How to Paint Figures - Adding Life to Your Watercolor Paintings

▶︎Free Video Lesson: 8 Ways to Avoid Overworking Your Painting www.learntopaintwatercolor.co...
Early on in my painting journey, I was intimidated by figures, so I avoided them.
But figures can transform a scene into a relatable, human experience. Simply put, they can give your painting a sense of life. They also can give your painting much needed scale and dimension.
In this week’s blog, I am going to demonstrate my process for painting figures.
I am going to show you how to:
Achieve the right proportions,
Suggest movement,
Ground your figures,
Paint several figures in relation to each other, and
Blend figures into your background
The variations of figures that you can create and combine together are endless, so this is a skill that you can always go back to and refine. Like anything else - the more repetition you are able to give to your figure painting, the more mastery you will attain.

[@SoYeahChrisCrafts]

Very informative and great narration with the steps Sir! Up and up with your success here! 🙌

[@SoYeahChrisCrafts]

The dry brush for the legs: game changer. THANK YOU

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Thanks so much! I appreciate it. Glad you liked the video and I hope it helps.

[@dottiekiley2171]

Now, I have 25 pages of only people…no backgrounds. I am stuck. I just love your quick style.

[@bennimenden]

I already said it but im glad i found your channel :)) what is even more sick, is that i just asked myself how to paint figures and you made a video about it 9 hours ago. I am 15 years old and i hope i found my passion in watercolor. Just wanted to let you know you really helped me with your vids

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

That’s great! I’m really glad you are getting something from my videos. Best of luck as you get into watercolor!

[@stevebovard6926]

Thank you about keeping the heads at the same level!!🎉 Keep teaching ill keep watching ! Thanks

[@annipetratos9401]

When at school art class, i had painted a people free city scene with a bus in the foreground. My teacher said.."put some people in there"... He flashed his brush and with one swipe hed added a mysterious passenger on the bus. I loved that picture... because of the character he had added

[@antoniomarcos5321]

Thank you so much. I have just learnt about your video and I found it very useful, especially the tip about using a drier bruch for the lower limbs (where there is less lighting) and the theoretical note about the key to how the figures should be read. The only complement I would make is the need to vary the 7.5 proportion rule for variation (taller and shorter people, female as well as male) and also a little variation in body shapes, so as to avoid the effect that the crowd is "an army of robots". Anyway, great video! Thanks for your generosity, and I will be coming back for more.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Thanks Antonio! Glad you liked the video. Good point on varying the size and shape of your figures. Variety is important. Thanks for watching!

[@12345678maylin]

The tip about the heads level is great. Thank you for a very educational video.

[@margaretlindsay4129]

Im so glad i found you. Your teaching manner and simple explainations have been priceless. Thankyou.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Welcome! I'm glad to hear that!

[@GoogleUser-it3xq]

Thank you so much, Matt, for all you do to help others!

[@143ArtandSoul]

Thank you for this video. Love how you simplify the process. :)

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

You’re welcome! Glad you liked it.

[@robynblake4841]

A very helpful video! Figures certainly do add life and I like how you’ve presented this lesson in a practical way.

[@barryteghtmeyer5466]

Thanks Matt! This was perfect timing! I posted your tutorial on my class FB page. Several of my students had the goal of putting figures into their paintings/sketches. Again, appreciate your clear instruction!

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Thanks Barry! I appreciate it.

[@tonyaahn540]

Excellent tutorial to an intimidating subject. Thanks for a well rounded lesson on proportion, depth, detail, & profile.

[@TobiasELee]

Excellent video (and examples) - thanks you!

[@dianakoeppel3492]

Very helpful. Adding little people has brought things to life. Thank you.

[@citigirl3238]

This is a wonderful tutorial….great explanations and demos! Thank you for making this a simple way to understand people in groups and distances!

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Glad it was helpful!

[@christinewrestsmith6957]

Love your teaching style and delivery- very helpful

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

So glad!

[@mariaguillerminaayrolo1480]

❤❤❤❤great tutorial !!!!!!

[@crystalblake8619]

Love this!

[@therupoe]

This was so great! Thank you - just found this channel and it's been a great resource. This is always so intimidating but I really want to include them in plain air/ city sketching

[@lynnsemple2716]

Great video - thank you! I'm always a bit wary of putting people in my sketches but will give it a shot now. Thank you for sharing your fantastic skills & knowledge.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

You’re welcome! Glad you found this helpful.

