How to Add Figures to Your Watercolor Painting (2 Simple Steps)

Many of you have heard me say - one of the most powerful ways to create interest in your painting is to add elements of life. Viewers are attracted to figures, animals and other living things that suggest a narrative.

In today’s video, I give you TWO tips on how to fit figures into your scene with the right proportions:

Find reference points within the scene. Identifying these will give you the appropriate scales for your figures. One way to do this is to paint your figures in proportion to the other elements of your painting. For example, figures are generally a little taller than cars. Of course, there are exceptions, but generally, a grown adult is a little taller than a car. Also keep them in proportion to your doorways, windows, and things of that nature.

Paint your figures’ heads along the same plane. Even if you have a figure off in the distance, put their head at the same height as others in the foreground. The closer they get to the viewer, the longer their torso is going to be. So really, you're adjusting their torso, but their head is on the same plane.

I hope that these tricks help you feel less intimidated about adding figures into your scene.

It all gets easier the more and more you practice. It's all about repetition. If there's a challenge, take that challenge on. Try it once, repeat, and keep working at it. Eventually, you’ll have gained a new skill!

Thank you for being with me here today! Keep working at it and keep moving forward in your growth as an artist!