Expressive Watercolour Portraits with Michelle Solomon (13 June ’26)
Suitable for both beginners and those wanting to develop a more expressive and observational
approach to portraiture: A relaxed, process-led portrait workshop exploring expressive watercolour
portraiture through observation, tonal structure, layering and mark-making. Participants will be guided through warm-up exercises, simple portrait mapping techniques, a live demonstration, and an extended guided painting session working from a live model. The workshop encourages experimentation, observation and confidence-building while allowing the unpredictable nature of watercolour to become part of the creative process.
Date: Saturday, 13 June 2026
Time: 9:00 – 12:30 (3.5 hours)
Participants are encouraged to arrive 10–15 minutes early to settle in.
Place: The Deckle Edge @ 13 Brickfield Road, Salt River
Workshops space limited booking essential
What attendees will learn:
- How to approach a portrait through observation, proportion and tonal structure
- Warm-up drawing exercises to loosen the hand and reduce perfectionism
- Simple portrait mapping and proportional relationships for observational drawing
- Basic watercolour handling, including water control, layering, washes and edges
- How to build a portrait through tonal relationships before adding detail
- How to work from a live model in a relaxed and supportive setting
- How expressive mark-making and selective detail can bring presence and character into a portrait
- How experimentation and unpredictability can become part of the creative process
Students to bring the following materials :
- Masking tape
- Watercolour brushes, size 2, 6 and 14.
- Cold-press watercolour paper. I prefer Fabriano Artistico (or cheaper Fabriano Universal
200 for b/w) - Intermediate (such as Cotman) or artist quality watercolour paint (tubes or pans).
Minimum colours: Yellow ochre, phthalo blue, alizarin crimson. Additional colours:
Burnt sienna, lemon yellow, cobalt blue hue. - Apron
Michelle will supply:
- Printed workshop notes and portrait reference sheet
- Selected demonstration materials and references
Supplied by The Deckle Edge, but not specific to what the facilitator has requested but can be used in the workshop space.
- Watercolour brushes round and Hake brushes 1.5, 2 inch and up
- Live Model
- Plastic mixing palettes
- Watercolour paints from various brands and samples
- Table top easel
- Paper Towels
- Refreshments
* Each attendee will get a 10% Deckle shopping coupon to use on the day.
Recommended age: All welcome from 16 years and up.
About the facilitator:
Michelle Solomon is a Stellenbosch-based visual artist working primarily in oil, ink, bleach and watercolour. Her work explores observation, atmosphere and expressive mark-making, often balancing controlled structure with spontaneity and process-led experimentation. Michelle has attended numerous workshops with established South African artists, including portrait and watercolour workshops at The Deckle Edge, and is deeply connected to a wider creative workshop community through ongoing shared practice, critique and artistic development. This workshop reflects Michelle’s interest in helping participants approach portraiture with confidence, curiosity and a less outcome-driven approach to making art, allowing spontaneity, intuition and unexpected moments to become part of the creative process. Through experience, she has found that these often lead to the most engaging and memorable works.
If you need to cancel your workshop booking, please let us know by 11 a.m the weekday before the workshop. To help us support the facilitator, late cancellations will not be refunded. A credit for future events could be granted at our discretion.
R750.00
In stock
Product Description
Suitable for both beginners and those wanting to develop a more expressive and observational
approach to portraiture: A relaxed, process-led portrait workshop exploring expressive watercolour
portraiture through observation, tonal structure, layering and mark-making. Participants will be guided through warm-up exercises, simple portrait mapping techniques, a live demonstration, and an extended guided painting session working from a live model. The workshop encourages experimentation, observation and confidence-building while allowing the unpredictable nature of watercolour to become part of the creative process.
Date: Saturday, 13 June 2026
Time: 9:00 – 12:30 (3.5 hours)
Participants are encouraged to arrive 10–15 minutes early to settle in.
Place: The Deckle Edge @ 13 Brickfield Road, Salt River
Workshops space limited booking essential
What attendees will learn:
- How to approach a portrait through observation, proportion and tonal structure
- Warm-up drawing exercises to loosen the hand and reduce perfectionism
- Simple portrait mapping and proportional relationships for observational drawing
- Basic watercolour handling, including water control, layering, washes and edges
- How to build a portrait through tonal relationships before adding detail
- How to work from a live model in a relaxed and supportive setting
- How expressive mark-making and selective detail can bring presence and character into a portrait
- How experimentation and unpredictability can become part of the creative process
Students to bring the following materials :
- Masking tape
- Watercolour brushes, size 2, 6 and 14.
- Cold-press watercolour paper. I prefer Fabriano Artistico (or cheaper Fabriano Universal
200 for b/w) - Intermediate (such as Cotman) or artist quality watercolour paint (tubes or pans).
Minimum colours: Yellow ochre, phthalo blue, alizarin crimson. Additional colours:
Burnt sienna, lemon yellow, cobalt blue hue. - Apron
Michelle will supply:
- Printed workshop notes and portrait reference sheet
- Selected demonstration materials and references
Supplied by The Deckle Edge, but not specific to what the facilitator has requested but can be used in the workshop space.
- Watercolour brushes round and Hake brushes 1.5, 2 inch and up
- Live Model
- Plastic mixing palettes
- Watercolour paints from various brands and samples
- Table top easel
- Paper Towels
- Refreshments
* Each attendee will get a 10% Deckle shopping coupon to use on the day.
Recommended age: All welcome from 16 years and up.
About the facilitator:
Michelle Solomon is a Stellenbosch-based visual artist working primarily in oil, ink, bleach and watercolour. Her work explores observation, atmosphere and expressive mark-making, often balancing controlled structure with spontaneity and process-led experimentation. Michelle has attended numerous workshops with established South African artists, including portrait and watercolour workshops at The Deckle Edge, and is deeply connected to a wider creative workshop community through ongoing shared practice, critique and artistic development. This workshop reflects Michelle’s interest in helping participants approach portraiture with confidence, curiosity and a less outcome-driven approach to making art, allowing spontaneity, intuition and unexpected moments to become part of the creative process. Through experience, she has found that these often lead to the most engaging and memorable works.
If you need to cancel your workshop booking, please let us know by 11 a.m the weekday before the workshop. To help us support the facilitator, late cancellations will not be refunded. A credit for future events could be granted at our discretion.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.