How to Make Any Skin Tone With Watercolour

Hello everyone! This is a much-requested video and I've finally made it! In this watercolour tutorial I teach you how to make any skin tone with watercolours by using a trio of primary colours (red, blue and yellow).
It's essential that you practise these mixtures and experiment with all of the colours in your palette to really get to grips with tweaking the primaries to achieve natural, realistic skin tones.
TIME STAMPS
Important Colour Theory Crash-Course [00:39]
How To Mix A Skin Tone [02:54]
Mixing Light Through To Dark Skin Tones [06:29]
Variations Of Skin Tones [09:42]
Experimenting With Different Primary Colours [14:05]
I hope you enjoy it, find it useful and learn loads, and as always if you have any questions fire them off in the comments, J
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AFFILIATE LINKS
I am delighted to be a brand ambassador for Betty Hayways brushes (since November 2020). They are an independent vegan paint brush maker based in the UK and I used one of their brushes in this video.
Being an affiliate means that I am sponsored by the company to promote their products.
They have been my go-to brushes long before I became affiliated with the company and I highly recommend them for watercolourists of all levels.
If you would like to purchase Betty Hayways paint brushes, and you use the link below, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you: thechelseapape...
ART SUPPLIES
- Daniel Smith Watercolours [French Ultramarine, Pyrrole Red & Hansa Yellow Medium]
- Winsor & Newton Watercolours [Indanthrene Blue, Winsor Blue, Winsor Red, Magenta, Alizarin Crimson, Winsor Yellow]
- Betty Hayways Watercolour Brush [Size 11]
- Arteza Watercolour Paper (cellulose)
MUSIC [From Chillhop]
- Sleepy Fish - Witch Hat chll.to/3f29d768
- Sleepy Fish - The Noise in Pictures chll.to/0e9226fc
- Sleepy Fish - Way Away chll.to/bdb438e7
- Aarigod - Splendour chll.to/109b6c20
- Aarigod - Evenfall chll.to/d1559b67
- Sleepy Fish - Colors Fade chll.to/cf5cd1bb
- Aarigod - Coda chll.to/434d541f
- Sleepy Fish - Backyard Puddles chll.to/0e9bc07d

[@isabellagentilin4131]

This is the BEST video I've seen that explains how to mix the wide range of skin tones, without having to purchase a new 'skin tone pallet'. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge 😊

[@mesiidesk2394]

People who know their colours and colour theory is ✨THE BEST✨

[@mesiidesk2394]

Love your brush btw 🥸

[@Finelinernerd]

Hey Mesii Desk! I have a lot more to learn I’m sure but glad you enjoyed hearing about what I know so far 🤗

[@garzapinups]

I used to use different diluted burnt sienna washes with pink, but I recently started experimenting with primary colors and it really is fascinating

[@appleknocker56]

For myself it’s not the mixing but putting them into faces but need to practice. Tyvm! Ty for color names

[@mafurock33]

Albeit, red and blue are not actually primary colors. It is magenta and cyan

[@faithfuljohn]

I remember years ago trying to figure out how to paint my relatives and friends (who are black) and looking up resources I was appalled to see that most of the "professionals" who painted black people seem to think there was only one dark skin tone (and it was often a dull, mutated brown). But when I was trying to paint my friend and her dad they were 2 completely different browns and were not mutated or dull in tone. So thank you for this! Even showing that darker skin tones come in different 'warmth'.

[@lilycornelio]

I love when artists have a messy palette, it means it’s actively used lol

[@brognaarts3266]

I LOVE how you achieved those deep skin tones. You showed such a white range of skin tones.

[@Finelinernerd]

I’m so glad you enjoyed it 🤗🖤

[@brognaarts3266]

@@Finelinernerd WIDE** that’s embarrassing 😳

[@Finelinernerd]

I knew what you meant, autocorrect’s my arch nemesis almost daily 🙈

[@harishrangra8096]

I expected a war in the reply section of this comment.

