Learning to paint, one short lesson at a time.
16 lessons and 57 paint-alongs, curated from YouTube by Claude for a beginner like me.
This path was put together by Claude, Anthropic's AI, using Claude Opus 5.5 and Claude Fable 5.1. Claude chose and checked the videos, wrote the exercises and gives the feedback. The teaching in each video is the teacher's own. I'm a beginner working through it, not an art teacher.
The path
Meet your materials
Swatches, colour wheel and brush strokes: done on your own, 10 Oct.
Brush basics
Four short sessions on the brush itself: how to hold it, how pressure changes the line, and the press-and-lift stroke that makes a leaf in one go. Do these before the washes.
Foundations
The handful of skills every watercolour rests on. Each one is short: watch, do one exercise, send a photo.
Then choose a branch
The practice shelf
For days with no plan. Sorted from gentlest to more of a stretch, for a beginner like me.
First steps
Slow, very basic and clearly explained. Start here, especially on low-energy days. Nothing here needs tricky wet-in-wet timing.
Leaves
Leaves are forgiving: no two are alike, so there's no 'wrong' shape. Great for practising one confident stroke.
Fruit
One simple shape, bright colour and a highlight. Fruit is where many teachers say beginners should start.
Flowers
Simple, loose flowers. Petals are just brush-press strokes, and soft edges are welcome.
Skies & clouds
Wet-in-wet practice in its friendliest form. Skies teach timing, and every one comes out different.
Tiny landscapes
Postcard-sized scenes. Small means quick, and quick means less fiddling.
Loose play
No subject, no result to judge. Just colour, water and seeing what happens.