3-Day Workshop “Painting with Gouache en Plein Air” with LPAPA Signature Artist Danny Folkman
Dates: Tuesday, October 20 – Thursday, October 22, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM Daily (with 1 hour lunch break)
Location: On-Location in Laguna Beach, CA
Class Size: Limited to 12 painters (Minimum 8 / Maximum 12 for personalized instruction)
Workshop Overview
Join LPAPA Signature Artist Danny Folkman for an immersive three-day Plein Air Gouache Workshop. Learn how to create confident and accurate plein air studies using gouache. Class Level Beginner to Intermediate
“Our primary focus will be learning to simplify the landscape, and how to capture accurate light and color quickly and efficiently. “ — Danny Folkman
This workshop will be focused simply on painting with gouache en plein air. While there is much to learn in the studio, painting plein air adds life and spontaneity to a painting that you just don’t get in the studio. You are forced to deal with outside circumstances and make decisive brush strokes to capture your subject as quickly and accurately as possible before the light changes. This leads to our paintings appearing much more loose and suggestive, as opposed to the usual “tightness” that can result from photo studies.
Daily Schedule & Curriculum
9am -4pm daily. Each morning will begin with a brief lecture on-location discussing a particular subject that we will focus on that day (simplification, accurate color and value, paint application, etc.), followed immediately by a plein air demo. We will break for lunch around 11 or noon, and students will paint plein air in the afternoon. Danny will assign different “prescriptions” each day to each student individually based on your needs. Day One will begin with introductions, setting of individual goals for the workshop and a slightly longer demo to cover all the basics. After that, each day will be tuned to a specific subject. Each day will end with a group critique. This gives everyone a chance to see, learn from and gain inspiration from each other’s paintings.
Registration & Pricing
- LPAPA Members: $500.00 (Please log in to your account prior to checkout to access member pricing)
- Non-Members: $525.00 (Not a member? Click here to join LPAPA and save!)
Location details, meet-up spots, and a recommended supply list will be emailed to paid registrants in advance of the workshop dates.
Policies & Terms
Registration & Payment
- Payment Terms: Tuition must be paid in full at registration to secure your spot. Unpaid registrations will automatically be canceled after 3 days.
- Sold Out? If the workshop is full, please join our Waitlist. Spots frequently open up as the event approaches!
Cancellation & Refund Policy
- Cancellations on or before September 1, 2026: Full refund minus a $100 LPAPA administrative cancellation fee.
- Cancellations on or after September 2, 2026: Tuition becomes strictly non-refundable.
Travel Tip: We strongly recommend you look into purchasing trip cancellation insurance. Standard travel policies often define “trip cost” to include pre-paid, non-refundable workshop tuition.
Need Assistance?
Have questions or need help registering? Please contact LPAPA Executive Director Bonnie at info@lpapa.org or call (949) 376-3635.
LPAPA Signature Artist Danny Folkman is an award-winning plein air painter whose vibrant gouache paintings capture the light, color and often-overlooked beauty of Southern California. A rising star in the plein air community, Danny was recognized by Southwest Art magazine as one of its “21 Under 31” artists to watch and is a Mentor Artist with the California Art Club. Danny has earned numerous honors at the LPAPA Gallery, including Third Place in the 2025 Best of Plein Air exhibition, and in 2025 was juried into LPAPA’s prestigious Signature Artist membership. He was selected to participate in the 27th Annual Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational, where his gouache painting Beach Patrol received the Moulton Museum Nellie Gail Award, and LPAPA is delighted to welcome him back as an Invitational Artist for the 28th Annual Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational in 2026. To learn more visit DannyFolkman.com
