Watercolor portrait step by step. Detailed drawing

Watercolor - portrait of a woman

Before I started drawing the portrait, I a quick fix sketched pencil drawings composition ideas, then chose the most the best option sketch the pose and create a watercolor sketch using the photograph as a base.

Preparatory work

An artist must have the ability to create a strong emotional impression of a subject and then maintain that initial impression throughout creative process. The presentation of this emotional impression becomes stronger and stronger with each step and “shines” through the final work. Before I start drawing, I create an image of the final result in my mind based on the emotional impression formed during communication with my client.

Drawing

A step-by-step sketch is often the first step in the process. Drawing is usually necessary when maximum similarity is required. Use a 2H pencil to highlight important elements, leaving pencil marks where the sketch has already been completed as part of the overall work.

As soon as the drawing seems acceptable to you, apply the first watercolor. Start painting from the head using liquid paint. I usually use a very limited color palette: Winsor Red, Prussian Blue, Winsor Yellow plus Burnt Umber and sometimes Burnt Sienna. I often turn to primary colors, applying them immediately to the paper. I mostly use one brush. I use a long brush made of Chinese goat hair because... she is very flexible. It will take you some time to get used to this brush until you feel that you are able to fully control it.

Working with the background

Once the head area is dry, mix Prussian Blue and Burnt Umber with a little water (check out my palette)

Then apply your mixture into the background around the head and shoulders. I work on an easel, which is installed vertically at an angle of 30 degrees. You will see that the water will begin to tighten the paper, but don't worry and continue working as planned.

Continuation of the first layer

Always keep your initial impression in mind throughout the entire process, because... it is the most powerful and do not be distracted by small parts. Continue applying the first layer of watercolor, starting from the left edge, working towards right side armchairs. Focus on a large area. When I want to see the work without noticing the details, I squint my eyes and thus I can see all the color transitions and color balance. It is the first application of paint that influences the main mood of the painting.

Let's start defining the details

Now go back to the head again and start the second layer. It's time to focus on defining the shadows and start building color transitions faces.

Work right down to the clothes

Once you've added basic shadow definition on the face and head, work your way down to the neck and add detail to the clothing. Mix some red paint and Prussian Blue paint, and apply the next layer of watercolor to the clothing, moving towards the shoulder.
Remember, we carry out the initial abstract impression of an object, which was formed in our minds during communication.
We keep in our minds the love for an object (in our case, Linda), we try to depict this object and express her individuality in the picture and each step we take moves us closer to the essence, which is the original understanding of painting when we come into contact with it.

Preparing for details

Now, go back to the head and start the next layer of paint. Use a semi-dry brush and add more definition and shape to your hair. Despite the fact that the hair is gray, do not use white dye under any circumstances, it is better to skip these areas without touching them with dye, leaving these areas clean due to white paper. Then add shades to the skin of the face, as well as details to the nose and lips. Continue working gradually down to the neck, arms, moving towards the background. Now add the first coat of paint on the wooden window frame. This step is preparation for last stage drawing our picture, as well as the last opportunity to adjust the color balance and shade transitions in the picture.

Details

This is usually the most enjoyable part of the job, add the tone to the eyelids, shape the nose, lips, ear and hands, and add a finishing layer to the wooden window frame.
I'm glad that my initial impression of Linda was conveyed on paper; it's more than just a photograph, because... conveys everything I know about her.

The final version of the picture

All artists have their favorite colors, and I am no exception. Although there are 24 colors in my watercolor set, about half of these paints are used quite rarely (and, for example, black is not used at all).

Of course, all paints are necessary in the work, but there is rarely a need to use everything at once. Moreover, watercolor in the mixture very easily turns into mud, and in order to fit a large amount on one sheet various colors you need to be a top-class professional. Which, of course, I don’t consider myself to be. Therefore, I prefer to be guided by the rule “Less is better”)

Using this work as an example, I want to show how, when creating a portrait in watercolor, you can get by with a fairly meager palette.

I will paint a portrait from a photograph. I must say that the original photograph turned out to be not the best basis for creating a portrait... Well, what should I do, I have the same problem as my model - I rarely take photographs, and it is generally impossible to choose among my photographs a suitable photo for a portrait.

But this photo has the main thing: light and mood, and that’s what I’ll try to preserve.

I will work using the “wet” technique, in one layer.

I thank all the contestants for the opportunity to re-read my favorite lines and discover authors unfamiliar to me!

But if you do it right, painting a portrait in watercolor can bring amazing results, and most importantly, genuine pleasure! Here are some tips and tricks for you to get started.

