• In this class I will guide you through painting an expressive portrait in watercolour, focusing on character rather than tight detail. Instead of getting lost in features, we will learn to see the head as a clear design, built from big shapes and a simple value map. From there, gentle shifts between warm and cool colours will bring the skin to life.  We will use a modest limited palette and rely on glazing, wet into wet washes and selective accents to create depth, light and clarity without overworking the painting. The hat and scarf act as supporting shapes that frame the face, while the background stays calm and airy so the expression remains the focal point.

By the end of the class, you will understand how expression grows from value and edge, not from micromanaging every eyelash, and how these ideas apply to any portrait or figure you decide to paint in the future.

In this class you will learn:

• How to design a portrait using simple values and strong shapes

• How to use warm and cool shifts to create convincing skin tones

• How glazing and lifting build gentle depth without losing freshness

• How to control edges so some are lost into the background and others are crisp around the eyes, nose and mouth

• How to use blooms and granulation for texture in clothing while keeping features calm and clear

• How a limited palette and a quiet background help the character and likeness stand out