Discover how to paint a portrait with watercolour and the coloured gradient technique in our video tutorial with artist Ewa Karpinska.
HOW TO PAINT A PORTRAIT WITH WATERCOLOUR?
PREPARING THE SUPPORT AND MIXING COLOURS
Draw the subject with a lead pencil, then wet the back of the paper. Prepare the colours on the palette. Apply liberal amounts of water to the paper’s face again, while leaving some small areas dry.
APPLYING THE FIRST COLOURS
Dribble a few drops of diluted orange onto the paper, then tilt it and let the colour run down the page. Add shadows to the face with Burnt Umber and Mineral Blue. A hint of Carmine intensifies the colour mix and strongly emphasises the shadows.
CREATING CLEAR LINES AND A COLOURFUL BACKGROUND
Using a round squirrel hair brush and clean water, paint transparent lines, marking the areas of colour on the face. Apply water to the unpainted area of background and drip colours onto the paper, tilting the surface so they flow across the support and mix together.
THE COLOURED GRADIENT
A watercolour gradient is a wet technique creating a smooth transition between colours. This technique is ideal to paint coloured backgrounds with several colours.
These sets include a selection of high-quality colours, perfect for mixing and superimposing, delivering excellent colouring power and transparency. Our watercolours are great for achieving subtle tones and sweeping washes.
