Maybe some people think that painting portraits in watercolors are very difficult, but I don’t totally agree. Because, if you don’t understand the structure of the element you want to paint. You will find that- not only of the portrait but also of any other object you will always have difficulty.
For Example, the structure of the trunk is cylindrical, and the orange is spherical. So what is the structure of the portrait?
I wrote an article about basic shapes Here
Specifically, to be able to paint portraits well in watercolors, you have to understand their structure, anatomy, and proportions. Besides, to accurately define the outer contour of sketches, you can only achieve this through hard practice.Â
Photo Reference
I like to paint from a reference photo because a photo can capture fleeting expressions, gestures, and light in a specific time and place. His wistful expression is the main inspiration for the watercolor portrait painting. However, I don’t like painting everything exactly as shown in the image.
Necessary Materials
Paper: Arches Rough 300gsm watercolor paper is my choice.
Pigments: Here is a list of the pigments I used:
 Greenish Yellow, Vermilion, Leaf Green, Ultramarine Violet, Viridian, Greenish Green, Van dyke Brown,  Burnt Sienna, Titanium White, Rose Madder, Raw Sienna, Ivory Black, Sepia
Brushes: calligraphy brush, Rigger Brush
Other: HB pencil, Pallette, Water bucket, Drawing boat, Masking tape.
How To Paint A Portrait of Old Man – Watercolor Portrait Step By Step
Make a Line Drawing
I’ll start with a preliminary drawing sketched in an HB pencil. I try to draw as precisely and lightly as possible to avoid excessive erasing. Before applying the first layer of color, I moisten the entire area to be painted, specifically here is the skin on the character’s face.
Paint First Layer
Apply a light wash of a mixture of Greenish Yellow, Vermilion, and a touch of Leaf Green onto this area, except for the hair and beard areas. Vary this mix to achieve a variety of values, leaving some white spaces in lighted areas. Besides, Suggest some preliminary details of the five senses. Don’t worry when the pigments go outside the pencil sketch contours.
Mark shading and darker areas of the Face
By using a mixture of Viridian, Burnt Sienna, Van Dyke Brown, Greenish Yellow, and Rose Madder, I add the facial shadows, the shadow cast by the nose. In addition, I apply a light wash of this mixture to suggest the first layer of hair.
Painting the Hair of your watercolor portrait painting
I start to focus on the hair, Apply a layer of clean water in this area, and begin to work with wet-on-wet techniques. I use Sepia to brush on a wet surface of Raw Sienna to create a large shape of the hair. While the pigments dry a bit. I use Ivory Black to suggest strands of hair. Do the same way with the character’s beard.
Painting the Costume of Watercolor Portrait Painting
I move on to the part below where I work on the collar. First, use a light wash of a mixture of Violet, Viridian, Rose Mander, and Greenish Yellow, dilute considerably before applying the color. Next, reuse the previous mix, but less diluted, and the color becomes denser. Apply it to mark shading and darker areas.Â
Adding details to the face, I use the darker value pigments of the previous layer to suggest the texture of the skin, such as wrinkles, and cheekbones.
I come back to working with the rest of the shirt by adding shading to add volume. Still using the same way when we paint the collar, apply from light to dark.
I want to use a darker tone for the character’s costume. So that makes the face part look more outstanding, which is the main element of the painting that I want the viewer to focus on.
Develop the final details on the entire watercolor portrait painting
By using Titanium White with a rigger Brush, I define the little hairs and beards that have turned silver. The white color stands out well against the shadow background for a fairly strong contrast. So, the painting looks more attractive.
Finished watercolor portrait painting
If you found this watercolor portrait tutorial helpful? Let me know what you think in the comments below. That’s also the motivation for me to keep working and spread the love of watercolors to everyone. I’ll be back with another watercolor portrait tutorial soon.
