Sketching People with Watercolor
A course by Marcus PennaIllustrator and Watercolor Artist
A course by Marcus Penna, Illustrator and Watercolor Artist
Learn illustration and watercolor techniques to paint quick sketches from start to finish
A sketchbook is the perfect place to capture everyday life and the people around you. With just a pencil and some watercolors, award-winning artist Marcus Penna, who has worked with major clients like DC Comics, Editora Abril, and UEFA, is capable of recreating the expressive nature of the human figure in his sketches.
In this online course, learn the fundamentals of drawing and watercolor painting to create quick sketches of ordinary people using a reference photo. Marcus teaches each step in his creative process, from observational drawing to working with tonal values and adding the final touches.
What will you learn in this online course?
15 lessons & 27 downloads
Materials
3 minutes, 19 seconds
Color Mixing Exercises
9 minutes, 27 seconds
Observation Drawing and Basic Proportions
6 minutes, 53 seconds
Face Exercises
5 minutes, 26 seconds
Monochrome Painting Study 1
19 minutes, 39 seconds
Monochrome Painting Study 2
13 minutes, 37 seconds
What's included in this course?
Get to know your teacher Marcus Penna as he tells you about his creative career in 3D art, illustration, and watercolor. He also shares the artists who influence his work.
Begin with an overview of the course materials and start mixing paints to see how color behaves on paper. Then, choose a reference photo and draw an observational sketch, focusing on proportions and facial features.
Now grab your brush and get ready to paint! First, Marcus teaches you how to analyze color layers in Photoshop to create your own color palette. Then learn to apply a range of tones, working from light to dark, and complete your piece with some extra details.
Finally, scan your illustration, adjusting key color settings, and retouch it in Photoshop. Marcus rounds out the course by sharing a few of his own sketchbooks and discusses the importance of practice to continue honing your art.
What is this course's project?
Choose a reference photo and illustrate it using observational drawing and watercolor techniques.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Artists, illustrators, and anyone interested in creating watercolor sketches.
Requirements and materials
To take this course, all you need are watercolor supplies, a sketchbook, and a computer with Photoshop installed.
Reviews
- 8 days ago
Muy claro. Buenas pautas. Recomendado.
- 28 days ago
Wonderful course, I'm prepared for vacations
- cprado001PLUS2 months ago
Legal o curso. Gostei da referencia usada.
- 2 months ago
Ottimo Corso!
- 3 months ago
Simple but very effective water colour techniques
He has also worked on magazines like Vida Simples, Superinteressante, and Veja Saúde, on textbooks for publishers such Moderna and FTD, and on the UEFA official guide for the Women's Champions League, through the agency TwelfthMan. Since 2017, he's been creating content alongside illustrator and watercolor artist Daniel Araújo to post on the Instagram account Gente que Existe, devoted to illustrations of the human figure.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- About Me
- Influences
- U2
Basic Materials and Techniques
- Materials
- Color Mixing Exercises
- Choice of Reference and Image Processing
- Observation Drawing and Basic Proportions
- Face Exercises
- U3
Time to Paint
- Analysis of Color Layers
- Monochrome Painting Study 1
- Monochrome Painting Study 2
- Color Study with Limited Palette
- Starting Painting with Light Tones
- Medium and Dark Tones and Finishing
- U4
Digital Finishing and Studies
- Capture and Final Adjustments in Photoshop
- Sketchbooks and study paintings
- FP
Final project
- Sketching People with Watercolor
What to expect from a Domestika course
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
Certificates
PLUSIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
The course is designed for people with intermediate art or drawing knowledge but doesn’t require advanced skills in watercolor or 3D modeling. Beginners with some foundation can follow along.
You’ll need cotton or fine-grain paper, professional watercolor brushes, pan pigments, blue painter’s tape, a palette, a water cup, and optionally a lightbox and hairdryer.
You’ll learn watercolor techniques, observational drawing, composition, pigment mixing, portrait painting, character creation, 3D modeling for games, pixel art, and digital image editing.
Yes, the course covers monochromatic painting techniques and using a limited palette to create balanced compositions, control contrast, and explore tonal values in watercolor.
It’s not mandatory, but basic Photoshop and digital image editing skills will help you get more out of lessons on reference adjustments and painting digitization.
The course covers 3D modeling principles for games, infographic creation for advertising, and an introduction to pixel art, expanding your visual and technical skills.
Yes, the course includes modules on urban observational drawing, studying the human figure with live models, and portraiture, focusing on proportions, expression, and light and shadow.