Loose watercolor portrait demo - Anna

Anna is my friend on Instagram. She is beautiful and feels like she belongs in a painting. I finally found a good photo of her that's suitable for painting.
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Materials I use for this painting: (affiliation links)
Paper - Bao Hong Cold Press15x10.2 rough
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Escoda Reserva #10
amzn.to/2HI3vtS
Da Vinci Watercolor Series 35 #6
amzn.to/2FmZdnS
My painting light - PHIVE LED Desktop Lamp
amzn.to/2Iu5HDC

[@Cafewatercolor]

Did you try to “over soften” your portrait? I did sometime and it start to look dirty, exactly what I don’t want. Remember leave a few hard edges, it’s ok!

[@justbb1415]

Omg! Yess.. Whenever i paint portraits my brain just goes "SOFTEN THE EDGE! SOFTEN THE EDGE! And i just cant let any sharp edge go n in the end i have to use a coloured pencil to edge details n giving it structure...i just cant seem to stop myself 😫

[@lindathaxton1994]

Beautiful & beautiful instruction

[@BigDomski]

I really appreciate you talking about that "awkward stage" 😆 As a beginner to watercolour, it is always intimidating when I get to that point, where everything looks like this one mess, but in reality it's only the beginning. I'm not so good at pushing through this stage 😅

[@Cafewatercolor]

Domo got to have faith ☺️

[@dimylns]

I really enjoyed and you are good teacher Eric!

[@melindaavila498]

The portrait is very, very lovely. Thank you.

[@Liz-dx5on]

Thoroughly enjoyed it

[@oldlady1946]

Always amazed how things come together in loose transparent WC portraits. I am inspired.

[@JS-in5mq]

I love how loose this painting is. I dream about painting like you!

[@stevesloan5935]

You did well in concisely explaining some key concepts. Also I liked the way you presented the video in 3 sections, and the editing of the center between close-up and wide shot had a nice balance. Overall your result was pleasant and the paints kept their clean, fresh quality.

[@roselynbaruch3697]

Beautiful portrait!! Love how you moulded her face so subtly. Less is more, thank you for sharing your experience.

[@sherylgrant2248]

it always fascinates me how you can paint a portrait so easily and have it turn out so l;ovely

[@kazthibodeau]

Thank you for this demo. I enjoy your portrait demos, as I always learn new techniques as well as reinforce previous lessons I have learned.

[@angelalittlejohn2301]

Your artwork is sooooooo beautiful and you are very blessed with such amazing talent (I get super excited when I see your beautiful paintings)!!! Thanks for the tutorials!!! 🥰

[@WillieBojangles501]

Beautifully done! Thank you for taking the time to do this demo, it's a great learning experience for me.

[@wyattsellers318]

Amazing demo and great explanation of your process. Great advice to not worry about the awkward stage. thank you for posting look forward to more!!

[@anne-mariemarshall3105]

Thank you Eric. This was very instructive. I learnt a lot, especially the warm and cool mix. So good.

[@Travel-Wise]

I don't know why but I keep coming back to your loose portrait videos. I am perfectly aware that I don't have enough skills to even attempt one of these portraits. But I feel so inspired by your videos that I am seriously thinking of giving it a try. Thank you so much.

[@paulah317]

Hey Eric, just got my August Water color Artist magazine. Congrats on being selected to the 21st Splash Competition and the Best of Watercolor and the feature of your painting in the magazine.

[@WheeTeck]

Thanks for sharing, appreciate always the effort to show your process and also the separate video on your palette! Good job!!

[@Ruchi09061976]

It's a stunning painting! You're such a good teacher, so motivating and such a meticulous genius artist!! God bless you always sir!

[@jackiebyers1272]

Love this video! I am mesmerized when watching you paint a portrait! You make it look so easy ... and it's so NOT easy for me.... but I'll keep practicing and learning. Thanks for sharing your tips.

[@YamiHW]

Thank you for this demo, the result was beautiful

[@TB-jn2sx]

Both your art and instruction is superb. Blessings for sharing your time and knowledge.

[@nancyjordan8130]

Great job. Explaining all you do!

[@artifexmom3824]

That’s beautifully done my friend.☺️❤️ God bless.🙏🏻

[@emilyadams6194]

Eric, What a lovely and confident portrait. I don't think I have seen you do a portrait. This is a great and informative painting. I'm wowed!

[@anilvinayakan1701]

Nice technique. Keeping a separate palette for portraits is a great idea. Thanks for teaching.

[@ashokjani2891]

Great art work sir.

[@AndreyPudov]

This is amazing portrait painting. Thank you!

[@veraorlene4483]

Simply fantastic!

[@JoanAdam232]

I really love how your portrait turned out! Thank you so much for teaching! Cheers, Joan

[@lindathaxton1994]

You’re giving me the courage to try painting a portrait - no matter the result - thank you! Figures & portraits have always been scary for me

[@rosemarythomas6962]

Wow! Beautiful! Very helpful!

