Cherry Hood.

Hood is one of my favourite artists, she is one of very few contemporary portraitists who have had success with watercolour, It was her illustrations for Jt Leroy (see below) that first got me started with watercolour as a medium, and i have since adopted it as my modus operandi. Her style is both realist and impressionist, her portraits are a contrast of beautiful detail and free flowing watercolour. I've used her paintings as references in almost all of my sketchbooks.

Here are some of Hood's illustrations from Harold's End.









Hood has no proper website so the best bet is to buy Harold's End, its a fucking bitch to find but well worth it.