Go from serial watercolor course collector to...
“I can't live without my painting time” watercolor artist when you join…
Makoccino's
Live Virtual
Watercolor Painting
Creative Retreat
This is your chance to finally make time for your watercolor hobby, develop and improve your artistic skills, and feel at peace with the creative process.
The experience begins on October 1st, 2022
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Don't give up on your passion for painting just yet…
Be honest, how many painting courses are collecting virtual dust on your computer right now – not because you enjoy wasting money on a course you'll never use, but because you always find some reason not to make time for your creative outlet?
“Work was hectic, and I just want to watch Netflix tonight.”
“I'm not really sure where to start, and I wouldn't dare waste my good supplies on something that might turn out terrible.”
“There's just never enough time to get started on something that could take hours to finish.”
“There are a million other things I need to do right now, so watercolor will have to wait.”
And when you do make time to paint, nothing seems to go the way you expected. Your watercolor doesn't behave like you want it to, you're not sure where to add detail to make your painting look realistic, and your finished piece of art is rarely anything you'd feel proud to show others.
So, you end up tucking away your supplies for “one day” when you'll have more talent and more time. Except, that day never comes. You spend so much time overthinking getting started and putting everyone else's needs before your own that before you know it, you've gone months without picking up a paint brush.
See where this is going? A bad experience with watercolor leads to never wanting to paint. Never wanting to paint leads to an inability to grow artistically and do the things you want to do with watercolor. Round and round you go.
To finally break this cycle, there are a few things you can do...
#1 Release the idea that everything must be “perfect” when you paint.
Art isn't meant to be perfect. It's meant to be a reflection of your inner creativity, emotions, and experiences. When you sit down to paint with the expectation of “perfection,” you're actually putting unnecessary pressure on yourself to perform.
So that when your watercolor doesn't behave the way you want it to, you feel frustrated and overwhelmed. You start doubting yourself, your talent, and the possibility that you will ever paint any better than you are right now.
By allowing yourself to experiment, try new techniques (especially those outside your comfort zone), and make mistakes, you will feel more at peace with the painting process because you'll see that art is less about the finished product and more about your experience.
Painting without pressure is so much more fun!
#2 Stop comparing your artwork to everyone else's artwork.
I get that it's hard to show up and paint when you're not confident in your skills. Truth be told, scrolling through Instagram and seeing all the beautiful artwork by other artists can do a number on anyone's confidence – making us think that if our paintings don't look like that, we must be terrible at art.
What you don't see in those Instagram masterpieces is the messy middle, mistakes, and whoopsies that every watercolor artist (no matter how long they've been painting) creates.
Comparing yourself to others does no good. You're unique. Your art is unique. Just because it isn't an exact replica of someone else's artwork doesn't mean it's not good. It means it's different…and that's the whole point!
Art isn't meant to be perfect.
Art isn't meant to be a replica.
Art is about experimenting, connecting with your inner creativity, and finding joy and a way to make the world a better place.
Starting with you.
#3 Make time to paint.
Are you guilty of putting everyone and everything before yourself? Most of us are, but that's the quickest way to constantly feel burnt out, tired, and stressed.
Your relationships might suffer as a result (like being short-fused with your kids, irritated with coworkers, never wanting to hang out with friends, etc.). Maybe you feel guilty about taking time for yourself because you're so used to giving everything to everyone else that spending even 30 minutes on yourself seems selfish in a way.
However, when you give to the point of being completely drained, no one benefits.
A creative outlet is self care in art form.
It may not be physical in the way a massage or bubble bath is, but mentally, it gives you a moment to breathe and release yourself from the stresses of your day. It allows you to express yourself in a way that sometimes words can't, and to get emotions out of your head and onto paper.
Making time for yourself and the things you love, fills your soul with passion and purpose.
You feel renewed and refreshed, which makes you more capable of handling life's moments (good or bad) and more able to fully show up for those around you.
Plus, the more time you spend painting, the easier painting with watercolor will feel for you.
If art is your creative calling...
it's important that you make time for it – always! Not just those days you feel the most inspired. Honestly, artistic inspiration isn't something you wake up feeling every day. It's a state of mind that you sometimes have to nurture and create on your own (just like when you drag yourself to the gym for a 30-minute spin class because you know you'll feel so much better mentally and physically once it's over).
