Don't Fear Your Portrait's 'Ugly Stage': Get the Blues with Watercolor Artist Alessia Battain

"Every portrait will have a so-called ugly stage. Never be afraid of going on. You always have to trust."

In this watercolor session (85 mins), Italian artist Alessia Battain (aka Ally B) invites you to embrace the journey of portrait painting, including the messy middle, and reminds us that a bit of perseverance can turn a challenging medium into a soulful result.

The heart of Ally's lesson lies in the blue shadow technique. Instead of reaching for skin tones immediately, you will learn to map out the depths of the face and the folds of the clothing using blue or violet undertones. 

Don't let the "ugly stage" of your painting give you the blues—while these cool-toned marks might look strange at first, Ally demonstrates how they eventually harmonize with top layers to create skin and fabric that look vibrant and luminous.

What You’ll Explore:

• The Geometry of Similarity: Focus on the specific shapes of the eyes and brows, which Ally considers the most vital features for capturing a subject's likeness.
• Preserving the Light: Learn the discipline of "saving" your highlights, strategically leaving the paper white on areas like the nose and chin to create natural dimension.
• The Power of Primaries: Discover how to mix a realistic, neutral skin tone using a minimal palette of magenta, yellow, and cobalt blue.
• Textural Narrative: Explore how to use varying brush pressure to mimic the volume of a turban and the direction of a jumper's weave.

Growth Over Mastery

Ally encourages you to trust the process even when it doesn't seem to be working. By the time you reach the final flourishes—perhaps a glint of gold pen on an earring or a delicate swipe of blush—you'll see how those brave, initial marks evolved into a finished piece.

Ready to get the blues with Ally? Let's get started!