OBSERVATIONAL DRAWING AND WATERCOLOR PORTRAITURE
$99.00
- Artist – Dylan Sara
- 15+ Hours of content
- Lifetime Access/Downloadable Content
- Private FB Group
- Course Price – $99
- All Sales Final
Description
Are You Ready to Master Watercolor Portraits?
Join Dylan Sara in Observational Drawing and Watercolor Portraiture, where the timeless technique of pencil drawing meets the expressive charm of watercolor painting. Discover the art of observational drawing, capturing the world's intricate details and playing with light and shadow. Dive into watercolor exploration, balancing control and spontaneity, and learn to blend dry and wet media for stunning, single-sitting portraits. As a special bonus, we'll also guide you through creating your own Zine, showcasing your artwork in a unique and shareable format. This course is designed to inspire, teach, and help you express your artistic vision with confidence and flair. After completing this course, you will be a master at painting portraits in watercolor!
COURSE OBJECTIVES
While we will focus on many different objectives in this course, the following are the priority of this course! By the end of this course you will have an understanding of the following concepts:
- Cultivate a practice of observational drawing
- Learn to interpret a reference with looseness and confidence
- Use watercolor alternating between control and looseness, careful layering and direct vibrant application of color.
COURSE IS OPEN!
Lifetime Access - Download All Content
Cost - $99
DESCRIPTION OF LESSONS
In this course we’ll practice observational line drawing with pencil and painting with watercolor.
Our pencil drawings are the foundation we lay our watercolor onto, relying on the decisions we make during the drawing process to inform our painting. This method celebrates the drawing as an integral part of the finished work, relying on the linework of the drawing as a guide in addition to being a textural feature of the finished portrait.
Draw what you see. Regardless of what we’re looking at as we draw, it’s complexity, it’s irregularity or perhaps an unusual orientation, by cultivating our awareness of the way light and shadow forms interact we can develop a compelling way of representing whatever it is we’re drawing and painting. Observational requires practice and perseverance but for me is the most rewarding way of beginning a painting. The life it brings to our work is well worth the practice.
In the watercolor section of each portrait we’ll be exploring value and color. Experimenting with limited palettes and experimental approaches removed from the color in our reference but informed by an understanding of the value and intensity of varied colors. Throughout the portraits we paint there is a rhythm of control and looseness, working with the idea of developing control of this medium and also letting go and letting the water do it’s thing all upon the framework of the underlying drawing.
We will often finish our pieces by adding some final detail and definition with pencil. The dry and wet media work so well together and we’ll develop a sense of working to the strengths of each.
The end goal is to be able to make single sitting portraits that don’t require such a large time investment. Cultivating a looseness in our approach and understanding that can make it possible to create a fun and exciting portrait in around an hours time. The lessons within this course vary from 1 to 2 hours.
In addition to the portraiture focus of this course I’ll also show you how I put together a pdf file to create Zine reproductions of my work in Affinity Designer/Publisher. Zines are a fun way to share your work either as a product, gift or even a personal collection of some of your favorite pieces. The zine we make will be a celebration of the pieces made in this course and perhaps inspire you to create more Zines of your own.
COURSE IS OPEN!
Lifetime Access - Download All Content
Cost - $99
MEET DYLAN SARA - ARTIST/INSTRUCTOR
I am an Australian born illustrator, artist and father based in Göttingen Germany.
I love working with ink and connecting with people from around the world. I host two weekly online sketch sessions where we hang out chat and draw each other. It's great fun and practice. Get in touch if you'd like to join.
An important aspect of my work and life is being in nature. Making ink from foraged natural materials and creating work inspired by people and places is my passion and I look forward to sharing this passion with you.
PRIVATE GROUP FOR THIS COURSE
There is a private FB group for this course. Once you are signed up for the course, you can access the FB group where only you and other students signed up for the course will have access. We are looking forward to seeing your artwork!
COURSE SUPPLIES
Below is a list of the supplies that I will be using for the projects in this course. However, you are always encouraged to use what you have on hand.
SUBSTRATE
- Watercolour paper (glued block with paper sealed at the edges) at least 120lbs /250gm.
- The main paper I’m using is Hahnemühle Burgund.
- Any demo drawing and color testing I’ll do will be on Hahnemühle Nostalgie paper
PAINTS
My full palette is Schmincke Watercolours ‘Gris signature edition’ 18 colours available here as a full pan set https://www.gris-shop.de/product-page/gris-kasten-18-farben
- Save some money by purchasing half pans or using what you already have.
- it consists of:
- Neutral Tint 782
- Cobalt Turquoise 509
- Ultramarine Finest 494
- Helio Cerulean 479
- Indigo 485
- French Ultramarine 493
- Perylene Green 784
- May Green 524
- Burnt Umber 668
- Raw Sienna 660
- Quinacridone Gold Hue 277
- Cadmium Yellow Medium 225
- Lemon Yellow 215
- Transparent Orange 218
- Potters Pink 370
- Alizarin Crimson 357
- Quinacridone Red Light 343
- Brilliant Opera Rose 920
- This set is also available as a 12 color set consisting of 494, 479, 357, 343, 277, 225, 215, 660, 668, 524, 784 and 782
PAINTBRUSHES
- I like having two each of my most used brushes so I can keep one bluish and one red/yellowish. I don’t stick to this and often mix up the brushes but it can be helpful!
