plate no. 1202
Selfportrait in Barcelona
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in watercolor layering and expressive brushwork to capture a likeness and mood. It's also good practice for mixing skin tones with limited colors.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 6 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure and landscape.
- step 02
Apply a thin wash of diluted yellow ochre to the face and hair.
- step 03
Add a light blue wash to the sky and a green wash to the hills.
- step 04
Layer darker washes of gray and brown to define the clouds and shadows on the face.
- step 05
Use small brushstrokes to add details to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 06
Paint the clothing with a mix of blues and grays, leaving some areas lighter to suggest highlights.
- step 07
Add final details and adjust values as needed to create depth and dimension.
- step 08
Allow to dry completely.
color palette
primary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · burnt umber
secondary · cadmium red · sap green · payne's gray
Mix yellow ochre and burnt umber for skin tones; ultramarine blue and burnt umber for grays; ultramarine blue and sap green for the landscape.
techniques
- ·watercolor washes
- ·layering
- ·dry brush
- ·color mixing
- ·expressive brushwork
common pitfalls
- →overworking the washes
- →using too much water
- →not allowing layers to dry completely
- →getting the proportions wrong
materials
surface · watercolor paper 140lb
required
- ·watercolor paper 140lb
- ·watercolor paints
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 6, 8)
- ·water container
- ·palette
- ·pencil
- ·eraser
optional
- ·masking fluid
- ·kneaded eraser
- ·ruler
Use high-quality watercolor paper to prevent buckling. Experiment with different brush sizes to achieve various effects.
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