In this tutorial, the instructor demonstrates a two‑step watercolor portrait method that avoids using a photographic reference to encourage freedom and spontaneity. He begins with a free sketch, then creates a first background layer using a travel palette of specific Daniel Smith pigments (quinacridone sienna, deep gold, crimson, indigo, cobalt blue, phthalo blue/green, neutral tint). Using a Chinese calligraphy brush and a small brush, he mixes colors to establish a tonal base, allowing it to dry without adding detail. In the second step, he builds the face solely with shadows, employing soft water blending, washout, lifting, and wet‑on‑wet techniques to define form while the light is already implied. The demo emphasizes dynamic color drops, spontaneous effects, and a simplified workflow that focuses on shadow to shape the subject. The instructor concludes by inviting viewers to private lessons on watercoloronline.com for further guidance.
Chapters
Today we will make the dynamic expressive portrait with two steps. I have a picture I don't want to show you that. I can explain you why. Normally if you have a photo for reference, it's very hard to make an experiment and feel a freedom to to move the pigments colors and make dynamic sketch. If you have a photo, you starting to fall in the photo precise. I don't want it. So that's why I don't want to show the original picture. And we starting from the sketch and after that we make the painting very fast. Like I say, in two steps. Sketch is done. And now we start to preparing the first layer. For this I will use my travel palette. All the colors you can find on my website. But if you don't want to do that, I can show you. So here the big puns is the queen y credon sienna pry and violet and indigo for sure from the Daniel Smith. And this is the queenicridone deep gold crimson, cobalt blue, phtalo blue green shade. This is aphthalo green blue shade and neutral tint. So that's the set what I'm using for traveling and in my echo palette. So the first step I'm going to use the two brushes. One of them being my favorite. You already know what is that. And this is the Chinese calligraphy brush idea of the first background. Just make our background look nice. That's all what we have to do about that.
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That's the nature tint
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This is a very nice mix between quinacridone sienna and indigo which make very nice brown col. This is a tallow green with a phthalo blue together. And I switch to the small brush. First of all, I want to make this part a little bit darker. That's why I use the neutral tint mostly to connect it to the background.
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So the first layer is done. I don't want to make the more details there. I left it like this. I just have to make it dry. And after that we put the second layer.
Sam.
So idea is just imagine that's the light. The light is already here. And now I just have to care about the shadow only. And by the shadow I will build the face.
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I'll use the soft blending with the water to make the lights. And I'm using the washout or lifting on the white nickel dry mix. And this you have to cut.
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This is a washout on the wet mix on wet paper. A little bit of phthalo blue color. Idea of the demo was to show you the little bit different way of the painting. If you prepare the first layer, the first background, just like a light and more care about how it look like with the spontaneous drops and special effects and dynamic stuff. And after that, build the shape of the object using the shadows only that separate it make your job more easy. That was an idea. And you can find much more information as well, like a private lessons on my website watercoloronline.com if you have any questions. Welcome to my experience. Thank you for watching and I invite you to my website. Thank you guys and be safe.
