Nik Barkley Watercolor
Watercolor Portrait Commissions
A family that watercolors together, stays happy together.
The Process
Nik paints his watercolors from photos supplied by the client, one main photo and supporting reference files. For the best results, photos should be close up, with a simple composition, and limited complexity. This is preferred because full body photos limit the amount of detail possible, simple compositions allow the subject matter to be the hero, and limiting the complexity in the photo allows the detail to be on the subject, and not the leopard print shirt, for instance. Choosing the perfect photo is a collaborative process with Nik.