[@JagadisM]

Love 💗 it... Thanks!!

[@marvindcat]

I kinda wish we could see your palette while you’re painting….just to see how you handle the brush through the paint and the pressure against the palate itself. But still super informative! Thank you.

[@annipetratos9401]

Wow love this. Im so obssessed with detail.

[@bdcorgimom]

This was really great for a beginner! One thing I am really seeing is that in these figures the less paint on the legs seems to indicate more movement which I never would of thought of that!

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jackiebyers1272]

Very helpful! Thanks for sharing.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Glad to hear it!

[@xandecriskim]

absolute great!!!!!

[@jillam7039]

Thank you! This was great

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@GoogleUser-it3xq]

Matthew, your Watercolor Essentials course along with the Watercolor Community is wonderful! The way you explain things so carefully and precisely is something I've not found in any other watercolor instructor. I'm so glad I decided to take your course and join the Watercolor Community as well. Kudos!

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Thank you! I’m so glad that you are enjoying my course and communicating!

[@AnimalArtbyTerraCotta]

I've always avoided drawing people (lol and still might) but your tips on perspective are so helpful! I've just used gut feeling on where to put animals in relationship, not always with good results, and your tips on planes and distance is spot on awesome! Appreciation! 👍👍👍

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Thanks! I’m glad you found this helpful!

[@masoudrasoulian6591]

Your teaching is very very good

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Thank you!

[@eze3572]

Im doing this practice tonight!!! Yay

[@susancook1617]

Thank you Matthew, this is a great tutorial.

[@tedpytlik8123]

Excellent instruction on figure painting. Anxious to add some to current street scene. My earliest figures tended to have heads that were too large. Your seven and a half head guideline is helpful. Thanks for the great demo.

[@pedrocarloslaufferneto4189]

ola... matthew... excelente tua explanação sobre fiiguras humanas... realmente sempre é algo intimidador.... mas tu falas com tanta calma que é um incentivo para os iniciantes.... pedro from brasil.

[@christinebarone2151]

Awesome. Thank you.

[@marijadika6444]

I am glad I found your channel! Great videos with helpful tips and demos for watercolour enthusiasts:)!

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Thanks! I’m glad you’re here!

[@Northumbergull]

Hi, from Scotland! Thank you so much for producing this video. Until now, I've struggled with painting figures. This really helped my confidence 👍

[@margaretvandiem7116]

this is fabulous thanks

[@EloiseMichel]

Thank you for the advices. I'll grab my paintbrushes and try wright now !

[@wallabybob3020]

Clear, concise and informative. This is the way a tutorial video should be. 👍🏻

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Thanks Nick! I appreciate that.

[@wallabybob3020]

@@learntopaintwatercolor My pleasure Matthew. I’ve been a professional illustrator for nearly 40 years. I started out as a watercolourist then followed Satan’s path and became a cartoonist!😱 Now I’m semi-retired and going back to watercolours for a bit of fun and your videos are a great source of inspiration. Thanks again.

[@JosRitter]

Thanks for sharing. Something I'll be practicing.

[@feyzancankaptanoglu503]

Thank you. It was very didactic

[@gingeranderson9701]

Thank you!

[@munishnayyar9696]

Thankyou sir for showing this so beautifully. You truly are a master. God Bless

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Very kind of you!

[@iammir8365]

I'm really excited now to paint people, thanks to you! I just subscribed too!

[@nlmelch]

Very helpful. Thank you for this great demo.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

You're welcome!

[@apaperylife2096]

Excellent video! Thank you!

[@gabbygabgab611]

Thank you so much.this is amazing

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Glad you like it!

[@Anthony-gq7dk]

Superb video and art class, so easy to follow and wonderful to watch an expert at work

[@christierella]

Mind blown. Instant sub. I am recently obsessed with figure painting, the carrot method is my go to. You’ve inspired me, thank you for that, sir. That doesn’t come often enough. I can not wait to peruse your channel! Good stuff.

[@christierella]

...how you snuck some perspective knowledge on me! I like it, a lot.

[@nadifouldi3131]

Thank you so much for this great video. It is very helpful for beginners like me.

[@viviane1898]

that's amazing!!!!