Getting started with painting anything in watercolor takes a little planning and patience. Whether you're drawing from a photograph or from life, you first need to establish the composition. Knowing which part of your subject you will be drawing will make your job much easier. I cropped this photo from the overall "landscape" so that the portrait included only my subject's head and shoulders and matched the measurements of my painting.

If you are drawing from a photograph, it will be useful to transfer the picture using a coordinate grid.

Step 1

Draw the subject easily hard pencil, such as 4H. Pay special attention to the dark and light shapes of the head and face first, and then to the small details. Your work will progress from the general to the specific, and we'll get to the details later, so use a large round or flat brush rather than small liners for these layers.

Step 2

Indicate the most dark colors using dark colors. Avoid black; instead, mix Burnt Umber and dark blue for something extremely dark. Try squinting your eyes when looking at your subject to bring out the dark tones. Don't worry about these shades not being as dark as they should be, you'll have a chance to make them darker later.

Tip: It is important to let each layer of paint dry completely before applying the next layer, which may come into contact with the previous one. This is especially important when applying light paints, as they can mix with dark paints and become messy.

Step 3

Using more light colors, highlight the lighter tones on the face, leaving the lightest areas untouched. Avoid oversaturated colors by using a lot of water in the solutions, and tone down warm colors by adding a little cool pigment such as navy blue so they aren't too intense.

Tip: You can lighten areas that are too dark using a clean, damp brush. Touch the brush to the dark area once it's dry to pick up some excess pigment or to blend new paint from the previous one, leaving no lines or “clean spots”.

Step 4

After you have applied more light shades, it will be easier to see where your first layers could be darker. Use a higher ratio of pigment to water, go back to the dark areas, and make them even darker; in this case, hair and glasses. For hair, pay attention to the placement of the highlights. You can show them by simply leaving the previous light layer while highlighting the dark areas. You don't need to draw every strand; the difference between the tones will show the beholder that the hair is shiny. Work in the details of the face with a small round brush.

Step 5

Prepare paints for the background. Here I'm choosing a muted yellow-green to pair well with the warm tones on the face. The background can also help highlight highlights on the face, in in this case bottom right, where the cheek was initially difficult to separate from the white background.

Given the nature of watercolor, it is better to leave everything a little unfinished rather than overwork it. Let watercolor do what it wants and you can paint watercolor portraits like a pro! In your opinion, what is the most difficult thing about painting portraits in watercolors?

If you dream of learning how to draw a portrait in watercolors, but are afraid that you won’t succeed, first put aside your fears and start reading this article. Here are simple and clear recommendations that will help you pick up your brushes and paints and start creating.

What materials will you need?

Before you start painting a portrait in watercolor, you will need to prepare the necessary materials for this:

Preliminary work

2. Now we begin to paint a portrait in watercolors. And the first thing you need to do is put it on paper easy paints, transparent underpainting. For the face, dilute cadmium orange or ocher with water (the paint should be very watery and pale). We paint over the face with broad strokes; in place of the highlights, the paper should remain untouched. Then we select other colors and brush over the hair and clothes, also leaving the lightest places untouched.

3. Now you need to do your eyes and lips. What eye color does your model have? Pick up the right paint, dilute it with water until pale and paint over the iris of the eyes in the portrait. Do the same with drawing the lips.

4. Apply shadows to the face. To do this, add a little burnt sienna to our diluted pale cadmium or ocher. Shadows at this stage should also be applied very lightly, not in full force. In fact, they should differ only slightly in tone from the first paint layer. Please note that you therefore need to pay attention to the shades that are reflected on the skin of the model's face. Let's say that on one side it can fall on the face warm light from red curtains, reflections from clothes in cold tones are reflected on the chin, etc. This must be taken into account and try to display in the portrait using additional colors.

5. Next, we begin to understand the shadows more carefully. We look for the darkest places on the cheekbones, on the lips, on the sides and wings of the nose, near the hair, etc. It is with the help of shadows that the face is modeled and volume is given to it. Main principle When working with watercolors: always move from a lighter tone to a darker one.

6. We are looking for the lightest intermediate tones between shadow and light. On the face, where the light falls on it, there are also darker and lighter places. We follow the play of light and try to repeat it on paper.

7. We work with hair and clothes according to the same principle as with the face.

8. On final stage When working on a portrait, you need to take the thinnest brush and use it to finish small details and lines: individual strands of hair, eyelashes, lip line. Always remember that when working with watercolors, even in the darkest areas, the paint should remain transparent.

9. It is best to work on the background in parallel with the entire portrait, but you can leave this for later. The main thing is that the background should not be worked out more than the face, but negligence is also inappropriate here.

Conclusion

We hope you are in general outline learned how to paint a portrait in watercolors. Well, now it’s a matter of practice, because only direct work with will give you self-confidence, as well as the necessary experience and skill. Creative success to you!