[@CharlieGurrl2022]

@@harishrangra8096 same! I don't know if I'm relieved or disappointed 😂

[@matthewwalker7359]

After 28 years of being too scared to give into my artistic impulses, I’ve decided to take up watercolors. Something about the free flowing nature of the process with water resonates with me for why I want to nurture the artistic side of myself. For now, what interests me in watercolor above acrylic, oil, pencil, ect. Is that sometimes a mistake can be made that turns out to make the painting even better/unique in the end. Something about watercolor happens that even at the end of a painting if it looks like a preschool photo, the process and interactions with the water and pigment still created a process that was fulfilling. I’m sure that other mediums have similar aspects. But something about the carefree, yet intentional approach to watercolor is fascinating. Something sort of like you are intentionally allowing randomness. I find a lot of similarities to this in every day life as well as an outlet for unhealthy emotions that are caused by a lack of control in the world. Anyways, I just wanted to say that your videos have helped me a lot. There is a lot of self doubt when creating something it seems. But your videos have kept me consistent because you explain things very clearly. Thanks a lot!

[@LauraGYoung]

FYI: If you don't get the same mixing results in this video, be sure to check the pigment numbers on your tubes, NOT the marketing names, because they can vary widely! From what I can tell, the three main pigments used in this video were: 1) PR 254 -- "Pyrrol Red" in Daniel Smith, but also known as "Winsor Red" in Winsor Newton or "Scarlet Red" in Schminke, etc. 2) PY 97 -- "Hansa Yellow Medium" in Daniel Smith, but also called "Arylide Yellow FGL" in Da Vinci or "Hansa Yellow Deep" in M. Graham, etc. 3) PB29 -- "French Ultramarine Blue" in Daniel Smith, but also named "Ultramarine Deep" in Sennelier, or "Permanent Blue" by Rowney, etc. Happy mixing, -- L

[@arleebean]

This video is fantastic!! I love how you've covered the topic so thoroughly and shown so much variation. ❤❤❤

[@Finelinernerd]

Thanks Arlee! What a lovely thing to say, it’s made my night 🤗🖤

[@hyunjinsdearbread2440]

ive been crying searching for a REALLY beginner painting skintones and then i found you! THANK YOU SO MUCH!! OMFG YOURE A GOD SEND

[@pyromei]

This video was randomly recommended to me and I'm so glad, because I've been having trouble figuring out how to mix different skin tones and this is super helpful, definitely going to have to sit down and try it all out! Thank you! And your channel and art is beautiful, so glad to have found all this!

[@Finelinernerd]

Hi Mei! Firstly welcome to the channel 🤗 I hope you enjoy playing with your watercolours and I’m so glad you found this useful 🖤🖤

[@BrendaFOBRocks]

ive always had such a hard time explaining this to people and your tutorial condenses it so well! thank you, i can show this to my friends when they ask me about painting skin tones!

[@Finelinernerd]

Hey Brenda! I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to hear that you felt this was organised well, it makes it all worth it 🖤🖤🖤

[@imawonder]

Such a comprehensive video! All the swatches are so juicy and satisfying!

[@Finelinernerd]

Thanks lovey! 🖤🖤

[@recycledminis]

Wow, I’m amazed at wow you are able to achieve all these skin tones from primary colors. You also explain what you’re doing so well.

[@miaomiaochan]

I agree, French Ultramarine is the most beautiful blue - dare I say, the most beautiful color, period. Your method of mixing skin colors is the most intuitive one I've learned so far, and it's probably the one I'll be using from now on.

[@Finelinernerd]

It absolutely contests for the top spot of most beautiful colours doesn’t it! Let me know how you get on with trying this method, and if you have any questions don’t hesitate to comment here or email me 🤗

[@SoYeahChrisCrafts]

Ummmm excuse me... you dropped this 👑

[@imchannie6912]

I'm a beginner and I've watched so many skin tone tutorials but yours is the best. Keep it up you did great 😊

[@Finelinernerd]

Hi! What a lovely thing to say, I’m so pleased you found it useful 🤗 let me know if you have any questions when you try this 🖤

[@SanNik9]

I'm in the same boat and I absolutely agree!! It's above the others by a HUGE amount!! 😁👌🎨

[@otakupower1048]

Im so excited for this video! I’ve recently gotten back into painting, so this came at the right time. ❤️

[@Finelinernerd]

I’m glad to hear you’re getting back into painting, and I hope you enjoy your journey with it 🖤🖤

[@whitneyroberts294]

I have never truly understood color theory and every color wheel has been so overwhelming to me. Your circles color wheel MADE THE LIGHTBULB COME ON! THANK YOU!!!!!

[@16TimMcGraw]

Nobody that I've watched has explained the color wheel so well where I understood. I'm gonna make my own color wheel and see how it goes

[@YoureBeautiful4Life]

I've been watching ton of videos on watercolor skintones and this was easily the most helpful. Easy to follow and understand. Clear examples of actual range of skintones. And helpful hints. Bookmarking this for future reference. Thank you!

