Steampunk HOT GUY Lesson in Watercolor (or Graphite!)

20/3/2024

It's HOT steampunk guy time!! You're welcome😜

THIS week's NEW LESSON is kind of a choose-your-own adventure!!

It can go one of two ways depending on what YOU want!!

Graphite... or watercolor :)

If you opt for graphite, supplies are SUPER simple and this is what your finished piece will look like.

Step by Step Steampunk HOT GUY Drawing Lesson Online with Karen Campbell Artist

He's a hottie alright!!

If you're in the mood for a little watercolor - the look of watercolor and graphite TOGETHER is SUPER striking!!

How to Watercolor a HOT Steampunk Guy Online Art Lesson with Karen Campbell Artist

*All product links are affiliate & for U.S. residents only.*

Am I right?!

Now, this part is REALLY important...

IF you know you want to add watercolor, you need to do your drawing on watercolor paper. If you're not sure- I suggest you STILL opt for a sheet of watercolor paper for this project.

I happen to LOVE the look of graphite on textured cold press watercolor paper, so I usually grab a sheet of that (or work in my Strathmore Watercolor Journal) if I'm on the fence, or unsure where a project is gonna end up. Plus I think that shading in pencil looks SO cool on the textured cold-press watercolor paper.

Why Karen Loves Textured Cold Press Watercolor Paper for Graphite Drawings

Seasoned graphite artists & watercolorists, ready to start this project?
(Club Newbies & Watercolor Newbies, PLEASE keep reading!!)

Don't worry- supply links to the exact watercolor shades I used are in the classroom in case ya wanna know :)

New to Watercolors? I've got you!!

Online Art Class Instructor, Author & YouTuber Mixed Media Artist Karen Campbell

DON'T feel obligated to go buy watercolors if you don't have any- especially if you're new to the Fun Fab Drawing Club.

We really don't use them that much here.

BUT, if you are like a LOT of people at Awesome Art School and you love to hoard art supplies like me (I can't help it - they just JUMP into my cart!!), or if you've always wanted to TRY watercolor but haven't, this is the perfect excuse to grab a little starter set or two just for fun!

If you're a newbie in that boat and don't wanna break the bank on a little starter set - here are some fun palettes for you to consider...

For skin tones, I almost ALWAYS use this skin tone palette by Prima (shown below). It's super affordable and gives ya 12 fun colors to play with for around $20. You can create pretty much ANY ethnicity with this set and it will last ya forever.

Prima Watercolor Complexions Set Loved by Karen Campbell Artist

Prima also offers some other great sets you might want to consider if you're just getting started with watercolors. I've reviewed a TON of them on YouTube in this playlist, and think both the Terrain or Tropicals set would be perfect for this project.

If you wanna avoid buying more than one watercolor set and keep supplies cheaper right now, you can skip the skin tone set and choose either the Terrain or Tropicals set alone. Both of these sets have a shade you can use as a skin tone :)

The Graphitint watercolor palette by Derwent (shown below) would be another SUPER FUN choice for today's project because graphite has been pre-mixed into these watercolors so they have kind of a grungey look on paper. They're super moody and create cool effects!! I reviewed this one on YouTube also if you wanna watch before ya buy :) You can also skip the Prima skintone set if you want to buy this one because a light wash of the shade Russet in this set will work.

Derwent Graphitinit Watercolor Set Loved by Karen Campbell Artist

You can't go wrong with any of these palettes.

Just pick the set YOU love the colors most in, and GO!

As far as watercolor brushes go, anything will work.

I recommend a ROUND brush for watercolor because they hold a LOT of pigment and water :)

Creative Mark Watercolor Brushes Loved for Students by Karen Campbell Artist

I like this set of 8 brushes for students by Creative Mark because there are a variety of brush sizes to play with for less than $60.

They've also got a slightly smaller set of 5 brushes for about $23.

If you just wanna invest in ONE nice watercolor brush right now, you can't go wrong with brands like Silver Brush Black Velvet or Winsor & Newton. These are fine artist brands though, and one nice brush could cost ~$20+ depending on what you fall in love with.

Just keep in mind that brushes come in a wide variety of sizes.

You know yourself - if you're a details girl and want lots of control (similar to a pencil!), grab one with a smaller size number (like 4,6, or 8- yes, you can go smaller, but TRY starting in this range).

If you're like me and not so much into details and wanna put some serious strokes on your page and move on, go for a medium to larger size number on your brush like an 8-14!

You might also like looking in person at brushes at your local craft store. Sometimes it helps to feel them in your hand and see the size of the bristles up close :)

Another HOT TIP for Watercolor Newbies!

If you're nervous about adding watercolor to a drawing you already love, there is this super cool thingy called a pipette. Grab one of these along with a mixing plate/paint palette tray. Wet your watercolor brush and dip it into the color you'd like to use first (let's say a skin tone).

Then brush that around on your mixing plate, and add a few drops of ADDITIONAL water with a pipette (shown below). This waters down the color EVEN MORE and will give you a little more control with how much color you're adding to your page so you can add layers of color in baby steps :)