How to Make Ideal Skin Tones With Watercolor, by Artefacto Learning Platform on YouTube. 12 min 25 s.
- Video length
- 12 min 25 s
- Time to do it
- 30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Squeeze a small amount of yellow ochre, red, burnt sienna and blue onto your palette, leaving space between each. Keep the blobs small, since watercolor goes far.
Mix a base skin tone from mostly yellow ochre plus a little red. Aim for a light peachy color, not a strong orange, and add water to thin it.
Add a tiny touch of blue to the mix to make it look like skin rather than fruit. Too much blue turns it grey, so add it in small dabs.
Paint a test stroke on scrap paper and let it dry completely. Watercolor dries lighter than it looks when wet, so judge the color dry, not wet.
Warm the mix with more red or yellow for cheeks, nose and ears. Cool it with a little more blue for areas in shadow or near the jaw and neck.
Deepen the tone for shadows by adding burnt sienna instead of black. Black makes skin look dull and muddy.
Paint the face in thin, transparent washes and let each layer dry before adding the next. Build depth slowly rather than painting one thick layer.
Adjust the tone for the subject's complexion by shifting the balance of yellow, red and blue, and test again on scrap paper before touching the painting.
Tips and common mistakes
Keep every mix lighter and more watery than you think you need, because watercolor always dries paler.
Mix more paint than you need for one area so you do not have to match the color halfway through.
Rinse your brush well between colors so leftover blue or red does not muddy the next mix.
Never use black or white tube paint straight on skin, as it flattens the color and looks chalky.
Questions
Which colors do I actually need for skin tones?
A yellow, a red, a blue and burnt sienna cover almost every skin tone. Yellow ochre and ultramarine are good starting choices because they mix without turning muddy.
Why does my skin tone look grey or green?
You probably added too much blue, or mixed with a dirty brush. Rinse the brush and start again with a fresh yellow and red base, then add blue one small touch at a time.
Can I use the same mix for the whole face?
No. Skin changes across the face. Use a warmer, lighter version for cheeks and nose, and a cooler, deeper version for shadows and the neck.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