[@normaspande3141]

Thanks, that was very help ful

[@pkvvkp8978]

Thanks Matthew this is a great video I leaned so much from your clear teaching

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Thank you! Glad you liked it.

[@TanyaNarayan]

Perfectly explained and very helpful, thank you so much for sharing!

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Glad you liked it. You’re welcome!

[@inesmeneses8570]

Love your tutorial thanks 🙏, God blessing

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

You’re welcome!

[@hannastocksick7395]

Amazing! Wil definitely try. Thx for putting time into this video. Subscribed

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

You’re welcome! Glad to help.

[@MrsTiffanyGrey]

That was a great exercise! Thank you!

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Thanks!

[@fishingmagconz]

Very good. It looks easy the way you paint your figures.

[@gailmariage5318]

This is incredible. Thanks.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

You're very welcome!

[@KoemsyArtPainting]

thank you for sharing your painting 💖💖👍 skill

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

You're welcome!

[@paulleeming5733]

Great Mathew

[@caseywilliams4932]

ty!

[@jjroseknows777]

Love it!

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Thanks!

[@myjewelry4u]

I just found you! Happy about that.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Welcome!

[@rubyseddon6456]

Thank you so much for sharing ❤

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

You’re welcome!

[@user-rf8uz5rf8c]

Very helpful!

[@ivancastro3225]

Thanks for the helpful video!!!

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

You’re welcome!

[@suzieirby2137]

Fabulous

[@nikchetverikov8989]

Hello! I am from Russia and I am 13 years old. Thank you for the lesson! It is very informative and yseful.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

You're very welcome!

[@happyfarmer979]

I learned a lot. Thanks.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

You are welcome!

[@ravimuley6634]

This is very helpful

[@arunarts1653]

Excellent

[@manzencastillo]

Thank you sooooo much

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

You're welcome!

[@merymer5831]

Hello from İstanbul, thank you for the video

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Welcome!

[@graziellarocha8896]

That's very interesting

[@InvincibleArts]

An amazing video.. 😃

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Glad you liked it!

[@finearts383]

Well done

[@pesto12601]

amazing... great video.. SUBSCRIBED!

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Thank you!

[@hornjan8258]

Many thanks for your informative contributions. I have already been able to implement a lot of it in my pictures. Why don't you paint lower legs and feet? I've noticed the same thing with Tim Wilmot.

[@etoileblue]

❤

[@yosephadrianto1622]

Good

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Thanks

[@nic.in.the.pacific5113]

👍

[@mingyzhang]

Please demonstrate more human figures drawing!

[@badams1376]

I loved it! However, towards end, about incorporating background, you lost me there. Something about colors of clothes perhaps including in background wash? Thanks!

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Sorry, I plan on making a video addressing that as well. I was try to explain to include light values in your figures in the first wash and don't just paint around them. More explanation to come!

[@JK-ug5qn]

Yes! I have no problem drawing the tiny figures. My problem is how they don’t get lost against the background. For instance flesh tone figure against a beach color. Do we outline them? 🤷‍♀️Or do you leave a little white around the figure?? Funny how you can paint for decades and still get stumped!!!

[@cybermollusk]

What paints do you use? I tried this one expensive brand because my teacher recommended it, but the pigment is awfully chalky. Yours look much smoother.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Daniel Smith

[@cybermollusk]

@@learntopaintwatercolor really? 😆 that's the brand I was getting terrible results with. Are you using tube or pan? Maybe the pan paint works better.

[@jubileej1629]

​@@cybermollusk pans are always better (personally) however Daniel Smith paints does have more granulation than other paints. Maybe you can try winsor and newton?

[@lucapace8136]

What kind of paper are you using

[@amandabartlett309]

still trying to do the dry brush technique

[@stanTrX]

thanks. i think there is also "carrot" method for these little guys.

[@travelinglovebugs7]

Have trouble dry brushing

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

It can be tricky until you get a feel for it. I have a video on that if you are interested. kzbin.info/www/bejne/i366mnZsltqIY9E

[@mooshibe]

My great problem! Figures. I'm not a drawer at all. Thank you.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

I hope this helps!

[@hannastocksick7395]

Wow, i just created some zombies! :))

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Yeah, that happens. 😂

[@nutbutton7678]

this is exactly what i needed ty