ART UPDATE: WATERCOLOUR PENCIL FEMALE PORTRAITS

 Hello! Today I'm back with an art update. In this post I will share four female portraits. This year I was mostly focused on landscape (seascape) paintings, but recently I have done some portraits and fashion illustrations. You may remember that I have shared some of my new fashion illustrations fairly recently. I was fun to get back to illustrating with watercolour pencils, so I also sketched some portraits. I did use reference (and old DM catalogue) for some of these, but it's mostly my imagination. I did these portraits just for practice, so I'm not sure what exactly I will do with them. Maybe gift them to someone or just store them in some folder, I really don't know. The medium for all of them is watercolour pencils on paper (art supplies used the same as in my last art post). Let's me first share some art tips of mine with you really quickly and then we'll have a look at these quick watercolour portrait sketches.

TEN TIPS FOR IMPROVING ONE'S ILLUSTRATING SKILLS  (THAT I STILL TRY TO FOLLOW MYSELF)

1. PRACTICE REGULARLY-  Illustrating is a skill, and just like with every skill, it can be developed with time and practice. Practice makes perfect!  Regular practice makes it easier for your muscles and brain to remember what they are supposed to do. 

2. PRACTICE AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE- Seizing every opportunity you get to illustrate and work on your art skills is the way to go. You don't have to set aside a few hours every day, sometimes even a few minutes can be enough to get some idea down on paper but do PRACTICE AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE.

3. CARRY A SKETCHBOOK WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES-Having a sketchbook at hand is extremely useful in developing one's illustrating skill because it serves both as a reminder to do art and an easy way to get down to it.

4. FIND NEW WAYS TO INSPIRE YOURSELF - Try doing collages, journaling, scrapebooking and so on. Enjoying in different creative activities can inspire you to be more creative with your illustrating. I sometimes pair my illustrations with my photography. Illustration is not an isolated area. Everything you learn doing  some other creative stuff can probably be applied to illustrating as well. 

5. ILLUSTRATE WITH A REFERENCE- This will surely help you improve your perception and technique. Moreover, working with a reference is extremely useful in developing one's art skills. You have to learn how to see things to be able to draw them. An eye for detail is something we can and must develop if we want to illustrate well. Using a reference, you'll practice how to work out proportions and distance (and other things that you'd need to take your illustrating skills to a new level). 

6. ILLUSTRATE WITHOUT A REFERENCE- This one seems to contract my previous tip, but they are two sides of the same coin. Illustrating without a reference helps you improve your imagination. When it comes to developing your skills, this kind of illustrating is just as useful as the one done with a reference. You need to be able to do both well. Illustrating from your head can make you feel more independent and free. Plus, it  can be a great boost to your confidence. 

7. EXPERIMENT WITH DIFFERENT MEDIA- Experimenting with different media can give you fresh ideas and lookout on things. I, for example, sometimes draw fashion illustrations with old make up. 

8. CONSIDER USING TEMPLATES OR/AND FIND OTHER ART TOOLS & LEARNING MATERIALS- I don't really use temples because by the time I figured out how useful they potentially were, I already made my own. However, if you are a beginner, there is no reason why you shouldn't use them. You can buy them or even find them for free (some artists  and illustration teacher offer and share them for free on their sites and/ or social media) 

9. DON'T RELY TOO MUCH ON ART SUPPLIES- If you're just starting to work on your art skills there is no need to stress yourself financially by buying the most expensive art brands. You can start with what you have. You don't need that much to get started. Even when you get really started, keeping in mind that art supplies are just a tool.

10. TRY TO FIND A TEACHER AND/ OR OTHER ARTISTS TO LEARN FROM- If there is no illustrating/drawing course where you live, you can always try to find teacher or courses online, get involved in art communities and talk  to other artists. 

A QUICK WATERCOLOUR PORTRAIT SKETCH NUMBER #1

A GIRL WITH BLUE EYES AND REDDISH BROWN HAIR 

Let's start with this one. This is me practicing a portrait. I drew a pretty detailed sketch with watercolour pencils, so I added only a little bit of colour. I think it turned out alright for a quick portrait. I might do a few more variations on this subject. Portraits have never been my thing and I'm aware that if I ever decided to take them up, I'll have a long way to do. This one isn't supposed to look like anyone, so if it does, that's pure change. Mostly it's just me practicing and relearning to work with watercolour pencils. The paper I worked on is from a super cheap sketchbook and probably not the best choice for watercolour, so it's good I kept water application to minimum. 

