How to Paint a Watercolor Portrait

Watercolor painting is an extremely expressive and gratifying medium to work with. It requires tremendous control and superior color skills to make an attractive picture. Portrait art is typically done with paint that has a higher controllability factor. However, some brave artists who forge forward with watercolors to do portraits. Learn how to paint a watercolor portrait like a pro when you're still a beginner.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Canvas or watercolor paper
• Large paintbrush (1.5 inch)
• Small Paintbrush (detail brush)
• Watercolor paints

1. Start with a picture of the face of someone you want to render in watercolor. Take a picture of a friend or flip through a magazine or art book to find a good face to paint in order to start your portrait.
2. Use a light, soft lead pencil and sketch the outline of where you will place the head of the portrait. Utilize basic rules of facial proportion and make very light sketches of where you will place the eyes, nose and lips.
3. Take a medium sized paint brush and mix an adequate skin color. Use a shade of brown and white for lightening as needed. Color in the head with the pencil to give you a general idea of where the head will be. Using a slightly dampened paper towel or towel, wipe one side of the oval of the head to denote light gradation for shadowing.
4. Choose a smaller paintbrush to paint the features of the face. Dip the brush in a darker brown, or even gray tone to denote where you will place the darker shadows of the eyes.
5. Place your brush strokes a bit lower than you will actually paint the eyes. Now go above the darker shadows and using a thinner detail brush, paint an oval shape for the eyes. Concentrate mostly on the top lid, leaving only impressions of the bottom lid.
6. Repeat the process for the eyes for the lips and nose. Remember, only give impressions of where the features will be and rely mostly on the shadow to guide the eye. Wait for the portrait to dry. Go over the details with a finer brush with very little paint to add even more distinct details to the face.
7. Add more light contrast by using your wash cloth or paper towel. Pay attention to how the light plays on the face in the photograph you are referencing. Go back and add a slight hint of eye color and lip color, primarily on the top lip, to give more depth to the portrait.

Tips & Warnings

• Go over the background of your portrait with a complimentary color wash to give your composition more depth and interest.
• Allow sections of your portrait to dry before creating details or enhancing shadow contrast, otherwise you will risk bleeding.
• Use a heavier stock of paper and block off a specific section to paint your portrait so the page seems less intimidating.

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