than 30 years throughout Southern California. The bold lines, fluid shapes, and my color palette are influenced by my father’s paintings and my degree in graphic design.

My work is inspired by the idea of capturing that emotional and visceral response we feel when we see a beautiful but fleeting image—a moment of color, intensity, movement, and expression that stays with us long after.

While known for my representational and abstract work, my love is for portraits, and I have been honored with awards that include Best in Show for Cowboy at the San Dieguito Off Track Gallery and the Logan Award and Golden Award for Maasai Boy at the San Diego Watercolor Society’s 34th International Show.

For over a decade, I have been running workshops and juried watercolor shows in the San Diego area while teaching all levels of watercolor painting at a local community college and in my studio in Encinitas, CA. I find tremendous satisfaction in teaching and love seeing my students, improve, gain confidence, and express themselves through watercolor.


Lots to like in this video.
Jayne presents in a wonderful, well paced, great voice and presentation.
Her experience as a teacher is evident in well thought out presentation, easy to follow, easy to imitate in me doing a paint along.

Roberta Bailey

Frequently Asked Questions


When does the course start and finish?
The course starts now and never ends! It is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish.
How long do I have access to the course?
How does two years access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for two years - across any and all devices you own.
What if I am unhappy with the course?
We would never want you to be unhappy! I would appreciate feedback. Please contact me at [email protected]

Get started now!