Painting Faces with Watercolor
Adult Course | Registration opens 8/5/2025 10:00 AM MDT
Learn the basics of painting the human face using wet on wet watercolor in this five week class. Wet on wet watercolor using a plexiglass board will be the focus of the class. This technique creates beautiful soft edges in your painting.The instructor, Pam, learned this technique while studying with Chinese watercolor master Liu Yi. Students are given step by step instruction on anatomy, drawing and painting the human face. Proportion and proper placement of features are emphasized. Students will learn the anatomy of the human face, and how to create soft edges for a portrait in watercolor using wet on wet with plexiglass.
Week 1: Review of Face anatomy, drawing face anatomy
Week 2: Plexiglass and watercolor basics
Week 3-5: Painting the Face using wet on wet watercolor
- Previous watercolor experience helpful
Watercolor Paints - (M.Graham, Da Vinci, Daniel Smith, Winsor & Newton brands recommended - try Meiningers, Guiry's, or Dick Blick online)
Colors:
Ultramarine blue
Cerulean blue or cobalt blue
Cadmium yellow medium
Indian yellow
Cadmium red
Sap green
Burnt sienna
Raw sienna
Quinacridone rose
140# Coldpress Watercolor Paper (Arches, Fabrino or Hahnemuhle brands recommended)
Watercolor Paint Brushes : synthetic or golden taklon, short handle
Types:
Round #10 brush
Round #2 brush for detail
Flat 1 inch brush
Flat 2 inch brush
Palette (Folding Palette works well)
Plexiglass Board (12 x 16 or larger)
Small Table Easel (or something to prop plexiglass on)
Kneaded Eraser
Cups / containers for water
Paper Towels
Pam McLaughlin
Pam McLaughlin is a watercolor artist and photographer living in incredible Colorado. Traditionally trained as an emergency medicine physician, Pam uses her expertise of anatomy to create beautiful, emotionally charged watercolors. Pam has studied with watercolorists Mary Whyte, Liu Yi, John Fawcett, David Drummond and with landscape painter Scott Christensen. Pam’s work has been selected for numerous shows, most noteworthy, the 148th International American Watercolor Society’s Exhibition in New York City, held in spring 2015. Her work has been commissioned for private collections regionally and beyond.