[@barbaragemin5117]

I love watching your portraits, Eric, they are just the way I'm training myself to do them. I've even taken notes, so that I don't forget the importance visual language. My first attempt was not bad, considering. I'd just like to know how you decide on the colour of the background. Thank you very much Eric.

[@bruceosborne1892]

Well done. Thanks for the inspiration.

[@malinadostojevski7968]

Thank you for sharing, I love this!🙏

[@ranafahl9922]

Wow..this is beautiful!:)

[@miriambaranov]

Beautiful work! Loved watching the evolution of the painting.

[@Cafewatercolor]

Thank you 😊

[@IsabelMourao]

Loved it!Thank you so much!

[@iqbalpreetpadam7521]

Thanks sir for demo lesson & tips

[@anartfuljourneywithroberty3784]

Fantastic work, thanks for sharing.

[@jilllong26]

A really lovely portrait - not as photographic as things are going these days. Thank you.

[@dougrutherford3848]

This is wonderful, Eric. I only wish it was as easy as you make it look.

[@debricci8533]

Wonderful!

[@lauraandrews1676]

I love the softness! One thing is, that I've tried to cover the whole face on the first layer, and it never comes out nicely. I know different people have different styles, but I've had more success with only doing the shadowed side, first in a very, very light wash of yellow ochre, then drop in either quin opera (light skin) or alizarin crimson (mid-to-dark skin). Once I've built up two layers, then I put in a bit of the yellow ochre and red, very lightly, on the brightly lit side, just so it isn't so stark white. I use burnt sienna for the shadows, and I'll introduce a bit of sepia if I need to, usually mixed with quin opera to give it a bit of life. A touch of cobalt blue mixed with alizarin crimson works for the very coolest parts of the face. I love your videos, though; and your voice is so soothing. I always learn something, and I absolutely love your painting style. Thanks for all you do!

[@marisemay7022]

Big talent❤

[@padmavatienterprise4223]

Good demo I have learnt so much and like the way you explain thanks for portrait demo. Like to hv more of portrait demo specially of old man or woman.

[@chrissyd1895]

This helped me so much! Thanks!

[@albertkline1731]

Excellent Job, have done only a few people, good tutorial.

[@mygranddaughterstungac7232]

Thank you,amazing portre

[@yellowpink9962]

Great watching your video. Thank you. Beautiful subject...essence.

[@gadgettest5202]

Iam really enjoyed this video, thank you for sharing 🙏

[@happyhappy8746]

Well done Eric

[@neeluT3942]

lovely

[@monica-NJ-123]

Thank you for this tutorial, I love portraits but have trouble with that middle stage, I may be doing this all wrong but I see you put in dark tones and then blend it , as a beginner should I go that direction or start light and build on that , hope I make sense Thank you 😊

[@carolineh.6623]

Excellent. Thank you

[@Rrmhrn]

Mr. Eric you really inspire me with this transparent technique! I really found it very useful to connect the shapes instead of painting each one separately. In fact, I wonder how long did it take from you to finish it (real time)? and which do you think is better: using tubes or watercolour blocks in portraits? Thanks in advance, and thanks for your creative and unique content ^___^

[@tinawang8569]

谢谢上传，非常喜欢您的绘画风格！感觉用色特别厉害哦

[@mikparker4518]

I love the Chinese language but only just learning the spoken not the written, any chance of a translation (unless it's personal then I respect that)

[@tracypowell2459]

Hi Eric, firstly thank you so much for your videos, and your excellent commentary, and your honesty with your own journey. Secondly can I ask you what pencil you use for drawing ?

[@jadeturtledesigns]

Eric, you are an amazing artist. It is baffling to me that you don't have a Patreon channel or more courses available for purchase. I already have beginning knowledge of watercolors and looking for more advanced material. Your videos tell me there is so much more I need to learn.

[@Cafewatercolor]

Lezlee Koger I am planing to do something similar to Patreon, but I am still figuring that part out ☺️ thank you!

[@myalicioglu]

Without too much background it is perfect.

[@brucemaatta5859]

I appreciated the closeups of your brush work - it is nice to see your decisions being made as evidenced by the marks you make with your brush. Btw - I hate the awkward stage. I have a heck of a time seeing through that to what it will become. I usually end up panicking and then making a mistake that ruins it. Oh well, keep trying. In the end it is only a piece of paper.

[@easydrawingpaintingvideosb2658]

nice painting

[@karenrichardson6767]

For US customers Blick Premier 12 x 16 block wc paper ( I have tried it and it is very good quality cotton paper.)is 16.00 cheaper than Arches. Also Boa Hong plus shipping is the same price and sizes of Boa Hong would require custom framing . Of course if you just want it for practice this would not matter.

[@SuperMorula]

Absolutely fantastic video Eric thank you so much. Love it speeded up with your verbal narrative, very easy to follow. What size brushes did you use and did you tilt the surface or was it completely flat? Beautiful result, I’m sure your model was super pleased! I will be watching it several times and sharing it with other arty friends. I am hoping the basic ‘rules’ can be applied to animal portraits as I have been trying to paint my (late) dog from photos and finding it very difficult.