Feeling inspired to paint also comes from releasing the idea that “everything must be perfect” in your finished artwork and, if it's not perfect, it's a complete failure and deserves to be thrown in the trash.
As far as artistic growth goes, well, that's something that comes from stepping outside of your creative comfort zone and trying new things (multiple times) until you get the hang of it. Yep, even those really difficult scenes that involve water reflections and big fluffy clouds.
Are you ready to break this cycle and rejuvenate your creative passion for watercolor painting?
- You want dedicated “me time” that includes painting with watercolor because you know how much better you'll feel after a creative expression session
- You're ready to develop and advance your watercolor skills so your paintings have more depth, detail, and realism
- You want to approach the watercolor painting experience feeling calm, confident, and connected to your inner artist
- You want to break the habit of comparing your artwork to everyone else's and allow yourself to be happy with your results, no matter what
- You're looking for a safe space for artistic encouragement, feedback, idea sharing, accountability, and the potential to develop lifelong friendships
At the end of the day, you just want to have FUN while painting!
All this is possible when you join…
Makoccino's
Live Virtual
Watercolor Painting
Creative Retreat
A live creative retreat for watercolor artists (or hobbyists) who want to commit to their watercolor hobby, develop and improve their watercolor skills, and finally feel at peace with the creative process.
That's right, this retreat is LIVE (virtually)!
This means that you'll paint alongside me in real time as we take on intermediate to more advanced watercolor scenes. I'll talk you through my creative process as it's happening and explain what I'm doing and why. If mistakes happen, you'll see firsthand how I recover (or move on). If you have questions about a specific technique while painting, you can ask and get feedback on the spot. If you like the idea of painting alongside like-minded artists because it gives you that “push” of accountability you need to actually put paint to paper, that's exactly what you'll get from the retreat community.
This creative watercolor retreat experience is where you'll have FUN with watercolor and spark a commitment to include “creative me-time” in your life again.
You'll no longer feel like a prolific painting course collector who never makes time for their creativity…instead, you'll feel like an artist who can't wait to spend some time with a blank sheet of paper, watercolors, and newfound friends who share your passion for art.
“Sounds amazing, but what if I can't make it to the live events?”
No worries! Life happens, even when you have the best laid plans. All of the painting sessions and Q & A chats will be recorded, and you'll get lifetime access so you can watch the recordings whenever it's convenient for you.
YES, I NEED THISThe theme of this retreat is:
Take out your watercolor paints and dive into four themed scenes based on the four elements: water, fire, earth, and air. You'll learn techniques that help you trust yourself artistically, connect with your inner creativity, and see the beauty in everything you create.
Each scene includes sketching outlines, so there's no need to worry about your drawing skills for this retreat.
You'll get to paint alongside me (and the other retreat participants) during four scheduled, live Zoom sessions (dates/times below). Each of the four painting sessions will include resources and live instruction so you can:
- Plan out your painting from start to finish
- Translate your reference image into your art without simply copying it
- Understand more about how watercolor behaves and how certain techniques will create the desired effects on your paper
- Make your artwork look more realistic
- Express yourself freely with paint, so you can create your own artistic style
- Create momentum and a painting “self-care” routine that you can stick with
If you're not excited about the idea of showing up live on set days to paint, no problem!
All four sessions will be recorded, and you'll get lifetime access to these recordings within 24-48 hours of the live event. This allows you to participate in a “self-paced” version of this retreat, if that's your preference.
Between the painting sessions, you'll have time to implement what you've learned and practice the techniques so you get the hang of each one before moving on. This also gives you some time to slow down, take in the lessons, and play with your watercolor at a pace that suits you. If any questions pop up for you during this time, you can show up to any of the four Zoom Q & A sessions to ask and get answers from me.
"I've started referring to myself as an artist and it feels great!"
“I'm in a better mood when I paint!”