[@Finelinernerd]

Hey Simone! I’m delighted that you enjoyed it and found it helpful 🖤🖤

[@unripetheberrby6283]

This is probably the best tutorial I've found for making many kinds of shin in for watercolors, it's so helpful. I'm sure many may agree! And you demonstrate many ideas questioning people(like me) think up here! Thank you so much, it seems like such a nice easy technique to learn from!

[@elzaminaaa]

This was sooooo helpful! I’m a beginner and I feel like I have a better grasp on mixing skin tones now. Thank you!!!

[@zoelawless9133]

This has got to be the most helpful video I have ever watched!

[@shariherrington7035]

Absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Betty Hayways brushes. They are all I use for just about everything. ❤️❤️❤️

[@JedaiChocobo]

I have honestly learned more from your videos than I've learned from any watercolor books I've read. Thank you so much for all you've shared❤

[@beccact7051]

Your explanation is so well done. I usually have a hard time understanding peoples tutorials because of the way they explain, but this was just so clean and clear. This really helped out a beginner like me.

[@xVentax]

Well for goodness sake! I’ll dig out my old colour wheel and be able to look at it now with some actual understanding. Thank you. 🙂

[@thejazzpianist25]

Thank you for taking some of the mystery out of skin tone colors, I could cry from gratitude.

[@tinacloud5888]

I have to say that is the best skin tone mixing Tutorial I have ever seen thank you. I have really been Struggling to learn mixing skin tone

[@spktme]

I'm 2 years late, but this video was just lovely watching all the beautiful colors of skin and the warmth with which you taught us pulled a smile and made me want to go play to find what my palette can do. Thank you for the knowledge and the inspiration! 😊

[@skaffen]

That ultramarine blue on your palette is begging for mercy !

[@latestplague3762]

Best example I've seen yet. Thoroughly explained in a simple way.

[@Kruella.A]

Finally someone, who was able to explain me this so easily! ❤️❤️❤️ Thank you very much, it really helped me and saved my time! 🙏

[@nirateller5603]

Wonderful tutorial. You helped me a lot. Thank you

[@Iknowball422]

Great video!! for mine, it didn't work very well when I mixed red, yellow, and blue, but when I mixed rust with red or pink it worked better

[@MissAdoptaCat]

Super helpful! Thanks!

[@grittykitty50]

As a person of color and a budding watercolorist, I found this very interesting and valuable.

[@Groinattack1]

This was an amazing video for someone who has just been using "yellow ochre" for skin and wondering why everyone looks like they are from Jersey Shore XD

[@joeromo8303]

I've just started doing watercolors and I read books, video's, and I've learned so much from your expertise. I know this is old hat for you, but this is just what I needed to fire me up again. TY🤩

[@princessumaru4011]

im in the mood for watercoloring skintone, but I also need to learn the color whele! this video is a gem! ty

[@amexjam55]

This is exactly what I was searching for. Finelinernerd your explanations and demonstrations are excellent! Thank you! 👍👍

[@R1_R2]

I appreciate this a lot!!! I just got a new water color pallet, and i wanted to know how to make skin tones!! Thank you!!!

[@hinaazad659]

I am amazed the way you've taught. The video is lengthy no doubt, but I would encourage you to take lessons with such details as it helps naive like us to :- 1. Understand the art in true sense. 2. Gives confidence to try myself. 3. Shows scope of experimenting 4. Teaches the topic in some depth giving details of what and why . Thank you so much.

[@HadeerD]

Whenever mixing not-so-basic blue or yellow or red colors.. I imagine these unique colors origins in basic blue:red:yellow ratio.. Like for example I think of cerulean blue as about 4:1:2 ratio of blue:red:yellow, and for Magenta red as 1:4:1 (depending on the magenta hue if more purplish or yellowish there will be different ratios).. so I always keep that in mind when mixing to measure how much I need of basic colors to neutralize or to tone up and down..

