Whenever I need to loosen up, I grab my sketchbook and paint outside.
This helps me let go and feel free.
Lately I’ve been getting stuck with eyes and faces. They either look too perfect or have no life.
Getting outside turns off my inner-critic.
The weather has been so beautiful here these last few days in Wisconsin, so I’ve been able to paint in the garden – surrounded by blooming flowers and singing chickadees.
I’ve found I return again and again to doodling with just a few supplies – starting with a loose layer of watercolors.
Once the white space is filled, I start my eyes with a few fingerprints.
Then I add more detail with every layer – penciling in the lashes, lips and nose with water-soluble pencil (allowing the lines to smudge).
This keeps everything loose.
Maybe they’re big eyes or simple eyes looking off to one side. But I have to fall in love with the eyes before I can even begin to move on to the rest of the painting.
The eyes reflect a bit of me and the stories I see and hear everyday. From there, the rest of the face can come into focus, until everything, finally, fits together.
You’ll see how I use some of these ideas to paint eyes and faces in the videos below.
My 5 Favorite Art Supplies For These Projects:
- 6” x 6” Bee Paper Aquabee Super Deluxe Sketchbook
- Caran d’Ache Neocolor II Water-Soluble Oil Pastels
- Winsor & Newton Travel Watercolor Set
- Stabilo ALL water-soluble pencil, black
- Sharpie Water-based Paint Pens
This is a project in my Enchanted Soulful Eyes and Faces class, which is perfect if you really want to dive deep into painting eyes and faces.
In this video you’ll learn:
- My techniques for creating layers with watercolors
- The process I use to add imperfect details with pencil
- My method for being loose in faces and covering up the white space
Click here to learn more about Enchanted Soulful Eyes and Faces class.
This is a project in my Faces Mixed Media Portraits class, which is perfect if you want to learn new techniques and styles for painting faces.
In this video you’ll learn:
- My techniques for creating layers in eyes and faces
- The process I use to begin big eyes
- My quick methods for adding shading and depth
Click here to learn more about Faces Mixed Media Portraits class.
Here’s a little of what students are saying about their experiences in my classes…
“I just have to say that you are the best online instructor I have ever taken from! Your lessons are clear, intriguing, easy to follow and inspirational. You seem to always find the time to comment on your students’ work, and so positive and constructive! A true ‘teacher!’ BRAVO to you!!! And thank you!!” -Lisa Andrews Campbell
“Juliette shows how she works through creating a painting. What is especially great about this, besides the tips on technique, methods, and art materials, is that she shows how she goes through the ugly stages or the “this isn’t working” stages and pushes through. It is very inspirational (and comforting) to see a person who paints for a living also struggles with these issues.” -Renata Wurster
“Your classes opened my eyes to having more fun creating. I now am not scared of starting a project and I’m having a blast creating backgrounds!” -Nina Marie
“I am 64 and have always wanted to draw and paint. You show us all of the phases of the piece – the good, the bad, the ugly, and the finished wonderful face. Then we see the finished piece. Now when I struggle to get to the end of the process, I know that it’s okay to take a while to get there.” – Louise “Beth” Rudolph
“I learn best when I see you paint while you give information as to why your painting is working or is in need of correction. The way you work through your corrections gives me insight into my own issues and encourages me to keep going. Your videos are fun, light, colorful and always a pleasure to watch. Because of you, I enjoy painting and will try anything.” – Peggy McDevitt
“Starting was a big milestone for me but once I did it became my savior! At last I’ve found the style of art that I absolutely love and even though I can’t draw for peanuts I’ve been happy with the pieces that I’ve created – thanks to the amazing guidance of Juliette who has the most lovely teaching style.” – Stephanie Banks
Happy painting!
xo Juliette
P.S. If you’ve been wanting to paint together, but feel like you don’t have a lot of time, I’ve also put together my self-paced, Happy Painting mini course, which has five instant-access projects. This online workshop is perfect for beginners or anyone looking to feel more connected and creative.
>>> Click here to register and get all the details on my Happy Painting Mini Course <<<