Mariposa 🦋 Techniques on how to Combine Watercolors, Color Pencils, Markers, Gouache & Fineliners!

Hi everyone! I’m excited to share the Mariposa painting tutorial with you! 🦋
This is a full-length, real-time mixed media portrait tutorial where I take you through every single step – from the very first layers of watercolor to the final highlights with gouache and fineliners. Throughout the tutorial, I explain how I build up the painting slowly and intentionally:
We start with abstract gold and blue washes, move into carefully layered skin tones, and then shape shadows, details, and textures using a combination of watercolors, markers, gouache, color pencils, and fineliners.

You’ll see how I:
– mix warm and cool tones in the skin
– add fine hair strands with detail brushes
– work around delicate areas like jewelry and flowers
– use markers for smooth gradients and fineliners for crisp definition
– deal with watercolor fading
– and bring out high contrast with black gouache and light effects

I also talk about how I correct AI-based reference issues (like those confusing butterfly wings), how I approach layering without masking fluid, and how I balance spontaneity with control across more than 40 painting steps!

I hope this tutorial gives you new ideas and the confidence to mix and match your materials more freely. 💛

Video Length: ~3 h

Painting Size: 24 × 30 cm

Materials: [Available for Members] 
Additionally I used Ohuhu Alcolol Markers & Fineliners and Arrtx Acrylic Markers!

The finished Painting:

My Reference:

My Sketch (I actually sketched this painting additionally to use the AI sketch but I forgot my drawing pad in the Louvre in Paris U_U…. So you can use this AI sketch):