plate no. 9672
Naoko, portrait of the artist's daughter
suitable for beginners
This painting is good for practicing portrait proportions and color mixing for skin tones. It also provides an opportunity to explore simplified shapes and forms.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 6 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the head, hair, and shoulders.
- step 02
Block in the background with a light, neutral tone.
- step 03
Mix skin tone colors and apply to the face, using lighter tones for highlights and darker tones for shadows.
- step 04
Paint the hair using dark brown or black, defining the shape and adding subtle highlights.
- step 05
Add details to the face, such as the eyes, nose, and mouth, paying attention to proportions and placement.
- step 06
Paint the clothing with a pattern of small blue dots on a lighter background.
- step 07
Refine the edges and details of the portrait, adjusting the values and colors as needed.
- step 08
Add the red stamp in the bottom left corner.
color palette
primary · raw umber · titanium white · ivory black
secondary · cerulean blue · burnt sienna
Mix raw umber and white for the base skin tone. Add small amounts of burnt sienna for warmth and black for shadows. Use white to create highlights.
techniques
- ·color mixing
- ·blocking in
- ·simplified shapes
- ·portrait proportions
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
- →Overworking the details and losing the simplicity of the style.
- →Using too much paint and creating a muddy effect.
- →Not paying attention to the subtle variations in skin tone.
materials
surface · watercolor paper 140lb
required
- ·watercolor paper
- ·watercolor paints
- ·round brushes (various sizes)
- ·palette
- ·water container
- ·pencil
- ·eraser
optional
- ·masking tape
- ·kneaded eraser
Use good quality watercolor paper to prevent buckling. Experiment with different brush sizes to achieve the desired level of detail.
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