How to Paint a Portrait of a Woman with Watercolour | Skin Tone and Face, by Keishart on YouTube. 15 min 45 s.
- Video length
- 15 min 45 s
- Time to do it
- 45 minutes
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 10
What you need
Steps
Print or lightly sketch the head on 300gsm hot pressed watercolour paper. Keep the lines light so they do not show through thin washes.
Mix a pale base skin wash using mostly Naples Yellow with a little Rose Madder. Test it on scrap paper; it should look lighter than the final skin.
Wet the face area with clean water, avoiding the eyes, nostrils and lips. Drop the pale wash over the cheeks, forehead and chin, leaving highlights dry.
While the skin is damp, add a slightly stronger Rose Madder mix to the cheeks, nose tip, ears and chin for warmth. Soften edges with a clean damp brush.
Mix a tiny amount of Rouge de Venise into the base colour for shadows. Paint under the jaw, beside the nose, under the lower lip and around the eye sockets.
Let the first layers dry fully. Build skin depth with thin glazes rather than one dark layer; each layer should be weak and transparent.
Paint the eyes with a small brush. Leave a tiny white highlight, then add a light iris wash and a darker pupil once the iris is dry.
Use a dilute warm mix for the lips and nostrils. Keep the lip edges soft and avoid outlining the whole mouth.
Add the hair and background after the face is dry. Use loose washes so the portrait stays the main focus.
Step back to check the values. Deepen only the shadow areas with a weak mix, then let the painting dry flat.
Tips and common mistakes
Keep skin washes weaker than you think; you can add more pigment but cannot easily remove a dark stain.
Test every new skin mix on scrap watercolour paper before touching the face.
Let each layer dry completely to avoid muddy colours and hard edges.
Use the reference sketch only as a guide; small changes to the features are normal.
Questions
How do I stop watercolour skin from looking muddy?
Use thin, weak layers and let each one dry before adding more. Limit the number of colours and avoid scrubbing the paper.
Which colours make realistic skin tones?
Start with Naples Yellow and Rose Madder, then add a tiny amount of Rouge de Venise for shadows and warmth. Adjust the mix on scrap paper before painting the face.
Can I use normal printer paper for this portrait?
No. Use 300gsm watercolour paper, preferably hot pressed for smooth detail. Thin paper buckles and cannot take repeated washes.
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.
