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Watercoloring ,

Painting Skin Tones In Watercolor

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Shelby Abrahamsen (Foxsy)

Class Description:

Join us for an in-depth exploration of painting skin tones in watercolor! This class is designed for watercolor artists who are ready to accurately represent the beauty of diverse skin tones in their artworks.We'll start with an introduction to skin tones and undertones, followed by essential color-mixing techniques. You'll learn how to layer for depth, blend for smooth transitions, and incorporate details to bring your portraits to life. By the end of this class, you'll know what it takes to create a diverse range of skin tones in your paintings.

What You Will Learn:

  • Understanding Skin Tones: Learn about the different elements that contribute to skin tones.
  • Color Mixing: Explore color theory specific to skin tones, including which colors to use and why.
  • Layering Techniques: Discover how to build vibrancy and a sense of aliveness using glazes.
  • Blending Skills: Master techniques for achieving smooth transitions and soft gradients in your skin tones.

Supplies You'll Need:

  • Watercolor paints
  • Watercolor paper (preferably 100% cotton)
  • Watercolor brushes (a variety of shapes and sizes)
  • A palette or mixing plate
  • Two jars of water (one for rinsing brushes, one for clean water)
  • Paper towels or a rag for blotting

About Instructor

Shelby Abrahamsen (Foxsy)

Shelby is the co-founder of Foxsy and the creator at Little Coffee Fox. She is a professional watercolorist, letterer, and artist with a passion for teaching others to reintroduce creativity back into their lives. Shelby lives in Chicago, IL with her husband Jon and her pets Summer, Basil, and Korra.

229 Classes

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Class Details:

  • 📊Level: Intermediate
  • ⏰Time: 2 Hours, 23 Minutes

Class Pass includes:

  • ✓Lifetime Access To Class

Foxsy Membership includes:

Access everything on foxsy, Weekly Live Classes,
and 250+ On-Demand Classes With Foxsy

Plus Academies:

Lettering Academy

15 Courses designed to help you become the letterer of your dreams!

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Watercolor Academy

You won't find a more comprehensive resource than this!

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Drawing Bootcamp

6 sections to teach anyone to draw, no matter their skill level!

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$29 Monthly or $164 Annually

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Join a thriving community of over 2,300 students, all united by a shared love for creativity. Together, let's paint a brighter, more creative future.

  • Access 311 courses with 350+ hours of content.
  • Work through over 400 lessons and 70+ projects.
  • Access the Watercolor Academy, Drawing Bootcamp, & Modern Lettering Academies.
  • Join weekly live classes.
  • Get personalized feedback on all projects.
  • Get real answers to your questions with Creative Support.
Access Everything Foxsy Has To Offer

Be Part of the Foxsy Revolution

Join a thriving community of over 2,300 students, all united by a shared love for creativity. Together, let's paint a brighter, more creative future.

  • Access 311 classes with 250+ hours of content.
  • Work through over 400 lessons and 70+ projects.
  • Access the Watercolor Academy, Drawing Bootcamp, & Modern Lettering Academies.
  • Join weekly live classes.
  • Get personalized feedback on all projects.
  • Get real answers to your questions with Creative Support.
Access Everything Foxsy Has To Offer

Our Students Love Us

Trusted By Over 2,300 Students Like You

  • “As a total beginner when I started, I’m amazed at the amount of skill and knowledge I gained. There’s a wide variety of courses so you can’t get bored.

    There’s always another challenge in the next class. Really appreciated the personal feedback when I submitted projects.
    Janet G
  • “I loved the Watercolor Academy I learned so much and have developed self-confidence in my ability as a budding "artist "

    (I 'm still getting used to this lol)”
    Gail P
  • "This is excellent.

    As a chronic copier of other people's art, the tips offered here will help me with my own creative process and prevent the block that I feel with "what next"."
    Carol R
  • “The Watercolor Academy was a great experience. I learned so much and was able to get feedback on my projects along the way. I feel like I accomplished something when all was completed.

    I would recommend (and I have) the Foxsy Watercolor Academy to others wanting to try out watercolors or improve on their skills.”
    D Carson
  • "Very fun and informative courses.

    The projects turn out very pretty, and the instructor feedback is quick and helpful."
    Vera C
  • “Very good and useful courses for those that want to start or improve their watercolor skills”
    Boryana
  • "This was so helpful! I loved the way Shelby broke down the basics in a succinct way and tips to use while practicing. Lastly, I appreciated Shelby mentioning that everyone is going to have a unique bounce lettering style.

    As someone who is new to brush lettering in general, I've been copying a lot of what I see. I need that consistent reminder to avoid potential frustration, especially as a beginner!"
    Kelsey
  • "I loved this course. I loved how it showed the lesson and then a project that corresponded with that project.

    The explanations were amazing and helpful and I really felt confident in doing the project. This was probably the best watercolor lesson I've ever taken and enjoyed."
    LG Woods
  • "I really enjoyed this course. Instructions and examples were clear and practical and the feedback was really kind and helpful.

    It has improved my lettering knowledge and given me confidence to keep practicing."
    Nic

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Join a thriving community of over 24,000 students, all united by a shared love for creativity. Together, let’s paint a brighter, more creative future.

