Watercolor painting is an expressive form of art that allows the artist to wash their canvas in a fluid depiction of both the concrete and abstract. Painting flowers is a beautiful way to preserve the magical reawakening of blossoms in the spring and the vibrant, bold blooms that can be found in sultry climates all year round. Flowers are a favorite subject of many artists, regardless of their chosen medium, but the fluidity of watercolors can make painting with them one of the best ways to capture the ethereal nature of delicate flowers.
An Intro to Watercolors
Before you begin painting with watercolors, you must understand how they are best used. Watercolor paints are very different from acrylics; they are more translucent and can be easily blended on paper. Paints are available in both tubes and pans and are mixed with water.
Materials
- Watercolor paints
- Watercolor paper
- Brushes in a variety of sizes
- A paint palette
- Two containers of water, one for cleaning and one for mixing with paint
- A clean reusable rag or paper towels
Watercolor Techniques
Wet-on-Wet
The wet-on-wet watercolor technique creates soft edges and allows the artist to naturally blend color as wet paint is applied to wet paper or canvas. Wet on wet is a really useful technique for creating base layers and backgrounds to highlight your floral art.
Wet-on-Dry
Applying wet paint to dry paper or canvas offers the artist increased control and more defined edges. This technique is most effectively used when adding fine details to a painting project.
Layering
Building up layers of color gradually, allowing each layer to dry before applying the next, lets artists add depth and richness to the art being created. This can be an effective method of developing the flower petals of beautiful blooms.
Steps for Painting Beautiful Watercolor Flowers
Step 1: Sketch Out Your Artwork
With a light hand, use a pencil to sketch your composition. This helps to keep your artwork on track with what you envisioned. Your sketch should be simple. Focus on basic shapes rather than sketching out detailed drawings.
Step 2: The First Wash
It's time to start painting. Use the wet-on-wet technique to add a light base layer of color to the petals and leaves that you've sketched out. For this first wash, stick to light, diluted colors.
Step 3: Add in Details
After the base layer has dried, use the wet-on-dry watercolor technique to apply details to your flowers, such as veins in leaves or petal lines. A smaller brush will work better for precise placement and fine lines.
Step 4: Layer on More Color
Add additional layers of watercolor paint to create greater depth and more intense colors, making sure to let each layer dry completely before adding the next.
Step 5: Final Touches
Using a fine brush, add any final details and textures to your watercolor flowers. This could include adding texture to the petals and sharpening the edges of the stems and leaves.
Tips for Artists Who Want to Master Watercolor Flowers
Mastery of any art technique takes time and practice more than anything else, but there are a few things that can make the road to mastery a little smoother. One of the basic principles of watercolor painting is to always start with light colors, then add darker colors later. To get a better sense of how watercolors mix and blend, use a scrap piece of heavy paper or your palette to test out colors before you add them to your watercolor painting. You may also start by painting from a photograph instead of from a real-life subject. Using a photograph as a reference can help inexperienced artists to become more familiar with the use of light and shadow in portraying three-dimensional objects on flat paper or canvas. Take the time to really study your reference image and notice the differences in how a subject is lit and where the darker areas of the flowers are. Then, paint these differences into your artwork to add realism. When you're done, you'll have a work of art that's perfect for a birthday or Mother's Day gift.
Additional Watercolor Resources
- Watercolor Illustrations: Techniques and Tips
- Creating a Night Sky With Watercolor Paints
- Learning About Watercolors: Tips and Notable Works
- Watercolor Flowers in Three Steps for Young Artists
- Painting Watercolor Flowers
- Order Flower Arrangements
- Watercolor Flowers: A Detailed Step-by-Step
- Learn How to Paint Different Types of Flowers
- Watercolor Landscape Activity With Vocabulary Words
- Watercolor Painting Basics: How to Get Started
- Watercolor Painting Supplies
- Fast Flower Delivery Online
- Out-of-the-Box Watercolor Painting Techniques
This article was posted by Chad Kremp