As soon as you join, your dashboard opens with a short welcome from your instructor and your supply list, so you have time to get your materials together. The list does the thinking for you: it names the few things worth buying and where to find them. Your joining links are there from the start, and each session's replay appears soon after the session ends.
3-day live workshop
$39
Learn to sketch and paint
a watercolour portrait, from scratch,
in three live guided sessions
Online Workshop
July-August batch
For beginners and returning learners who want a calmer way in, and for anyone looking to make a little quiet room for art again.
From a blank page · 3-month replay · Feedback on your work · Live on Zoom
$39
July-August batch · Sun 26 Jul, Sat 1 & Sun 2 Aug · 7:30-10:00 AM ET · Live on Zoom
About $13 per live session
counting the three live sessions alone. The bonus review, replays, and feedback are all included.
20,000+ artists taught
at Alekhyam, in live online classes
In learners’ words
Reviews
A few words from learners who began where you are.
“Portraits are something I always avoided, never confident with them. Breaking the face down into proportions made it simple, and made me feel capable.”
“This was my first experience with watercolour portraits. I learnt a lot, and I feel more confident now.”
“This is the first time I have made a human face with confidence.”
“Definitely not the exact version, but I am so happy with my first portrait ever.”
“I just loved doing this painting. I couldn’t believe, first of all, that I could draw people.”
“I am absolutely loving the portrait course. The step by step teaching is amazing for a non-artist like me.”
What you’ll make in 3 days
From structure, to monochrome, to colour.
A finished watercolour portrait
By the third session: soft skin tones, gentle expression, a portrait you made from scratch.
Monochrome studies
An eye, a nose, and lips in a single tone, so each feature starts to feel approachable.
A portrait sketch
Proportions and every feature placed as a simple shape, drawn from a reference.
Curriculum & live schedule
Live on Zoom
26 July, 1 & 2 August 2026
7:30 to 10:00 AM ET
+ bonus review 8 Aug
Pre-workshop access
Three live sessions of 2.5 hours
A bonus live review
3-month replay access
Open any section to see the exact dates, days, and what you will cover.
We begin with the foundation of a portrait. You learn the basic proportions of a face and how to simplify features into shapes, then sketch a straight-face portrait from a reference, placing the eyes, nose, lips, face shape, neck, and hair. It is about understanding the structure before any paint.
You will learn
- Face proportionsthe basics that keep a face balanced.
- Features as shapessimplify eyes, nose, and lips into shapes.
- Placing the featureseyes, nose, lips, face shape, neck, and hair.
- Sketch from a referencea straight-face portrait, step by step.
- A clean sketchprepared and ready for watercolour.
Outcome
You finish with a complete portrait sketch, ready to paint. There are six days before Day 2 to refine it and share it for feedback.
We shift to watercolour and practise the features on their own. Before the full portrait, you paint the eyes, nose, and lips in monochrome, so you can feel value, softness, and shadow without the pressure of colour mixing.
You will learn
- Watercolour basicsthe techniques that suit portraits.
- Water and brush controlthe foundation of soft, clean work.
- Soft shadowsshape a feature without hard edges.
- Features without harsh outlineslet tone do the drawing.
- Monochrome studiesthe eye, nose, and lips in one tone.
- Light and dark valuesread where a face turns.
Outcome
You finish with monochrome studies of an eye, a nose, and lips, and steadier control before the final portrait.
We paint the portrait you sketched on Day 1. You start with light layers, build skin tones gradually, work the features within the whole face, and bring in softness and depth, without letting the face turn patchy or muddy.
You will learn
- Skin tone mixinggentle, believable tones.
- The first light layerhow a portrait begins.
- Building tone graduallylayer by layer, never rushed.
- Layering for portraitsdepth without going muddy.
- Features within the faceworked into the whole, not in isolation.
- Softness, depth, and expressionwhere a face comes alive.
- Finishing touchesthe last quiet passes.
Outcome
You finish with a complete, beginner-friendly watercolour portrait.
The weekend after the workshop, on Saturday 8 August, we set aside a live hour to review selected works. It is included in your fee.
We look at
- What is workingin your portrait.
- Proportionswhere they can be tightened.
- Common mistakeshow to gently correct them.
