Watercolor Portraits by Daniel

Watercolor Portraits by Daniel Guzman, a Watercolor Academy Correspondence Course student

Daniel Guzman, a Watercolor Academy Correspondence Course student, completed 18 large-format portraits while studying this important subject. His assignments explore three approaches: monochrome painting, full-color painting, and full color developed over a monochrome underpainting.

Learning watercolor portraiture takes more than completing one successful painting. It requires systematic practice, experimentation, and an understanding of how different techniques can be used to describe form, light, color, and character.

Along the way, Daniel practiced nine watercolor methods: wet-on-dry and wet-on-wet glazing, alla prima painting both wet-on-dry and wet-into-wet, dry brush on moist and dry paper, retouching, pen and wash, and wash with outline.

The portraits shown here demonstrate how much can be learned by approaching the same subject through different techniques. Daniel is developing better control of watercolor, stronger tonal relationships, more confident handling of facial forms, and a deeper understanding of portrait painting. His dedication is clearly visible, and his skills continue to grow from one assignment to the next.

These portraits are wonderful evidence of what focused practice can achieve. By the end of the course, Daniel will have worked through a broad range of professional watercolor methods and developed a much stronger foundation for independent painting.

Portraiture is only one part of the program. Watercolor Academy Correspondence Course students receive personal tutoring while completing 100 practical assignments designed to build professional watercolor painting skills step by step.

Monochrome Watercolor Portrait: Wet-on-Dry Glazing Technique

Watch how Daniel creates a monochrome watercolor portrait using the wet-on-dry glazing technique. Working in monochrome allows the artist to focus on the essentials of portrait painting: proportions, tonal values, structure, light, and form. With wet-on-dry glazing, each transparent layer is applied over a dry surface, making it possible to build depth gradually and refine the portrait with control.

Join the Watercolor Academy Correspondence Course and develop your own painting skills through structured practice, personal feedback, and professional guidance.

To learn how to paint in watercolor, enroll now: