How to Paint the Nude in Water Color
Human figures are among the most difficult subjects an artist can paint. Watercolor just complicates the issue--or maybe, simplifies it, depending on your attitude. Watercolor is difficult to control. It bleeds from one puddle of water to the next, it doesn't maneuver like other paints (acrylic or oil), and it changes when it dries. The point being, when you're painting your subject, you can't be a perfectionist about it. If you're painting a human body, you must learn to let go of your preconceived notions about the way the finished product will look.
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Instructions
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Draw the outline of the figure lightly on the watercolor paper.
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Test colors on a scrap piece of watercolor paper. Test shading colors as well as the base colors. Don't rely on black for your shadows, because it will muddy your colors without looking like genuine shadows anyway. Try colors--red, brown, blue, green for the shading.
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Paint a base coat on the figure. Keep your attempt to stay within the lines loose--be spontaneous. Watercolor is a spontaneous medium.
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Go back into the base coat and add the shadows, allowing the color that you're using for the shadows to mix with the base coat of paint, running and blending. Experiment with blending warm colors and cool colors. Pay attention to what the paint is doing, and follow your instincts.
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Add a few details (creases in the body's form, hair). Keep the details at a minimum. If the area is too wet, your details will scarcely be visible--they'll spread out and mix with the rest of the paint.
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Set the painting aside, when you feel like you've finished. Let it dry. While it's drying, as long as your subject is still posing for you, paint another one.
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Tips & Warnings
When positioning your subject, try to choose a pose that accentuates the long sinuous lines of the body--strive for an uncomplicated position that allows your subject to stretch out. It will be easier for you to get used to painting nudes with this type of medium if you don't need to deal with foreshortening. In addition, a passive position that turns the subject's face away from you will simplify the painting process greatly--the most challenging part of any portrait for most artists is the face.
Don't limit yourself to flesh colors. You may even want to avoid them. Remember that watercolor paint sometimes looks different when it dries. If you're shooting for accuracy, you may be disappointed when your painting dries. But, if you always meant the painting to look unrealistic, you may be happier in the long run.
You can experiment with drying an area of paint by applying a rag to it and soaking up some of the paint.
References
- Photo Credit acuarela image by juanjo tugores from Fotolia.com
