Watercolour Painted Stamp Portrait with Blended Colours

A project from our live show CREATE AND CRAFT - Join Carley Duff for her brand new IMALA 22 Launch show 1 - Broadcast 4th OCT 22 · 10/04/2022 · watch it from 52:00

Paint a detailed portrait stamp using watercolour techniques with alcohol-based marker pens. The design features blended skin tones, vibrant hair colour, and white gel pen highlights to create dimension and light.

DOWNLOAD THIS GUIDE (PDF)

Step by step

1. Stamp the selfie portrait image onto watercolour cardstock using black ink, ensuring good contact with no air bubbles. ▶ watch 52:00
2. Begin colouring the face using soft peach marker pen, focusing on the darker areas indicated by the black stamp lines. ▶ watch 53:00
3. Blend outwards from the darker areas using lighter shades to create natural skin tone gradation. ▶ watch 53:15
4. Colour the hair using orange and ginger tones, layering darker shades first and blending lighter tones over the top. ▶ watch 54:00
5. Use the chiselled end of the marker pen to follow individual hair strands and add definition. ▶ watch 54:45
6. Add eye detail using a black ballpoint pen to create fine lines and definition around the eyes. ▶ watch 55:00
7. Highlight the eyes and face using a white gel pen to add light and dimension. ▶ watch 55:30
8. Mount the coloured portrait onto black cardstock as a backing. ▶ watch 56:00
9. Create a triangular stand by folding a 6 by 4 inch piece of cardstock and securing with a tape runner. ▶ watch 56:30

Tips from the show

• Always colour the black areas first as these are your darkest areas, then blend outwards with lighter shades.
• Use alcohol-based marker pens for seamless blending without squeaking.
• A ballpoint pen creates finer, more wispy lines than fine liners and resists smudging better.

More from this show

• Textured Aperture Card with Crackle Paste and Heat Embossing
• Kinetic Spinning Aperture Card with Layered Elements
• Wet-on-Wet Watercolour Background with Random Stamped Dots
• Layered Stamp Masking Technique for Scene Building
• Ink Blending and Watercolour Wash Technique on Stamped Image

Written up from the show itself. See every guide from our shows · free how-to guides · watch live on My Telly