[@Cafewatercolor]

Moira Stevenson thank you, the paper is slightly tilted, about 30 degrees, just so I can paint while standing. The brush size is 6 and 8 for the most part except some bigger washes

[@BarbrajoanOriginals]

Always your connections are important. Couldn’t help thinking . “ thigh bone connected to the hip bone” 😃 and we all have that time thinking uh oh , but if you push through you just might make it. Eric you did an amazing job on this,.

[@Cafewatercolor]

Thank you Barbra ☺️

[@cybermollusk]

Great video. I had never seen blending with a dry brush. I'll have to try today. What brand of paints do you use?

[@furanku9506]

u said horrible but its totally fine, i luv ur vids. im not here for the accuracy of ur portraits but lessons that i get in ur vids. learned a lot

[@1mammalee]

Thankyou 😊

[@SuperMorula]

I do a grid to map in the essential features but sometimes that discourages me from painting loosely

[@BarbrajoanOriginals]

Moira Stevenson that happens to me too . You get a good likeness but it’s kind of tight.

[@user-og6bo6tx7h]

The Shadow ,when painted on the first or last drawing after the layers have dried???

[@martinepiraud8181]

Very goog, thanks you

[@josedelgadocuesta9608]

Preciosa demostración. Me podías decir que pinceles utilizas. Gracias de antemano.

[@jiten6325]

Which paper we should use for practice

[@lilyfan2606]

Beautiful! What brand of paint and brush do you use please?

[@sujanithtottempudi2991]

Very interesting

[@notme3252]

This is AMAZING. I might get to 7:44 if I’m lucky and decide she looked like a zombie and scrap it. That’s my problem. I have no vision when I get to that awkward stage 🤦🏼‍♀️

[@funksual9852]

Hi Eric ! Greetings from Indonesia , I want to ask, if you delete a lot of sketches, will it damage the texture of the paper ??? thankyou

[@Cafewatercolor]

I draw with 4B lead so it’s very soft, as long as you draw very light you should be ok. Use a kneaded eraser :)

[@tiagodagostini]

I know this is 1 year old, but I have ot ask. How do you add such transparent (and therefore wet) layers on top of others without creating cauliflowers?

[@sallywilson3476]

Do the eraser marks affect the paint?

[@AnAberration]

It is not the language of painters but the language of nature which one should listen to, the feeling for the things themselves, for reality, is more important than the feeling for pictures. erick do u agree?

[@Cafewatercolor]

AN Aberration perhaps :) I just try to make a good painting as best as I could 😛 if someone likes it then I called it a success

[@thokchomjayshree8089]

I am so bad at potrait. But you make it look easy.😀

[@sanjaykambleart8195]

Good clean work ...do you use 2 dslr or smartphone for filming your videos?

[@Cafewatercolor]

One camcorder and one Sony rx100

[@sanjaykambleart8195]

@@Cafewatercolor Thank you dear

[@jorgereis9813]

Hi! I just love your work... Will you create an online portrait course? Thanks from Sweden

[@Cafewatercolor]

At this time no, since there are a lot to cover from head drawing to painting. That being said I do do some real time portrait demo for my art community on Patreon. It is not a usual subject, but I am planning to do more.

[@uncleatelier8495]

Wow, you're so cool. ~~♡★☆♡♥♥

[@moneshal8566]

Would you mind doing few more portraits Eric?

[@rudra90085]

I need the pic link

[@LoriJ1962]

That is a beautiful portrait. I’ll attempt portraits somewhere way down the road but for now, do you know of any good figure and portrait drawing instruction online?

[@Cafewatercolor]

Lori Jewett this one! vimeo.com/ondemand/cr1/161442851 I learned so much here! ☺️

[@LoriJ1962]

Café Watercolor - Eric Yi Lin thank you!!! I will check it out.

[@SuperMorula]

Eric, do you wet your paper before painting?

[@Cafewatercolor]

Moira Stevenson not this one :) when I do portrait I usually just go for it

[@mikparker4518]

I find that I paint lighter because I'm frightened of it staying dark but because of this fear I'm using more layers, any tips would be appreciated. Also, only my thought, if possible could you incorporate some Chinese language in your art or would that complicate matters. It's just I love the language and am currently learning the spoken language.

[@heavestlus8764]

Eric, you did show models basic warms-cools and shadows, but the drawing...it is incorrect, proportions of her face are slightly different

[@judihopewell7148]

Jope you are feeling less blue. It takes time.

[@mikparker4518]

Eric... Not a criticism by any means but did you purposely change the position of her head. On the reference it's tilted to one side. Like I said not a criticism just an observation.

[@mikparker4518]

Oh and you can call me Mik, I've not got round to changing it from MP lol

[@FOHKWOKKHOO_81]

My art homework😑

[@robertnagy985]

Very nice painting, but the lady on the painting is not the model.

[@Cafewatercolor]

Yeah I’m not good with the exact likeness. But her friend recognize her 😛