Creating Expressive Portraits in Watercolor class description and supply list This workshop is for the beginner to intermediate student who wants to learn portrait painting techniques and how to put more expression into their portraits, as well as the advanced student who may want to add a few more tools to their portrait toolbox. We will not get into the more advanced techniques of design, composition, color studies and thumbnails, but will focus on good painting technique, variation of edges, values, and color mixing. We will be working on portraits with an emphasis on using good reference photos, accurate drawings, values, edges, and paint application and techniques. IMPORTANT: Please make sure you download and read the "Reference Photo Guide" before the workshop.
Workshop Supply List * Reference photos of people: You may want to have one or two pre-drawn on your w/c paper to save time. IMPORTANT: Please download the Reference Photo Guide for tips on selecting good references. * Paper: Good-quality watercolor paper, 140# or heavier. Bring a few small sizes, 8x10 or so and a few larger sheets. I will be using Arches 260# or 300# to demo but feel free to use what you like. * Brushes: A variety of brushes, including a few larger sizes. I use round brushes (sizes 1, 4, 8, 11, 18) and flat brushes (sizes 1/2", 1 1/2", 2"), as well as several cheaper, stiffer brushes for scrubbing or lifting. * Paint: Daler Rowney, Winsor & Newton, M. Graham, American Journey are good-quality brands. However, feel free to use whatever paint you have. I use a fairly limited palette that includes mostly transparents with a few opaques. My only request is that you throw out those old, dried up dots of paint on your palette and try some fresh paint. One tube of fresh paint is better than a whole palette of dried blobs. This is what I have on my palette at the moment: Permanent Rose, Quinacridone Magenta, Scarlet Pyrrol, Raw Sienna, Burnt Sienna, Pthyalo Blue, Viridian Green, Hooker’s Green Dark, Sepia, Lamp Black, Titanium White (not Chinese white), Cerulean Blue, Cadmium Red, French Ultramarine Blue Palette: Please bring a palette that is large enough to mix color. I use an 11x15" Frank Webb palette with a lid, which allows * me plenty of space to mix my paints in the center with a large brush. * A sample of your work that shows your current style and technique. The work can be unframed or unmatted, but please make sure it is protected. * Water container * Masking tape * Hair dryer * Paper towels * Fine mist sprayer (like a * Table easel (optional) * Firm board to paint on hairspray bottle) * Masking fluid (optional)
About the Instructor Peggi Habets is an award-winning artist and instructor who works primarily in watercolor. Her work has been exhibited and collected internationally and has been included in a variety of watercolor publications and magazines. She is the author of "Watercolor Made Easy: Portraits" and "The Art of Drawing and Painting Portraits". You can view her website at peggihabets.com or contact her at
[email protected].