I reviewed this book after taking Ana Santos' popular Domestika class, "Illustrated Portraits in Watercolor." Santos' fresh approach makes watercolor accessible, and gives a modern twist to traditional portrait painting. While the book focuses on watercolor, it also includes tips and techniques for mediums such as ink, gouache, mixed media and digital. There is lots of inspiration and practical knowledge to be gained from this title.

This was really interesting way of painting portraits and definitely less intimidating. The book also explains colour theory and different styles of painting faces. I will try to paint more portraits after reading this book.

An interesting book with some great ideas but the artistic level needed to carry them off is a little bit above my pay grade. I think it would be a great addition to the art library of an artist with more skill than I have.

Creative Portraits in Watercolor
5 Stars

There's so much I love about this book! Though I think the author's teaching style and artwork are what make this book so great. She's an excellent teacher with a gentle approach that doesn't leave the reader feeling overwhelmed. She does an excellent job breaking down difficult techniques into more manageable steps.

Creative Portraits in Watercolor is a good choice for beginners or advanced watercolor artists. It does a great job meeting an artist where they are. It offers step-by-step picture tutorials, so one can follow along too. As a visual learner, I enjoyed this book's layout. The large blocks of text are broken up by color, sketches, and tips. Inside there are gorgeous illustrations that inspired me to create art.

Oddly enough, I appreciate that photos weren't digitally changed to be perfect. Watercoloring isn't perfect. It can be discouraging for a beginner artist, but photoshopping has become "the norm" of late. Another fun section I enjoyed was adding texture to watercolors. I've tried several.

Overall, I love Creative Portraits in Watercolor, and have already pre-ordered myself a copy. It's a great resource for any artist's library. I can see myself re-visiting ideas from this book.

Thank you, NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group, for providing me with a digital ARC for an honest review.

This is a beautiful book with gorgeous inspiration. It is above my level and definitely better suited to more advanced artists and art students. I planned to fully review it on one of my websites, but the ARC was archived too soon.

An incredibly beautiful and inspiring manual for watercolor portraiture that’s wonderful for even uncertain artists like me. Santos is kind and gentle as she introduces concepts and teaches techniques; you can feel her patience for slow or nervous learners. She is also a phenomenal artist, and it’s very generous of her to share her techniques in this way. I have tried and will continue to try so many things in this book, and have added new things to my creative practice and art.

Thank you to Santos, NetGalley and Quarry Books/ Quarto for access to this ARC.

Many, many ideas on how to paint portraits that are different, interesting and different! Definitely a keeper for when you run out of ideas on how to paint more charming and eye-catching faces. What’s more, you can apply all of these techniques to subjects other than faces too.

The step by step instructions are rather brief so I think this book is meant more for the intermediate than the beginning artists.

5 stars. Love it and might just get a hard copy to leaf through again and again..

I found this book very interesting in the way it uses watercolor to achieve really different portraits.. It is not a book on drawing faces or getting likeness via sketching but using color to enhance a sketch or tracing of a portraiture. It is not what I expected, but I am happy with the turn this book has taken, and really enjoyed reading and trying it out. Thanks you NetGalley and the publishers for the DRC

"Creative Portraits in Watercolor" by Ana Santos is perfect for anyone (like me) looking to explore the world of watercolor portraiture. Ana Santos, an artist and illustrator with a strong online presence as an instructor, perfectly brings her expertise to the forefront in this comprehensive guide. She not only provides clear step-by-step demonstrations but also offers beginner-friendly exercises that enable readers to create expressive and imaginative portraits.

The helpful part of this book for me was its attention to foundational knowledge. Santos covers essential materials, helping beginners understand the types of watercolor paints, papers, brushes, and supplies needed for their artistic journey. Additionally, the exploration of color theory, including the color wheel, harmonies, contrasts, and palettes, adds depth to the learning experience.

But what truly sets this book apart are the fun exercises and inspiring examples that encouraged me to explore portrait painting using a variety of color palettes, mixed media combinations, and innovative techniques. These exercises not only enhance technical skills but also spark creativity and imagination.

In summary, "Creative Portraits in Watercolor" is a five-star resource that will empower aspiring artists to create stunning watercolor portraits. The expertise, clear instruction, and engaging exercises make it a must-have for anyone interested in entering the world of watercolor art. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned artist, this book is a valuable addition to your creative journey.

Creative Portraits in Watercolor is a must read for those interested in painting faces using watercolors. The book provides a thorough explanation on the materials needed, color theory, watercolor techniques and how to draw proportional faces. Exercises are provided on using different colors (i.e. monochromatic, complimentary and analogous) to paint faces and how to paint traditional, creative and mixed-media portraits. My only concern is that each exercise only had four to five steps, which may not be enough detail for the beginner artist. Otherwise, Creative Portraits in Watercolor is a helpful book for those who are ready to use their skills to paint faces.

