How to mix skin tones in watercolor + EYE PAINTING (tutorial), by Jane-Beata on YouTube. 19 min 48 s.
- Video length
- 19 min 48 s
- Time to do it
- 45 minutes
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Lay out a warm red, yellow ochre, a blue, and burnt sienna or umber. Add a clean water jar and a white mixing palette so you can adjust each puddle.
Start your basic skin tone with yellow ochre. Add a tiny amount of warm red, then a touch of blue to take down the brightness. Test the mix on scrap paper.
Adjust the basic mix by small amounts. Add yellow if it looks too pink, red if it looks too yellow, and a little blue or earth color if it looks too bright.
For dark skin tones, begin with burnt sienna or umber. Add blue and a little red, and build the color in thin layers instead of reaching for black.
Mix a shading color from your base skin tone. Add a cool blue or a little purple to make it darker and less orange, and keep the mix watery.
Sketch a simple almond eye shape on dry paper. Leave the small highlight spot unpainted from the start so the white paper shows through.
Paint the iris with a thin wash, leaving the highlight clear. While it is damp, touch in a darker rim and a darker top edge for depth.
Paint the pupil with the darkest mix once the iris is dry. Add a soft shadow along the upper lid and a thin line for the lower lid.
Let the eye dry fully, then add lashes with a fine brush. Finish with a small dot of white gel pen or gouache on the highlight.
Tips and common mistakes
Keep every wash thin and build color slowly; thick paint dries unevenly and looks chalky.
Test each skin mix on scrap paper, because watercolor looks lighter when dry.
Avoid black for dark skin and shadows; mix with blue, umber or burnt sienna for richer color.
Let each layer dry before adding the next, or the paint will lift and turn muddy.
Questions
Why does my skin tone look muddy?
You probably used too many colors or scrubbed wet paint. Start with two colors, add one touch at a time, and let layers dry.
How do I make skin tones lighter or darker?
Add water and yellow ochre for a lighter mix. For darker tones, add burnt sienna, umber or a little blue rather than black.
Do I need expensive watercolor paints?
No. A small set with a warm red, yellow ochre, blue and an earth color is enough to mix most skin tones.
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.
