Watercolor Portraits of Young Men

watercolor young man reading
I did two more watercolor portraits last week. The emphasis here is on form and color – I’ve not spent too much energy on achieving likeness. I’m hoping that I will continue to do a few more portraits, but it’s hard to get ones that are satisfying. I did a few drawing portraits, but nothing I liked enough to share.

watercolor young man

I did the bottom one first, then I painted the top watercolor portrait. These paintings have more color than the previous ones I painted.

Filed in: art

9 thoughts on “Watercolor Portraits of Young Men

    • Hm, I don’t see somber, I see contemplative, but I love hearing what you see! One projects one’s own feelings unto art, which is fine and to be expected.

  • These are both lovely, each one in its own way.

    The one with the young man with his hand on his face one evokes (for me) a feeling of reflective and/or relaxed intensity…I know that sounds like an oxymoron. You know how one gets when they are reading…and they have become totally involved in what they are reading, yet, they are in a somewhat relaxed state, oblivious to everything else.

    I like the contrasts of the tones in both watercolors. They are complementing in a pleasing way to my eyes, and definitely underscore form through the tones. It is amazing how tone can set off form, and you have done a wonderful job in exhibiting that.

    The bottom one reminds me a person who is contemplative.

    Beautiful work!

    • “contrasts of the tones” – I was trying so hard to get a wide variety of colors but still a palette that works together! Unless one tries it oneself, it hard to know how many decisions go into one painting.

      I appreciate your detailed comment, Lorri.

    • Michelle, no, and neither look like either of my sons. Achieving likeness would be a nice goal, but I don’t want to apply to much pressure on myself!

    • Happy to inspire you, Susan. If you have been working graphics on the web, going back to a paintbrush is quite freeing. I enjoy going back and forth from digital to paintbrush to digital again. Now if only I had time to do oil painting …

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