A QUICK WATERCOLOUR PORTRAIT SKETCH NUMBER #2

A MEDIEVAL BEAUTY WEARING A BLUE GOWN

This next portrait was quicker and I didn't really think much of it. There are few details here. I just sketched it with watercolour and applied a bit more water. The result looks more washed out than the previous one. Still, I kind of like this side profile of a long haired beauty. The bell sleeves make me think of Medieval and Renaissance fashion. I may have been inspired by a historical Spanish film Lope I have seen recently. This film was inspired by the life of a famous Spanish writer Lope de Vega.  I quite enjoyed the film, especially the costumes. The costumes in the film were amazing so perhaps this is where the inspiration came from. 

 A QUICK WATERCOLOUR PORTRAIT SKETCH NUMBER #3

A LONG HAIRED GIRL IN A GREEN DRESS

Bellow is another quick side portrait. I'm not sure how I feel about this one. However, I did it just for practice, so it's alright in that sense. I do like this pose I illustrated, it's something I might work on more in the future.

A QUICK WATERCOLOUR PORTRAIT SKETCH NUMBER #4 

A GIRL WITH A BLUE BOB

Bellow is a quick portrait of a girl with a blue bob. This one is  less realistic and more stylized. It's done in my style, I guess. It's the kind of portraits I draw when I'm not thinking about it. I don't know why for years, I've been sketching this girl with a blue bob. Maybe I should develop it into a character of some sort. I choose a yellow background for this one because I felt it's a good contrast for blue.

LINKS FOR MORE ART CONTENT PUBLISHED PREVIOUSLY ON MY BLOG: 

FRIDAY FASHION ILLUSTRATION: GUCCI

A GIRL IN A RED DRESS

LEARN MORE  about painting on hardboard.  Before that I re-imagined my magenta coat as a dress and illustrated it that way in this post. I also illustrated a forest a little bit. Sometimes I like to make the location a part of my fashion illustration. You can also peak into my recent sketches in this sketchbook art post.  You can find even more illustrations from my sketchbook here. 

MORE FASHION ILLUSTRATION POSTS -HERE and.... DIGITAL RETOUCHING WITH PAINT 3D,  LADY IN A LILAC DRESS and BALL PAINT FASHION ILLUSTRATION.  FASHION ILLUSTRATION FRIDAY: WATERCOLOUR PENCILS -IVANA'S FASHION ILLUSTRATION FRIDAY- FASHION ILLUSTRATION FRIDAY: INSPIRED BY COLOURS OF AUTUMN- A GIRL IN A RED GOWN: FASHION ILLUSTRATION OF THE DAY-CUSTOMIZING A NOTEBOOK WITH A FASHION ILLUSTRATION

- FASHION ILLUSTRATION FRIDAY: ILLUSTRATING A BLACK DRESS FROM DOLCE & GABBANA COLLECTION- 10 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR FASHION ILLUSTRATION SKILLS- HOW TO CREATE A 3D FASHION ILLUSTRATION DRESS WITH DRY FLOWERS?- FRIDAY FASHION ILLUSTRATION: HAT OBSESSED -FASHION ILLUSTRATION FRIDAY INSPIRED BY SUMMER STYLE- FASHION ILLUSTRATION FRIDAY: SUMMER TO AUTUMN TRANSITION- FASHION ILLUSTRATION FRIDAY: ILLUSTRATED TOTE BAGS-FASHION ILLUSTRATION FRIDAY: HAT OBSESSED - FASHION ILLUSTRATION FRIDAY: NEW AUTUMN INSPIRED ART FASHION ILLUSTRATION FRIDAY: MY INSPIRATIONS FASHION ILLUSTRATION FRIDAY: DECEMBER ANOTHER ART UPDATE HERE: MARKER ILLUSTRATIONS AND DIGITAL / BEFORE THAT: FIVE WATERCOLOUR PORTRAITS

.....AND MORE OF MY LANDSCAPE ART FROM TRAVEL WITH MY ART SERIES

#1 PALERMO ISLAND SICILY (ITALY)

#2 BAY MALA STINIVA, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)

#3 IRKUTSK, SIBERIA (RUSSIA)

#4  MATEJUŠKA, SPLIT CITY (CROATIA)

#5 HVAR CITY, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)

#6 ZENTA MARINE, SPLIT CITY (CROATIA)

#7 ZAVALA, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)

#8 SUCURAJ, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)

#9 MALA STINIVA, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)

#10 HVAR TOWN, ISLAND HVAR ( CROATIA)

#11 JELSA TOWN, DANCE O THE SAILS (CROATIA)

#12 ZAVALA, ISLAND HVAR, (CROATIA)

#13: SUCURAJ, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)

#14: BAY BRIZENICA, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA) 

#15 BAY LOZNA, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)

#16 BAY VEPRINOVA, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)

#17 BOL, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)

#18 PLANINICA, (BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA)

#19 SUCURAJ, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)

#20 BEACH SOLINE,VRBOSKA,  ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)

#21 STARI GRAD, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)

Thank you for visiting and commeting. Have a nice day!