- Skin tones and layeringhow to improve them.
- What to practise nexta clear direction to keep going.
All sessions stay on your Alekhyam dashboard for three months, until 2 November 2026. Keep sharing your work for review while your replays are live, and continue with more steadiness on your own.
Book My Seat
$39 · about $13 per session · 3-month replay access
A certificate, when you finish
A digital certificate of completion, issued on request once you finish the workshop portrait, live or with the replays.
A quiet record of the sessions you showed up for, and the portrait you finished
Yours to keep, for yourself or to share
Issued only for a finished portrait, and only in your name
- No prior experience needed.
-
more
- Designed for: adults and older teens who want a calm, guided start.
More from learners
Two learners on what changed after three sessions.
How the workshop unfolds
What to expect, from the moment you book to months of replay access.
Reserve your place
Book securely through Razorpay. Your confirmation arrives by email, and your access begins right away.
Begin with the welcome
Get oriented before Day 1. Review your supplies, find your way around your dashboard, and settle in at your own pace.
Join the live sessions
Each session runs 2.5 hours, with a gentle break in the middle and a 20-minute live Q&A to close. Questions are welcome while we paint, and a few artworks shared in the community are reviewed live, so one person's question helps everyone.
Revisit, share, continue
All workshop replays stay available for 3 months on your Alekhyam dashboard after the final session. You can keep sharing workshop-related artworks for review during that period and continue practising with more clarity and confidence.
Format, timing & language
Schedule
26 July, 1 and 2 August 2026
Days
Sun 26 Jul, Sat 1 & Sun 2 Aug
Timing
7:30 AM - 10:00 AM ET
Mode
Live on Zoom
Language
English
This workshop may be a good fit if...
- Complete beginners
You want to learn watercolour but need a clear place to start. - Returning learners
You have tried before and want to come back with more structure and less pressure. - Busy adults
You want a creative practice that sits inside real life, not outside it. - Hesitant learners
You love art but feel unsure around sketching, colour, or composition. You want the next step to feel clear.
Book My Seat
Live on Zoom · 3 live sessions and a bonus review · 3-month replay access
What these three sessions are designed to give you
- Learn step by step
Sequenced lessons from sketching a face to soft colour to a finished portrait. - Build working confidence
Know what to do next instead of second-guessing every line, wash, or colour choice. - Create a steadier rhythm
Weekend morning sessions that fit a busy schedule, with replays when life interrupts. - Feel supported, not alone
Live teaching, guided feedback, and community support throughout.
By the end, you can expect to...
- Feel less intimidated by the blank page.
- Handle watercolours with more calm and control.
- See a face more clearly, and sketch it with steadier proportion.
- Know what to practise next instead of starting from zero again.
Small gains, but they are the ones you keep.
Meet the team behind the workshop
The people teaching live, answering your questions, and reviewing your work.
What your seat includes at $39
three live guided sessions on Zoom
3-month replay access after the final session
A welcome and your supply list ready as soon as you enrol
A bonus live review on 8 August, after the workshop
Feedback on every workshop-related artwork shared in the learner community while your replays are live, until 2 November 2026
Guided Q&A throughout the workshop
Certificate of completion, on request once you finish your portrait
Access to the learner community, a supportive space to share your work
Price $39
About $13 per live session • three live sessions • bonus review • 3-month replay • guided feedback
Live on Zoom · Sun 26 Jul, Sat 1 & Sun 2 Aug · 7:30 to 10:00 AM ET · bonus review Sat 8 Aug
Secure checkout via Razorpay · international cards accepted · No forex or convenience fee added by us
Full refund any time before the second session begins, even if your plans change before Day 1
How the live sessions feel
A short clip of the live teaching: the pace, the guidance, and how a portrait comes together.
Questions, answered
The details most people want before they book.
Yes. You do not need strong sketching skills to begin. The workshop is designed for learners who are new, rusty, or not yet confident. Every step is taught live, and each session picks up where the last one ended, so you are never left guessing what to do next.
All three live sessions run from 7:30 to 10:00 AM ET. Each session is 2.5 hours, with a short break in the middle; questions are answered along the way, and each session closes with a 20-minute live Q&A. The bonus review on 8 August runs from 7:30 to 8:30 AM ET.
