Flowers are one of my very favorite things to paint. Reason being, NO painting skills are required. Anyone can make them…really!
How to Draw and Paint a Simple Flower
When I select a flower to draw and paint I look for an interesting shape. If you have light and shadow on the flower to help you see the form, even better.
This can be the hardest step because we often overthink the decision and get stuck on this step.
The Drawing Process.
The way I draw a daisy, a petunia, a sunflower, and even a dahlia is basically the same. In this example, I’m drawing a pumpkin flower with leaves blossoming in my neighbors garden. I’ll use a pen so I can show you how to draw more organically without being able to erase. I know you think it’s harder, but in reality, it helps you loosen up, pay attention to the main big shapes and accept your lines. I’m using a continuous contour line with a Faber-Castell Artist’s Pitt Permanent Pen in Sanguine. You put your pen down and you just take your line on a journey trying not to pick it up to create the flowing organic lines.
Painting out in the garden I want to keep this simple and quick. I’ll use a couple of yellows and greens in my painting starting with the golden yellow of the flower. The consistency of your paint should be like coffee, not too thick, and I’m using Lemon Yellow and New Gamboge. Then when the flower is dry I’ll use my Phthalo Yellow Green and drop in some of my yellows now and then so the colors mingle.
A few notes:
Be sure to a look at the card below for links to all my supplies.
The video is about 10 minutes long, and is sped up in some parts. After you see my painting the flowers themselves, and letting them dry, I do go back and touch them up a bit, which is not on the video.
Basically, I go back, make the flowers a bit larger when necessary, and add a bit more color to the bottom of each flower. Remember to dry your canvas slightly tilted, so the majority of color pools at the bottom of each flower.
Don’t tilt your canvas too much, or your paint may run outside of your flower. If this happens, don’t worry! Just use some water to touch up and clean the canvas where your paint ran.
How to Paint Easy Watercolor Flowers
Ever wanted to learn how to make watercolor flowers? It’s easy! This video tutorial will show you how to make easy and gorgeous watercolor flowers.
Materials
- 5×7 Watercolor Canvas
- Watercolor Paints
- Paint Brushes (see similar here)
- Black Sharpie
- Water
- Paper Towel
- Let’s start by painting the flower buds. Decide where you want your flowers, your color palette, and how many flowers you want.
- Saturate your paintbrush (I use a rounded brush for this step), and make a small blob of paint where you want each flower (see video if you need a visual)! Do this for each flower.
- Add a bit more water to your brush, and, for each flower, move the blob of paint upward to form your flowers. You want the color to be saturated at the bottom of each flower, and get lighter towards the top of each flower. Let dry.
- Go back and finish off each of your flowers. For mine, I made most of my flowers larger, and added some more paint to the bottom of each flower to give them more color (watercolors always dry lighter). Let dry.
- Add your stems with a black Sharpie. You don’t want them straight; a little bit of curve will add some interest!
- With your Sharpie, add leaves and stamen (flowers have to be fully dry to use Sharpie over them). Look at my examples for various ideas for making both stems and stamen.
- If desired, take some green watercolor paint and add color to your stems.
- Let dry completely. Frame, if desired.
Did you make this project?
Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram
© burlap+blue
Category: tutorials
Here is a close up, so you can get an idea of some ways to make your stems and stamen. Anything goes, really!
Have fun and play around with different shapes, it’ll only add interest to your canvas.
And here’s the finished canvas. Make one and frame it, or make a few for a fun gallery wall!
Also, you can check out our Best Books on Painting if you’d like to further work on your painting skills!
If you’d like to add a frame, this one is from Hobby Lobby (be sure to use a coupon)! You can find something a similar ornate white frame here.
Let me know what questions you have for me in the comments. I’d love to see your paintings, as well! Just share and tag me on Instagram!
Head here if you’re looking for more easy watercolor ideas to try!
Thanks so much for reading all about How to Paint Easy Watercolor Flowers ! Have a lovely day!
By Author burlap+blue
Posted on Last updated: March 25, 2022
Home » How to Paint Easy Watercolor Flowers
Tags craftflowershow to paintpaintpaintingtutorialwatercolor
Easy Things To Paint For Beginners (40+ Ideas!) – Sweet Saw
Saturday 8th of January 2022
[…] Easy Watercolor Flowers […]
Saturday 18th of May 2019
Thank you for sharing this idea! I have always wanted to learn watercolor but my efforts have failed and I’ve remained intimidated. But this tutorial actually seems like something I could follow! It looks easy and fun! Can’t wait to try it out!
Sunday 19th of May 2019
Yay! I’m so glad, Rachel! Please share your results if you try this, I’d love to see! Thanks for the comment!