Monthly Membership

$29 / month
Go Monthly

All Foxsy Memberships include:

  • Access to the full 250+ class library
  • Access to The Watercolor Academy, The Modern Lettering Academy & Drawing Bootcamp
  • Access to exclusive weekly live classes
  • Fox Den Community Access
  • Project feedback from Foxsy Pros
  • Unlimited creative support

Yearly Membership

$164 / year
Go Yearly

All Foxsy Memberships include:

  • Access to the full 250+ class library
  • Access to The Watercolor Academy, The Modern Lettering Academy & Drawing Bootcamp
  • Access to exclusive weekly live classes
  • Fox Den Community Access
  • Project feedback from Foxsy Pros
  • Unlimited creative support

Lifetime Membership

$599 Never pay a subscription fee again.
Get Lifetime Access

All Foxsy Memberships include:

  • Access to the full 250+ class library
  • Access to The Watercolor Academy, The Modern Lettering Academy & Drawing Bootcamp
  • Access to exclusive weekly live classes
  • Fox Den Community Access
  • Project feedback from Foxsy Pros
  • Unlimited creative support

Monthly Membership

$29 / month
Go Monthly

All Foxsy Memberships include:

  • Access to the full 250+ class library
  • Access to The Watercolor Academy, The Modern Lettering Academy & Drawing Bootcamp
  • Access to exclusive weekly live classes
  • Fox Den Community Access
  • Project feedback from Foxsy Pros
  • Unlimited creative support

Yearly Membership

$164 / year
Go Yearly

All Foxsy Memberships include:

  • Access to the full 250+ class library
  • Access to The Watercolor Academy, The Modern Lettering Academy & Drawing Bootcamp
  • Access to exclusive weekly live classes
  • Fox Den Community Access
  • Project feedback from Foxsy Pros
  • Unlimited creative support

Lifetime Membership

$599 Never pay a subscription fee again.
Get Lifetime Access

All Foxsy Memberships include:

  • Access to the full 250+ class library
  • Access to The Watercolor Academy, The Modern Lettering Academy & Drawing Bootcamp
  • Access to exclusive weekly live classes
  • Fox Den Community Access
  • Project feedback from Foxsy Pros
  • Unlimited creative support
All plans come with a 30-day Money Back Guarantee.
Cancel anytime in your dashboard.
*All prices displayed in USD

We're getting better every day

Foxsy is an art education platform with on-demand creative courses. It’s designed so you can explore and grow your artistic skills.

The courses contain in-depth lessons and step-by-step projects to fuel your creativity and give you the skills to create your own amazing art.

Here at Foxsy, we are working to build a platform where you can have everything you need to give your creativity everything it needs to thrive.

Right now, we are working on building the best collection of online courses around, so you have everything you need to learn the new skills you've been putting off (or help you dust off some old skills).

We're doing this by working with online creators who have been where you are. Our instructors have all decided to make their creativity a focus of their lives. To devote themselves to exploring their creativity and helping others do the same, and many of them are self-taught. Basically, they get it and can help you no matter where you are.

More than that though, we want to build a space where you feel like your creativity matters. We want to give you a community where you can work to embrace your creativity and give it space in your life.

Eventually, we want to change the world though.

That's a BIG want though isn't it? Well, it's the truth. We're working to make Foxsy a place where creativity thrives not only on an individual level but also a place that helps make the world a more creative place in general.

We want to support local art projects all around the globe, expand access to art education, and show as many people as possible that no matter what they've been told, your creativity matters and should be celebrated.

If this sounds like a world, you'd like to see, sign up and help us build something amazing.

We currently have several courses on watercoloring, lettering, and creative journaling. As we grow our course library month by month, we will continue to expand the range of subjects as well.

Foxsy is adding new classes all the time to make sure you have access to a constantly growing pool of subjects and projects.

Foxsy is a paid membership platform, so you need to sign up for one of our membership plans to access everything Foxsy has to offer.

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If you get a membership and decide that Foxsy just isn’t for you, then no worries!

We have a 30-day money-back guarantee. Just shoot us a message and we’ll get your refund processed right away!

Unfortunately, no. When you cancel your membership, you will lose access to any courses you have enrolled in at the end of your membership period. 

For example, if you have a yearly membership that renews on November 1st and cancel your membership on October 10th, you will lose access to all of the courses on Foxsy on November 1st.

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Ratings and Reviews

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What's your experience? We'd love to know!
dcarson
Posted 1 year ago
Live Class Review

An amazing introduction to mixing skin tones in watercolors. I learned what colors to start with and how to layer colors to build the tone I want. It was fun digging in and playing with color in different exercises that I can repeat again and again to practice my new skills. Thank you Shelby!

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LindaH
Posted 1 year ago
Live Class Review

Shelby's Demo was Really Great She gave a lot of Super Tips for Blending the Right Skin Tones I learned the which Colour Combos were the Best

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woodster66
Posted 1 year ago
Live Class Review

Unfortunately I arrived late due to issues with the Internet here in the UK, but as the class ran over I managed to get to grips with the class and the tutor didn't disappoint, she was very knowledgable and I learnt a lot by the end of it. Mixing watercolours to get the right skintone shade was very educational, so thank you for giving your time tonight

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cherie-stuckings
Posted 1 year ago
Live Class Review

Very informative, great presentation and useful information

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