Portrait watercolor lesson.

[jmfletch]

Old man with cigarette. Learned a lot on this one especially about blending colors on the palette as well as the many tones and shades used in skin. Overall I am happy with the lesson and the portrait. Not perfect but not bad.

Joe

 

[JStarr]

Quite a good job; this could have easily been overworked, but you controlled that beautifully. Watercolour can be so unforgiving- congrats on not having to beg "mea culpa" on this one- it works.

 

[eyepaint]

Gorgeous! I'm not brave enough to tackle a wc portrait in so many colours ... maybe I can start with a monochrome/one colour portrait ...

 

[jmfletch]

Quite a good job; this could have easily been overworked, but you controlled that beautifully. Watercolour can be so unforgiving- congrats on not having to beg "mea culpa" on this one- it works.

Yes. I think all my mea culpas on this one are in the drawing not the painting.

 

[jmfletch]

Gorgeous! I'm not brave enough to tackle a wc portrait in so many colours ... maybe I can start with a monochrome/one colour portrait ...

Exactly how I felt before trying this. Actually learning to blend on the palette was fun and all the swatching made the actual painting almost incidental.

 

[Enyaw]

Very nice Joe

 

[jmfletch]

Very nice Joe

Thank you Enyaw. Appreciate the support.

 

[Balaji]

This is lovely work. Not only the face and the hat, but even the cigarette has been painted so well.

 

[snoball]

Very nice! Watercolor is not an easy medium for portraits. Shading and blending can be quite difficult for portraits. You handled it very well.

 

[jmfletch]

Balaji and snoball - Thank you both for the kind and encouraging comments. The support here is amazing.

 

[CaliAnn]

This turned out great! I love how the cigarette ash came out - beautiful work!

 

[Terri]

Ha! I was just going to say how much I admire that cigarette ash, and CaliAnn beat me to it. You nailed that color and texture. The whole painting looks terrific with these beautiful skin tones and excellent detail.

My only minor nit is the lack of catchlight in the right side eye.

Beautiful work!

 

[jmfletch]

Thank you CalAnn. The cigarette was one of the easiest parts. Touches of the same bluish gray as hair and a few squiggles with the pen

Thanks Terri. I checked the reference photo and while there is not a clear highlight there is a lighter area in that eye that I could have used as a spot to add one. Appreciate the constructive critique.

 

[eyepaint]

Exactly how I felt before trying this. Actually learning to blend on the palette was fun and all the swatching made the actual painting almost incidental.

The learning and studying and planning and prep was so helpful, hey?

 

[jmfletch]

The learning and studying and planning and prep was so helpful, hey?

Yes. Learning to plan and prep. That is novel for me. I also like creating colors on the palette. Mixing and blending to find the color you want I find to be fun. Still learning the right amounts of water.

 

[Jo Castillo]

Wow, Joe. This is amazing and so well done. You are a watercolor artist for sure!

 

[jmfletch]

Wow, Joe. This is amazing and so well done. You are a watercolor artist for sure!

. Thanks jo, a positive shot to the artistic ego is appreciate!

 

[KreativeK]

Such a fantastic face! And I do admire the cigarette too.

 

[jmfletch]

Such a fantastic face! And I do admire the cigarette too.

Thank you Kay for the encouraging comments.

 

[Artyczar]

Excellent work! Great textures in the face and hat.