HERE'S WHAT YOU'LL LEARN DURING THE RETREAT:
You're going to
love
it
How to capture light, depth, and shadow in your painting
How to plan your painting from start to finish so you can focus more on the experience and less on the outcome
When and how to add details to make your painting look realistic
Techniques or applying water and paint on your paper so that you have more control over how they interact together
Ways to create your own artistic style and allow your inner creativity to shine through everything you do
How to use a reference image and translate it into a successful painting without simply copying it
How to get into the right mindset to paint so you stay focused on the experience and not the outcome
Ways to fix watercolor mistakes as they happen (like overusing water or making accidental brush strokes) and to easily make adjustments as you paint so you feel less overwhelmed and more aligned with your artwork
HERE'S WHAT YOU'LL GET WHEN YOU JOIN THE RETREAT:
You're going to
love
these
PAINTING PARTIES
Four in-depth, step-by-step, live watercolor painting sessions (hosted via Zoom) to help you improve your watercolor skills in a low-pressure environment.
The scenes you'll paint are focused on the four elements: water, fire, earth, and air. During the sessions you'll be able to ask questions, get feedback on your artwork, and chat with the community (which takes the pressure off your performance and allows you to play and have fun with your watercolor).
LIFETIME ACCESS
Lifetime access to recordings of all the live sessions, so you can pause, rewind, and watch as many times as you want while painting. These recordings will be available within 24 to 48 hours after each live session.
WARM-UP VIDEOS
Access to pre-recorded warm-up videos that will help you understand and learn the basics of each technique being used during the live painting sessions. This is a great way to brush up on your skills and get in a little practice before the first live painting session on October 1st.
Q&A SESSIONS
Live Q & A sessions where you can ask questions as they come up and get feedback on your finished artwork.
These sessions are also a great reminder that you're not alone on your watercolor journey...that other artists are struggling with techniques, just like you.
PAINTING REFERENCES & OUTLINES
Painting references & sketching outlines for each scene so you can trace your image before painting.
COMMUNITY
Access to the Makoccino retreat community inside a private Facebook group. This is where you can ask questions, get feedback on your artwork from other members, and share your finished paintings at any time during the eight-week retreat. The Facebook community will be closed once the retreat is over, but you'll have access to the In The Element retreat portal for life.
AND SO MUCH MORE!
“What if my painting speed doesn't match yours?”
I know the feeling of getting stuck in the details of one section of your painting, and before you can recover, the instructor has moved on to something else, leaving you with a “happy little accident” on your paper and a discouraged attitude to go with it.
If you're worried about keeping up during the painting lessons, there are two things you can do:
ONE: Attend the live painting sessions with the sole intention of watching, taking notes, and asking questions. This will give you a chance to take it all in, and then you'll have the recording to look back at later when you're actually painting. With a recording, you can pause when you need extra time, or speed things up if you're a faster painter.
TWO: Just go with the flow. If you get stuck in the details of one section, do what you can and then move on when I do. There isn't a prize for best painting at the end of this, so let go of your perfectionism and fear and just have fun with it! If you're not happy with your finished artwork, you can always use the recordings to try again later.
I'm ready to join!
I'M IN"Why is an artistic community so important? Can't I just learn all this on my own with YouTube?"
Sure, you'll find plenty of advanced tutorials on YouTube, but that's all they are. A recorded video of someone's "final attempt" that was most likely edited down to the version you're currently watching.
By joining this LIVE retreat, you're going to be right there with me while I paint. If a mistake happens, you're going to see that, and you'll see how I adjust to it, fix it, and move on. Plus, you can ask questions in real time…and get answers on the spot.
As for the community, it's incredible what a little creative support can do for your soul. Knowing you need to show up to take part in the sessions is a great way to keep yourself (and others) accountable. It's like a little "push" to put paint to paper and do something creative – something that will help you get over that feeling of never having time to paint.
Another important piece of a creative community is to help you get out of your own way. The conversations you'll have during the live painting sessions will keep your mind from wandering into "perfectionism" territory so that you can feel relaxed while painting, and finally experience the fun side of watercolor.
If you're looking for a creative space where you fit in, quirks and all, this is it!
Meet your instructor…
Hey, I'm Mako!
Watercolor artist and founder of Makoccino, where I help people find and share their own creative voice through watercolor painting.
For as long as I can remember, painting was a way for me to express myself and do something creative at the same time. And I'm passionate about helping others do the same.