[@horspiel-junkie5072]

This was such a helpful video!!! You know normally I do my drawings with colored pencils, since I have used them my whole life, but I do like watercolors and try them out whenever I feel like using them. I never really had fun by painting just fruits or landscapes with them so I wanted to do portraits the way i do them with colored pencils. With your video I´m able to do it, since you have shown a wonderful palett and also an easy and cheap way to do it. I ,always thought I need as many colors as i can do draw skin tones, but actually I only need three main colors. I also have to say that I never really knew about the color wheel thing but after you explained it I was like "Well, that´s a cool way actually." Thank you for this video, since there aren´t many of them here explaining it the way you did it here. I think this video is going to help everyone struggeling to find the right color and also thinking they need lots of colors, instead they could use only three. I hope you will do some more videos about watercolor art and also explaining some more of your basic hacks and tipps for beginners or already artists trying to expand their knowlegde

[@cthepower]

I absolutely loved your explanation of how to make sure colors. It was the most precise and understandable that I have seen yet. It would make it easy to replicate the results I do have a question. You mentioned that you were testing out a blue color and we’re not at liberty to share it yet, it’s been two years. Are you willing to share now I would prefer to have a non-granulating blue do use in this process. Thank you so much for doing such a lovely job.

[@marinaashraf2206]

This is so informative! I always found my darker skin tones looking kinda muddy, this definitely helped! My question is: how do you layer dark skin tones without watering down the paint?

[@Finelinernerd]

Hi Marina! Ah, that is where I struggle to be honest, because the pigment sits on top of the paper when the paint is strong so it reactivates more easily and is quite difficult to layer. I tend to use wet-in-wet techniques a bit more often for this so it’s worth experimenting, and when I’m a bit more confident I’ll make a tutorial 🤗🖤

[@marinaashraf2206]

@@Finelinernerd I'll definitely try experimenting with it. Can't wait for your tutorial tho!

[@quenchlessmaiden13]

Youre An amazing artist James! And you're adorable! Thanks for the lovely videos 🎉

[@ginajennings1664]

This was the best demonstration I have watched on mixing skin tones.

[@denisestover2416]

Good video! I'm a silk painter now, but I began as a watercolorist. When I was doing watercolor portraits one of the recipes I used was: Alizarin Crimson + Yellow Ochre + Ultramarine Blue. These 3 colors were so versatile! Now, because I have to use the CMYK colors due to using dyes on the silk and then steam setting.

[@vladkao3125]

I'm beginner in watercolours and that will help me a lot. Just what i needed to learn for mixing skin tones. Thanks for sharing, great video ❤❤❤

[@optimisticambivert]

This video is so beautifully helpful. ❤

[@Meganthamac]

Omg, this was so helpful. Now to practice!

[@djsaunter]

Informative, easy to follow and well presented 👍

[@ronellaubscher8976]

Thank you! This is my first skin tone tutorial and I loved how you simplified it and shown the different swatches based on what we have in our pallets

[@brightflower144]

Super interesting information! Thank you very much!

[@RumoHasIt]

I know this video is 2 years old, but this was the MOST helpful skintone video Ive found yet, thank you thank you thank you!!

[@ChantelleArts]

Great tutorial 😊

[@claucamargos]

Ive watched a bunch of videos about skin tone with watercolor and yours is by far the best. Thank you

[@ahmedalneyadi3274]

this is the best tutorial for both water color and skin color that i have ever sow and tried. thank you so much. you made my life easy ^_^

[@koskey06]

This has helped me alot!! I could get skin tones, but would end up eatting so much paint trying to get to the tone I wasn't because I didn't really know what I was doing.

[@laurab7931]

Thank you SO MUCH for this great video. I love to paint darker skinned faces in pastel but this has inspired me to go for it in watercolor.

[@Lindascrafts]

Very informative and great resource Thank you 🙏🏻

[@Hooooow343]

Just, i’ve started to learn painting and mixing colours, so I feel satisfied after this video. I mixed an amazing collection of colours🧚🏼 Thanks❤

[@purplegemcrazyroyal5247]

Best video on skin tones EVER!..

[@plokerstrom]

Thank-you for explaining this! I have had such a difficult time figuring out skin tones… turns out I just needed to go back to basics!

[@bilanggoboy]

Fantastic lesson thank you so much!

[@lauramarcelac23]

Muchas gracias, desde Argentina, un saludo! muy buena clase.👏👏👏👏👏

[@tharwatoday4480]

You have simplified this for me. Love the tones. Thank you so much!!!

[@lherzog27]

Thanks! Excellent video! I was struggling now I will give this a try!