- Day 1Sun, 26 Jul 2026 · 7:30-10:00 AM ET
- Day 2Sat, 1 Aug 2026 · 7:30-10:00 AM ET
- Day 3Sun, 2 Aug 2026 · 7:30-10:00 AM ET
- Bonus reviewSat, 8 Aug 2026 · 7:30-8:30 AM ET
Each session reaches your dashboard as a replay within a few hours of ending, so a missed session is easy to catch up. Each session builds on the one before, so watch the one you missed first.
All replays stay until 2 November 2026, three months after the final session. That window does not extend.
These sessions are designed to be taken live, for the focus and momentum that come with painting in real time. The three-month replay window is a generous cushion for catching up and revising, not a substitute for the live sessions, and it is not extended beyond that. It is separate from our recorded courses in the Alekhyam library, which come with far longer access, about two years from the date of purchase.
Comfortably, and never on camera. Only your instructor is on screen, and her camera stays on the paper, the colours, and the reference she is painting from, so the whole session stays with the art. Ask anything in the Zoom Q&A panel as it comes to you; she answers as she paints. Each session closes with a 20-minute live Q&A, where the team can unmute you if you would like to speak.
Live review is selective, based on artworks that reflect common doubts and learning points for the group. For live consideration, share your work 4-5 hours before the next session. Even if your work is not shown live, every workshop-related artwork shared in the learner community is reviewed while your replays are live, until 2 November 2026.
Joining links are sent by email, and you can also join directly from your Alekhyam dashboard on the app or website. Replays are streamed from the dashboard as well, so everything stays in one place.
You will learn to sketch a face from scratch, understand proportion and features, then move into watercolour basics, monochrome shading, skin tones, and finish a complete watercolour portrait with growing confidence.
You do not need an expensive setup, and most of it you may already have. Here is the short version, with the full, ready-to-buy list a click away.
For Day 1, you sketch on ordinary sketching paper and print your reference on an A4 sheet, so nothing precious is at stake while you find the proportions.
For the painting days, the one thing worth getting right is your watercolour paper: ideally 100% cotton, 300 GSM, and cold-pressed. On good cotton paper the washes settle smoothly and colours blend with ease, while thin or low-grade paper buckles and lifts the colour, so a clean result is much harder to get. On Day 2 you transfer your Day 1 sketch onto this paper and begin to paint.
You can get this paper as loose A4 sheets or as a sketchbook, in A4 or square, including from shop.alekhyam.com. Keep it A4 or bigger, and print your reference to a similar size so the two match on Day 1.
You will also want watercolours, a few round brushes, a pencil and eraser, paper tape, two water containers, and a cloth. The full supply list gives brand options for every budget and where to buy each one, and the brands we suggest, like Camel and Brustro, are recommendations only, with no affiliation.
No, you do not need your own photo. We provide the reference for you. It is a female portrait, and we will share it with you soon, through your dashboard, by email, and on WhatsApp, before the workshop begins. Everyone works from the same reference, which keeps every step easy to follow, and once you know the method you can go on to paint any face you choose.
Our learner community lives on Tamboora, Alekhyam's community space. It is where you introduce yourself, share workshop-related work, ask questions, and receive support from the team and other learners. It uses a separate quick login, and we send you the details after you enrol.
Yes. You can request a full refund at any time before the second session begins on Saturday, 1 August. That covers a change of plans before the workshop starts, and the first session not feeling right once you have tried it. Once the second session begins, refunds are not accepted.
Yes. The price of $39 covers the workshop in full: all three live sessions, the bonus review, and your replays. No forex or convenience fee is added by us at checkout.
Finish the workshop portrait, live or with the replays, and request your certificate on WhatsApp, email, or in the learner community. We issue it digitally, made out to the name on your account.
Because it certifies real, completed work, we ask to see your finished portrait, and we check your name once so the certificate carries your real name. If your account name and your ID differ, write to us first and we will sort it out. Replays stay until 2 November 2026, so there is time to finish at your own pace.
“We begin with a blank page: proportions first, then the features as simple shapes, then colour one gentle layer at a time. I guide every step live, so by the third session you are holding a portrait you painted yourself.”
Price
$39
Book My Seat