Demo/workshop: Sarah Orchard - Adding Figures to a Landscape

In a gently humorous demo, Sarah Orchard shared some techniques for adding figures to landscapes with members.

She used some of her published illustrated books as examples and also suggested the following as offering good advice:

Trevor Waugh: People in Watercolour, also, his Youtube videos, How to Paint Figures in Watercolour 1-2

Hazel Soan: Learn to Paint People Quickly

Sarah also pointed us in the direction of the great Quentin Blake, master of the art of painting lively figures.

Sarah explained that adding a few figures to a landscape added interest to the scene and helped make sense of scale and perspective. The secret was not to attempt a detailed figure drawing but to just give an impression of a figure in movement, starting with a simple brushstroke.

In no time at all, she had us all trying out our ‘carrot’ figures with a brushstroke and minimal additional details added with brush or pen.

If you sign up for her workshop, she aims to help you use your own picture reference and populate it with a simple figure or two - in any medium.

If you are interested in joining Sarah’s workshop, please contact Jen.