How to Paint a Watercolor Portrait by Daniel Smith

I prefer starting with a reference photo as it captures fleeting expressions, movements, and memories of a specific time and place. While I also enjoy painting from life (which influences all my other drawings and paintings), a live model has limitations in terms of what can be sustained over several hours.

• Use the largest brush suitable for an area, then switch to a smaller one for more control or details when necessary
• Visualize the key value changes in the face as if creating a template
• Accept the basic character of the watercolor. Allow it to live and do what it wants to a certain extent
• Do not isolate features do not treat a nose or lips as separate objects to be worked on independently
• For realistic, full-color skin tones, it's crucial to have both warm and cool reds in your palette