- You can use these or something similar
- 2x #16 flat (¾inch, 16mm)
- 2x #8 flat (¼inch, 6mm)
- 2x #10 round (7/32inch 5.6mm)
- 1x #20 round (9/16inch 14mm)
- 1x #4 round (3/32inch 2.4mm)
DRAWING TOOLS
- Faber Castell Polychromos Pencils
- Magenta 133
- Deep Cobalt Green 158
- Dark Indigo 157
- Pthalo Blue 110
- White 101
- Kneaded Eraser
OTHER
- Paper towel
- Dahle 133 pencil sharpener (optional)
- Phone or camera to photograph your work for making a Zine.
- Canva app for creating the zine.
- For the final stage of cutting and folding the zine
- Cutting matt
- steel ruler
- knife
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON ACCESSING CLASSES AND SELLING WORK CREATED IN THIS COURSE:
**Upon purchasing your course, you will be asked to create an account and go through the purchase process (even if the cost is $0 for a free course). If you have already created an account, after purchase your course will IMMEDIATELY be available under “LOGIN” at the top right-hand of karabullockart.com.
**If your course does not show up, please email us at karabullockart@gmail.com
**Due to the nature of the immediate availability of the course, all purchases are nonrefundable.
**Please talk to the artist of the course about his/her policy on selling artwork created in this course prior to selling any works created during course. Some artists will allow it, while others do not. Thank you for your support.
15 reviews for OBSERVATIONAL DRAWING AND WATERCOLOR PORTRAITURE
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Sophie Vancaillie (verified owner) –
I chose this course because the drawing plays as large a part as the painting. I also love both and I think it is great to use cp so that the drawing actually shows through in the end result. Looking forward to develop this further in my own way now. I like the real life references. And I learned so much from Dylan’s struggles and how he worked through them, the stopping, pausing, thinking out loud what to do next, and then in the last one surprising yourself by stopping what seemed early. It gives such a realistic representation of the process, thank you so much for your honesty, your enthusiasm, and encouragement (including outside this platform).
Tommy (verified owner) –
It’s all great, but it takes time. I’m not a quick sketcher, so I take my time. I am not in a hurry.
Not ready not finished yet
Sara (verified owner) –
I have only done three of the sessions from this course but I can say confidently that I absolutely love it and can’t wait to do the others! Dylan has a wonderful way of talking through the drawing/painting process. They explain their process but also suggest possibilities and ways of looking and experimenting. The sessions are joyful and inspiring. Thank you and more, please!
Sheri Garvin (verified owner) –
This is a fantastic class, and while I am taking it slow, I am enjoying each and every project to its fullest.
Dylan has such an calm and empowering way of teaching portraits. His mild manner and encouragement to not sweat the details inspires a sense of “I can do this!” and in 2 hours you have a completed portrait, as well as an increase in confidence and added skills that are easily transferable to your own projects. I have learned that I do not have to be perfect, I can work quickly, loosely, mix some unexpected colors and still come out with a very finished portrait (and I had fun along the way.)
An added bonus is that this is one of the most calming class experiences I have ever had. It is a joy to sit and quietly work on these classes. Thank you, Dylan!
Sheri Garvin (verified owner) –
This is a fantastic class, and while I am taking it slow, I am enjoying each and every project to its fullest.
Dylan has such a calm and empowering way of teaching portraits. His mild manner and encouragement to not sweat the details inspires a sense of “I can do this!” and in 2 hours you have a completed portrait, as well as an increase in confidence and added skills that are easily transferable to your own projects. I have learned that I do not have to be perfect, I can work quickly, loosely, mix some unexpected colors and still come out with a very finished portrait (and I had fun along the way.)
An added bonus is that this is one of the most calming class experiences I have ever had. It is a joy to sit and quietly work on these classes. Thank you, Dylan!
Katerina Kestemont (verified owner) –
What an incredible class, it has completely changed my use of color in my portraiture work.
The instructions are very detailed and explained very well, so it’s easy to follow along.
Can 100% recommend
Anna (verified owner) –
Dylan is a really good teacher. I am happy to learn from this amazing portrait artist. Also I love the references he choses. Thanks a lot Dylan!
Danny Barber (verified owner) –
Excellent course. Dylan has a really nice way about him. I am very happy with my progress and results. Thank you very much!
Danny.
Meena (verified owner) –
This is a fantastic course. Dylan meets you where ever you are as an artist. There are lots of guided images and instructions available, however Dylan encourages individuality and invites artists to be flexible and develop their own style. He also models that it’s okay when things go sideways, which is so very helpful. I’m almost finished the course and would definitely take another course with Dylan. He’s calm, positive and his style is amazing. Thank you, Dylan! Can’t wait to hear about his next portraiture class!
Silke (verified owner) –
I enjoy the course so much because Dylan is a fantastic teacher and he explained everything so wonderful .
Thank you Dylan .
Wendy Paul (verified owner) –
I’ve only done the first session but he is wonderful. I love his style and taste and he explains and demonstrates really well. Looking forward to the next sessions.
Kathy Green (verified owner) –
I haven’t finished the course yet but have enjoyed listening to and watching Dylan’s process. He explains what he is doing and thinking as he works through each painting. His use of the wide flat brush is fascinating to watch, and not easy to do! He’s a great teacher. Thank you, Dylan.
Ruth Feldman (verified owner) –
Still working on this course. Dylan is such a great teacher and makes it all so much fun.
Kathleen Green (verified owner) –
Excellent course. Awesome instructor. Great images from which to work. I enjoyed watching and practicing and I especially appreciated all the drawing and painting tips that were shared and explained. Thank you, Dylan.
Meena Sangha (verified owner) –
LOVED this class. Would recommend it to anyone who wants wants to have some fun and explore colour with portraits. Dylan is such as skilled teacher – he’s calm, leans into the “oops” moments and guides you to create a super fun zine I can’t recommend Dylan enough. You have to try this course!