Shapes and Edges Make the Face

When it comes to painting I’m really fussy about edges, both the mysterious, soft and smudgy ones and the crisp descriptive edges that I rely on to define the subject. You see with negative painting shapes and edges tell the story. Here’s a short video to show you how I use an amazing blue to carve around this character’s face. 

FYI All of my colours are from Holbein - Verditer Blue is the fabulous opaque watercolour used in this piece. The paper is 5.5 x 5.5" Strathmore Aquarius II.

I will be teaching a 3 day online workshop called Simplifying Figures and Faces, Negative Painting Style for Cheap Joes, October 18, 19, 20, 2023.

Even if you can only draw stick men now, you will amaze yourself as you create whimsical, caricatures and delightful portraits by following a sequence of steps that are as easy as one, two three. My approach to creating faces and figures is probably quite different from the way you may have already tried.

For more information visit Cheap Joes Workshops. I can hardly wait - this is going to be so much fun!