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Painting Unique Faces Step by Step in Watercolor

Working on beige watercolor paper allows for color continuity throughout this unique portrait, just as an underpainting would in other mediums. I started this young man with a very rough sketch not really paying attention to polishing my lines because I love how the lines show through in the final piece. It adds movement, spontanaity and authenticity to the final piece..

Start adding your roadmap. This is just a light wash of your reds and blues (grey). I don't use a grid so this light wash is a lot easier to cover up any mistakes in subsequent layers if I find my drawing is off. . 

Time to add some real darks. This is where you really start to see where your values need to be pushed. What was once  dark is now a mid tone in this work. So I added more washes of color. This toned paper gives you your local color and really does most of the work for you.  

I found this guy well balanced at this stage but he was lacking in the umph factor. So I went in and added some details with highlights to his hair  eyes, nose, neck but the whipped cream on this painting is in his stubble. I accomplished this by pushing and pulling that area using very thin veils of gouache over some inkwork. 

You Don't Say
4*7 in
Watercolor, ink, gouache 
220gms paper
This is available for purchase Eclectic Studio

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