Simple Portrait with Loose Flowers
Portrait Basics with Soft Backgrounds
Simple Portrait with Soft Flower Garden
This simple portrait will jumpstart your learning in painting people with watercolor.
Learn how to mix skin tones, apply in a wash, add a few shadows, carefully put in the features and then pink it up with a red wash - all portrait basics.
First trace the outline page or reference photo onto your watercolor paper.
Follow along with the written instructions and video demonstration and don't hesitate to post questions or ask for help in the comments. Answers are only a click away.
With this lesson, you'll have a good start on watercolor portraits, soft background, AND the bokeh effect of dots for your backgrounds.
Your Instructor
Hi, I'm Deb Watson - a self taught artist and long time watercolor teacher
My story is simple.
I loved drawing from childhood, but was discouraged from art as a waste of time. So, I became a nurse, worked at a lot of hospitals and raised a family. But I kept painting.
Over time, I became better at the realism I loved, and just kept working toward improving through painting and self-study. I've always enjoyed painting scenes from my life and small town community (which I call my Small Town America series).
My paintings are not usually famous or majestic subjects, often they're just everyday stuff I see around. But I see so much beauty there, and show it to the rest of the world by painting it.
Now, my watercolors have been in exhibits and won awards across the nation. Yet, it's when my art connects me to other people that it's really done what I wanted, and teaching certainly does that!
Happy Painting.