"Creative Portraits in Watercolor" by Ana Santos is a captivating and instructive guide that beckons both budding and experienced artists to explore the vibrant world of watercolor portraits. Ana Santos, an accomplished artist and instructor, offers a treasure trove of insights, techniques, and exercises that empower readers to create expressive and imaginative watercolor portraits.

This beautifully written and illustrated book is a valuable resource for aspiring artists. It begins with a comprehensive introduction to essential materials, providing readers with an in-depth understanding of watercolor paints, papers, brushes, and other necessary supplies. Santos expertly guides readers through the selection and use of these materials, ensuring that they are well-equipped to embark on their creative journey. This book is a valuable addition to any artist’s library !

I loved the color palettes and found the sections, light, and shadows most interesting. I was surprised that it does not delve deeper into sketching and drawing, which may make it a bit daunting to undertake some of the projects, so it may not be a first choice for beginners. It does provide tools and supplies recommendations and standard fare art tutorial books, which may be redundant for more advanced artists, although it's always interesting to see what other artists recommend.

This is a wonderful and inspiring book full of information and examples. Even though there are walk throughs for each technique I feel like there is also room to take one of the ideas and make it your own.
I liked the variety of exercises and techniques from basic watercolor to continuous line drawing and how to take your work into the digital world.
Very comprehensive with lots of doable exercises.

Beautiful portraits with color and detail added. Perfect for artists who know how to draw and are curious about adding colors or extra mediums to their sketches.

The first section of the book covers a lot of color theory and watercolor techniques, many of which I was unfamiliar with. The techniques have clear explanations and step-by-step pictorial examples.

The rest of the book moves on to various styles of portrait, using different materials, techniques, and approaches to color and light.

I enjoyed looking at all the portraits and reading about how they were created, and picked up a few ideas to try in my own work.

Definitely recommend to anyone interested in learning more about watercolor or about new styles of portraits.

*Thanks to NetGalley, Quarto, and Quarry Books for providing an early copy for review.

Although I've been painting in watercolour on and off for many years, I've never used them for portraits. This book inspired me to pick up brushes again and tackle a portrait. It is full of useful tips and hints about materials, tools and the use of colour, all clearly explained. The exercises inspired me to put the information into practice. I particularly enjoyed combining watercolour with digital techniques in the final exercise. Overall, it's an excellent way to learn how to use watercolour, with lots of useful information that you can apply to other subjects, not just painting people.

Wow - creative indeed. I enjoyed it. Santos covers the basics if you need help in selecting watercolor supplies, identifying face shapes, and outlining your portrait. However, the color combinations, choosing identifying features, and making a portrait your own are unique and helpful.

The illustrations are clear, the text interesting, and the process is informative. One to add to your library as a beginner or more advanced watercolorist.

I am studying architecture so I knew some things about watercolor, so it's interesting to learn more about it. Also, it's such a beautiful book

Reminds me of my first year studying architecture and there are things I definitely didn't know about and I'm grateful for. I love watercolor is explained more so you know how to achieve different looks.

If you would like to start in the world of watercolor painting this book will definitely help you create beautiful pieces of art in an easy way

This book lives up to its title for "creativity". In the first section, there is quite a bit of basic info on materials and techniques: types of watercolors, paper, brushes, and color theory. The second section takes you through creating portraits using different combinations of watercolor. But the third and fourth chapters are where the author shines!

You'll learn how to combine watercolor with various mixed media, so there are techniques for watercolor and pencil, ink, gouache, colored pencils, charcoal and more. The author commands you to "break the rules" and looks at ways you can make a difference in your painting through continuous line drawing, contour drawing, drawing upside down, etc. There's also a chapter on the digital process.

While none of these techniques is new, the illustrations that accompany each technique are unique and inspiring. This certainly is a great reference book for anyone wanting to find ways to switch up their painting by exploring the lessons and color combinations the author describes.

Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Quarry for an advance reader's copy.

Creative Portraits in Watercolor is a comprehensive guide to watercolour portraiture.

The book opens with an excellent introduction to colour theory and working with watercolours before guiding the reader through the basics of how to draw faces. As the author says: know the rules before trying to break them.

From there we are guided in the art of portraiture, with step by step instructions to create the pieces. There are tips for creating portraits using different watercolour techniques; playing with colours and styles, mixing skin tones (back to colour theory!), working with restricted palettes and mixed media or digital techniques to foster different moods.

This is all about creativity and giving the reader permission to have fun with their portraits. As a watercolour artist myself, I will definitely refer back to this book time and again in my own painting journey.

~Many thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review~