2k 
Anna Barr
location_on Sydney
local_activity classes: Watercolour Painting • Drawing • Painting
5.0 (12)Hello!
When I discovered sketching a few years ago I never would have imagined how much joy it would bring into my life. It became a regular practice and I have been taking my little book and watercolours with me everywhere since.
Let me show you how sketching can provide a wonderful way to record places, moments and experiences - in your own personal style.
Here are some of the amazing benefits you will gain from sketching:
- It provides an escape from stress and busy minds
- It accesses the right part of the brain - releasing happy hormones to reduce anxiety and leaves a sense of well being
- It allows new friendships to flourish (both online and in person)
- It increases concentration and mental focus
- It is light and portable – take it wherever you go
- Perfect way to record memories and make a fabulous visual journal
Everyone can sketch!
In this introductory class I take you through all the basics. You will find out how to create a good sketch, as we discuss composition, line drawing, watercolour techniques and how to simplify busy urban scenes. By the end of the session you will have the skills and confidence to get started on developing your own practice.
No artistic talent is required. If you can write your name, you can sketch! We use ink pen only - no pencil - because every line is a "good" line. There is no judgement or "wrong" in sketching. We all have a different view of the world and it is the sketching process that creates the magic, rather producing a perfect a masterpiece!
I am passionate about how the sketch practice makes me feel and I created JustSketchNow as a response to friends, family and passers-by asking me to teach them what I do. I have been running classes both in person (small groups) and online for over 2 years.
Please see some of the testimonials on the website.
Classes
Reviews
(12)
Cindy Townsend • Jan 2024
What a lovely way to spend an afternoon! Anna and the group I attended with were all lovely and supporting of me and each other. Anna gave us a picture prompt and some simple but effective step by step guidance and then left us to get on with it - keeping us moving forward with time checks here and there. At the end we all shared what we had achieved! A perfect lesson!
Teacher's response
Thank you so much Cindy! What a gorgeous review to reflect the enjoyable session we all had. Judging by that fabulous sketch, I'm so pleased it worked so well for you :)
Jh Marie • Jun 2022
60 ClassBento workshops attended • 61 reviews
Great teaching style! I really liked the pace, friendly atmosphere, and techniques. Would recommend to others.
Rini Ismail • May 2022
111 ClassBento workshops attended • 111 reviews
I enjoyed the class with Anna and the ladies in the group. A good one hour to sketch and paint with watercolour. Looking forward to more sketching and watercolour painting.
Jodi • Feb 2022
3 ClassBento workshops attended
I contacted Anna through ClassBento to see if she could teach me how to sketch and specifically perspective, how to make things look 3D on a piece of flat paper and composition. Anna was very quick to reply with a lovely encouraging email and was very straightforward about what she could offer me. This was very refreshing to have a teacher who was honest and upfront (I had some who were not). I subsequently booked a private 2hour class with Anna. It was the quickest yet most wonderful 2 hours I have had for some time. Anna oozes warmth, creates an atmosphere that is relaxed, free, non-judgemental and joyful. Anna explained tricky subjects well, breaking down 'artist's' vocabulary into everyday language and paced my class well to address all of my requests. We had chats as we painted, although I was rather silent because I was concentrating (lol) but Anna happily accommodated me and managed to get me to loosen up and chat more. It was fun, practical, and Anna was very good at walking me through the process. We covered things like highlights, shading, blending and glazing with watercolours, what are some good tools to have that are helpful. Anna even helped me with my perfectionist ways, not intentionally but just through her relaxed, calm ways - it was SO refreshing to let go and just sketch. I was sad when it was midday, my class was over and I wished it went for so much longer. I would highly recommend Anna, she said she hasn't been formerly trained, yet she is brilliant at not only explaining techniques in a way I understood but as an artist too. If you have questions, she is more than happy to answer them for you as she did that for me, quite promptly. Lovely lady and lovely class.
Jill Taylforth • Aug 2021
9 ClassBento workshops attended
Anna is a fabulous teacher and the techniques were well explained. The class was a lot of fun and I highly recommend it.
