Adding Skin Colors with Watercolors

Step 4: Tone the darkest face shadows

To the mix you created above add a 1/2 part of ultramarine blue. Now you should have a dark brownish-blue tone. Use this for the very dark shadows on the face as the shadow side of the nose, the inner corner of the shadow eye, the far side of the shadow cheek, under the chin in the neck area.

Step 5: Creating highlights

Since there is no true white in watercolors I am changing for this step to acrylics. Thin a small amount of Titanium White Acrylic with water, just as you have done with your watercolors. Thinly wash this white to the highlight areas of the face, the forehead, other ridge side of the nose, the top of the nostril, the cheek puffs, and the top of the chin.

Step 6: Blushing the cheeks

Since it did not seem appropriate to this pattern, I have not blushed the fireman’s cheeks. However if you are working on a pattern where blush is applicable this is done with a mix of yellow and red to create a pure orange hue. Very lightly brush this over the top edges of the cheek area starting at the center of the eye and working toward the ear. It is the outer section of the cheek that blushes not the entire cheek area.

Step 7: Adding extra character to the face

If your face is angry you may add a little of this blush tone to the eye lid area just below the eye brow … this gives the eye an intense look. Use some extra white highlights around the edges of the mouth to give a drawn look. For those that have stayed at the local saloon a “little too long” add some blush to the ball of the nose and the tips of the ears!

Step 8: Sealing the watercolors

After all of the color has been applied finish your carving or wood burning with several light coats of spray polyurethane to seal the colors.