Embroidered Portraits in Watercolor

Start the course by getting to know Mariah Escossia. She talks about her past, her main influences, and how she developed her personal style (a mixture of drawing, freehand embroidery, and watercolor).

She also introduces you to the materials you need to get started. Learn to create a customized color palette and discover how to work with watercolors on raw cotton. Mariah shows you how to create light and shadow with transparency and layering techniques, as well as how to create skin tones using primary colors.

Now it's time to dive headfirst into the world of embroidery. Familiarize yourself with the different types of needles, threads, and hoops and learn a range of stitches for creating textures and fillings. Mariah also teaches you to transfer a drawing to the fabric and the importance of respecting the drying times for watercolors on raw cotton.

Gather everything you've learned and bring your final project to life. Guided by Mariah every step of the way, sketch the outline using the hoop, then paint with your watercolors, and finally, use embroidery to add volume and texture to your creation. Mariah also explains how to finish your embroidery off in the hoop and gives you some final tips on how to maintain your artwork.