Over the past decade, I've devoted my time to my YouTube channel to help other artists learn techniques and skills that allow them to express themselves freely in their art, and to relax and enjoy the process.
If you're ready to master watercolor painting and practice a little self-care at the same time...
Join me at the LIVE Virtual Watercolor Creative Retreat!
This retreat is for you if…
- You're tired of holding out hope that "someday" you'll be a better artist and feel ready to actually do the things that will help you develop and improve your watercolor skills
- You want to put your personal well-being at the forefront for a change, and you know that accountability will give you that "push" to put paint to paper (...but in a loving way of course!)
- You're ready to advance your watercolor skills so that you can create your own artistic style and create depth, detail, and realism in your artwork
- You're not afraid to step outside of your creative comfort zone and try new ways of using watercolor
- You welcome feedback on your artwork and know it will only help you improve
- You want to feel motivated, inspired, and confident when painting with watercolor and will do whatever it takes to feel that way (even if it means self-improvement and mindset work)
If you're more like this, skip the retreat altogether…
- You have no desire to make creativity part of your life or self-care routine, and you only paint with watercolor to pass the time.
- You'd rather keep collecting courses and YouTube tutorials in the hopes that "one day" you'll make the time for them (even though you know you never will)
- Your idea of feedback is harsh criticism, negativity, and sarcasm
- You have no interest in shifting your beliefs about watercolor or the creative process, and you don't welcome new perspectives from others
- The idea of learning self-improvement techniques so that you can experience a more peaceful watercolor experience makes you want to "eye-roll so hard"
- You've let fear take hold of your creative process and don't see the point of painting scenes that feel difficult
- You want to continue dabbling in watercolor on your own and don't value community support at all
- You have no intentions of ever putting your needs above those of others, doing things that make you happy, or living a life of peace
Don’t feel like you’re a 100% fit for the retreat?
Maybe you are a little nervous about painting more difficult scenes. Maybe you're not sure if an accountability push will really keep you going (even though you hope it will because you're ready to be committed to watercolor).
That's OK! It's normal to feel that way about doing something new for yourself.
This retreat will help you overcome your fears, worries, and hesitations about watercolor painting so that you can finally be proud of yourself and the beautiful artwork you create. If you don't believe me, just take a look at what some of the last retreat participants had to say…
WHAT ABOUT A GUARANTEE?
My personal guarantee: I want this to be a fun and safe experience for you that allows you to advance your watercolor skills and encourages you to make time for your own personal well-being through your creative calling. This is a place where you can ask questions, share your artwork, and just get to know other artists who are following the same path as you.
If for any reason you’re not having fun or getting out of this experience what you expected, you have 14 days to request a full refund. No questions asked! All you have to do is simply send an email to [email protected], and your request will be processed.
Still Got Questions?
How many painting sessions are included?
What are the dates for the retreat?
What if I can't make it to the live painting sessions? Heading Goes Here
How do I get access to the painting tutorials?
When will I get access to the Facebook group?
Can I get a refund if I'm not happy with my purchase?
How can I receive feedback on my artwork?
I'm worried that I won't be able to follow along with the painting sessions…
I consider myself a beginner artist. Will I be able to follow along with the tutorials?
If this creative retreat isn't your type of thing, that's okay. What I care about most is you making time for the things that make you happy, give you a purpose in life, and help you create beauty in the world.
To have all that, you need to make yourself (and your creative calling) a priority.
As you grow and transition as an artist, you're going to face new challenges. You'll compare yourself to others and believe things that aren't true...it happens to all of us (myself included), but the more you show up, the easier it will be.
That's what makes this retreat so special... it's so much more than painting sessions and watercolor resources.
It's where you'll find support and guidance from other people who share your passion for watercolor.
They'll help you see the good qualities of your paintings that you might not see yourself. If you get stuck on a technique, they'll help you through it. When you feel like giving up, they'll push you to keep going.
This retreat will help you experience the fun, peaceful, and carefree side of watercolor painting. You'll feel less guilty about spending time on yourself. You'll be better equipped to handle challenges and thoughts of "not being good enough."
And you'll uncover a whole new appreciation for yourself and what you bring to the world and those around you.
~mako
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