Watercolor Portrait Sketching with Pam Wenger

  

 

Workshop description - "Watercolor Portrait Sketching"

“Quick Sketch” Watercolor Portraits

Learn to paint portraits in watercolor in a spontaneous style that involves minimal layering and the use of transparent colors. In this workshop, we will analyze some of the common mistakes that are made when working on portraits in watercolor and look at examples of successful watercolor portraits by artists from around the world. 

Painting portraits in watercolor can seem like a daunting task, but many of us can’t resist the urge to try it. We may have a loved one who we’d like to paint or we may simply be drawn to the challenge of capturing an interesting character on paper. It’s so easy to “tighten up” our portrait paintings because of our focus on “getting it right”. Painting the “quick sketch” portraits focuses on loosening up that process and working to achieve a more relaxed look that highlights the beauty and freshness of the watercolor medium.

I will have partially pre-drawn portraits for you to work on as part of our exercises - or you may draw freehand.  We will all do some limited freehand drawing of parts of faces (not full portraits). 

You will be asked to bring along two pre-dawn portraits of your own on watercolor paper. (on approximately 9”x11”paper, head only). Option: Bring ONE smaller portrait to practice as a "Quick Sketch" and ONE larger, more involved piece.

The 4 day format of the workshop will give us time to practice the techniques we are exploring. The references we’ll be working with will cover a wide range of ages and skin tones. 

This workshop will be a combination of demo and hands-on portrait work. 

• During Days 1 and 2, you will primarily work from partially pre-drawn portraits that will be provided in the class. You will finish the drawings, but the basics will be there so we can spend the majority of our time painting. (If you prefer to work completely freehand, that is fine. )
• On day 3, we will work on one pre-drawn portrait provided to you and then begin work on a portrait of your own that you have prepared for the class. 
• Day 4 will be a continuation of your own portrait work. We will discuss how to translate the principles we’ve practiced on the “Quick Sketch Portraits” to a larger, more finished portrait. You may want to begin work your own more involved portrait on this day. If you would rather continue on the smaller portraits - this will be a time for additional practice. 
• Tech Tips: Each day we will explore a technology tool to use to help you in your portrait paintings. 

Students should be comfortable with painting in watercolor, but do not need to have experience with portrait painting. 

• Bring two completed drawings of your own (using your own reference photo) on an (approximately) 9” x 11” sheet of watercolor paper. Bring along the printed reference picture or have it available on your digital device.

• Optional: For Day 4, you may want to work on a larger, more involved portrait or figurative work. Prepare your drawing in advance for that piece.

• Bring along several smaller sheets of watercolor paper (around 8 x 10 ) or a watercolor block. I use 200 lb Saunders Waterford Hot Press - or other hot press brands. The partially drawn portraits that I provide will be on hot press paper.

• Bring all your usual watercolor supplies: water container, paper towels, board to attach your watercolor paper to, drawing pencils (I just use BIC #2 mechanical pencils), push pins or tape.

• If you have an iPad - PLEASE bring it along, so I can show you some of the technology tools I use. You can also use your digital device as your reference tool since I’ll have the reference photos available online as well as printed. (No problem if you don’t have digital gadget, though!)

• Bring your own palette and brushes that you are comfortable with. I’d suggest using no brushes smaller than a #10. I use Loew Cornell Ultra Round brushes (very cheap and I just grab a new one when I wreck the point) I’ll have some of these for sale at the workshop.

• I use mostly transparent colors. Here’s my color list for those who are interested. (But don’t feel you need to buy new colors for the workshop. I’ll share some of mine if you want to try them.)