Flowers are one of the easiest and most rewarding things to paint in watercolor. You only need a few simple strokes with your water brush.
How do I paint a simple five-petal flower?
- Mix your petal color. Prepare a soft pink, yellow or purple in the mixing area.
- Paint the petals with press-and-lift strokes. Touch the tip to the center, press down gently so the bristles spread, then lift as you pull outward. Each stroke makes one petal.
- Repeat around the center. Paint five petals in a circle, leaving a small space in the middle.
- Add a deeper color while it's wet. Touch a little darker color near the center of each petal and let it blend softly outward.
- Paint the center once the petals are dry. Add a dot of yellow or brown.
- Add a stem and leaves. Use the very tip of the brush for a thin stem. For leaves, press and lift, just like the petals.
How do I make my flowers look softer?
- Brush clean water on the petal area first, then drop in color for a dreamy, blended look.
- Leave tiny gaps of white paper between petals so each one stands out.
- Use two shades of the same color, one light and one deeper, to give the petals shape.
Good to know
- Practice single petals and leaves on a scrap page first.
- Don't worry about perfect shapes. Loose, uneven petals look natural and charming.
- Let the flower dry before painting leaves next to it, so the colors don't bleed.
Our free tutorials include easy tulips, roses, sunflowers, poppies and hydrangeas. Look in the Flower section: https://tobioskits.com/pages/watercolor-tutorials