My husband lied to me
My husband is a terrible liar.
I'd show him my watercolor portraits and he'd say "That's really nice honey."
But his face told a different story.
You know the look. The one where they're trying to be supportive but their eyes say something else.
The problem was the skin tones. They came out lumpy and weird.
Like the person had a bad allergic reaction.
I spent MONTHS trying to fix it. Different techniques. Different brushes.
I watched approximately 847 YouTube videos. Nothing worked.
I was about to quit watercolors entirely and take up something easier.
Like brain surgery. 🧠 Or rocket science. 🚀
Then I stumbled onto something by accident.
I was taking a watercolor class and the professor mentioned transparent watercolors.
I had no idea what she was talking about.
Turns out there are special watercolors that layer without getting muddy.
And you can actually erase your mistakes and start over.
Most watercolor artists have no clue these paints exist. I certainly didn't.
I tried them that night. The difference was amazing.
Smooth skin tones. Realistic shadows.
My portraits actually looked like humans instead of aliens.
My husband's reaction? "Wow. That's actually really good."
No fake supportive voice. Just genuine surprise.
I've now won awards at three different art shows this year. All because I switched to the right paints.
Here's the thing. I don't want you to waste months like I did.
I remember how frustrating it was. You practice and practice and still make ugly paintings.
It hurts. Especially when you're putting in the work.
So I made a list of the exact colors I use to paint realistic skin tones.
Every single one.
It's free. Because I know how much it means to finally create something you're proud of.
Something you can show people without feeling embarrassed.
If you want the list, just click the button below and I'll send it to you.
Your portraits are about to get way better. And your spouse won't have to lie anymore.
You've got this.
Talk soon,
Cindy "my husband is a bad liar" Bale Tanner
p.s. The transparent watercolors are the secret. Once you know about them, everything changes.