Follow the Flow: Paint a Watercolor Portrait with Jordan M. Rhodes
Embrace the beautiful tension between control and letting go.
Whether novice or master, you know watercolor is a medium with a mind of its own. That's what makes it so often fun, and sometimes frustrating.
In this lesson (76 mins), Nashville-based artist Jordan M. Rhodes invites you to embrace this essential aspect of of watercolor, focusing on the beautiful tension between control and letting go.
The core of today’s journey is learning to use a cool-toned base layer to build depth, allowing a surprising turquoise underpainting to naturally neutralize and ground your skin tones.
Jordan guides you through the process of building a portrait from the ground up, emphasizing that the "foggy" early stages are often the most rewarding—a time to watch dynamic interactions between pigments rather than rushing toward a finished result.
You’ll explore how to navigate the delicate texture of 100% cotton Fabriano paper and how to balance the spontaneous effects of wet-on-wet painting with the precision of dry-brush details.
- Trusting the Underpainting: Discover how a light wash of Turquoise Cobalt acts as a complementary base to desaturate the reds and oranges of the face.
- Working with Gravity: Learn the benefits of painting at a 45-degree incline, allowing the water to flow downward and help you stay mindful of your posture.
- Defining Structure: Watch how to "carve" into shapes using Burnt Sienna and Pyro Orange, leaving the white of the paper to breathe as your natural highlight.
- Strategic Stylization: Instead of over-blending, Jordan shows you how to appreciate a "chiseled" look by selecting specific hard edges to remain in the final piece.
- Intentional Color Mixing: Explore creating deep, rich shadows by mixing Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Umber rather than relying on pre-mixed blacks.
This lesson isn't about achieving a perfect copy of a reference. It’s about guiding the paint and going with the flow. Let's get started!