[@hannahthufvesson]

Hi! Thanks for an awesome video! I will definitely revisit it! ☺️ If you are interested in learning more about primary colours (you mentioned magenta Not being one) Biana Bova has an awesome and very in depth video on primary colours. She talks about the traditional Red-Blue-Yellow that's historically used in painting, the Magenta-Cyan-Yellow, that is more versatile in the sense that you can achieve more and brighter colours with it (though I certainly see an advantage to starting with a warm red in skin tone mixes), but the pigments have not always been accessible to artists in the past, and also the primaries in light and our eyes. It's long but I found it super fascinating! And just ignore this if that's not up your alley, I just wanted share in case you were curious. I might be a bit of an oddball to be so excited about such things 😁

[@rken100]

just after 1min i had to subscribe thankes for the helpful info

[@rozitasheilarahim8016]

Definitely the best skin tones tutorial on KZbin so far for watercolours and I've seen lots of them. Thank you for this tutorial. 🤗

[@PopleBackyardFarm]

thank you this is helpful I just dug out my paints and I am anxious to get started.

[@Finelinernerd]

Oooh! I hope you have fun playing around! 🖤🖤

[@someonesomewhere1100]

Whenever I mixed a skintone I always uses this knowledge you taught! But lately I've been using Indian red and yellow ochre, it's an earthy mix lol

[@jilld8787]

Lovley demo!😎

[@natlisan]

Great video! I tend to stay away from cerulean in my skin tones as well! I go with transparent/semi-transparent colours for my skin tone mixes. A staple in my palette though is Trans red oxide it's really a beautiful natural red that mixes well with so many other colours to make a wide variety of skin tones.

[@aprilstark8887]

Finally, someone doing a video just on skin tones! Thank you!

[@sandjune2753]

Thank you so much for adding the colour wheel theory

[@TuLocalPendejo]

You’ve taught me more information in 22 minutes than my professor could in one year. Thank you for this, seriously.

[@ItsNybaby]

Just started getting into water color yesterday litteraly . It seems that your channel is one of the best at teaching.

[@erenyeager5925]

I was searching for this in whole youtube I checked many channels But you gave me what I want "Thank you "

[@tinom3633]

You are a great at teaching...not just a great artist...very natural and honest .... especially when you laugh ❤️

[@LetsTalkwithTeresiaNewton]

This was amazingly helpful. Thank you

[@suel4269]

This is excellent information and I will save your video. Thankyou

[@paintingtracey]

Great video thanks

[@Clodaghkins]

This was SOSOSOSOSOSO HELPFUL honestly been struggling so badly with skin tones and this really cleared it up, cant wait to get experimenting! 💜💜💜

[@Finelinernerd]

Omg that’s the best thing to hear honestly, I’m so happy it helped you! Hope you’re having fun experimenting 🤗🖤

[@jannahwesam8415]

The award for the best video explaining how to mix skin tone goes to you ♥️♥️✨

[@RameshSharma-jv4zg]

Just awesome info about skin tone

[@raulg7250]

Thanks so well explained !

[@kittykatsfc13]

Ever since I seen this yesterday, today I’ve been doing the skin tones with color you used and I’m so in love with the selections of colors! You make it so easy to understand your techniques💓💓💓 Thanks so much! Can you do a video on doing roses with brown/yellow colors? Keep your amazing videos coming! I will follow your ig page😊

[@encouragement25]

Brilliant one of the best tutorials on colour mix, simple, well explained and rewarding. Thank you

[@judypearl3516]

Superb tutorial

[@bluetkats]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! This was the perfect tutorial at the perfect time. I'm just getting started with watercolors, so I really appreciate that you showed the mixing palette so I could see the consistency of your mixes as well as how the colors are combined. I just did a test a couple days ago to see if I could mix my own skin colors with the little Daniel Smith "Sketcher" palette. Now I know why the ones I made using Cerulean Blue got so funky. lol

[@pradeepbabu12]

I have seen quite a few videos on skin tones with watercolor, and this is the best video that I have seen!! Thanks a lot!

[@karenemmerich2572]

So interesting to watch the blending possibilities to make a skin tone. Thanks for sharing!

[@Sofsofinthebuilding]

U made my life ten times easier!

[@108Isabel]

Thank you for this tutorial I had hard time understanding the color wheel in school. This so helpful

[@eclairz9275]

Thanks for the tips!

[@keepyourshoesathedoor]

If you want to use cerulean blue, try to pick another low tinting color. 🤷🏾