Using a flower as a model will help your watercolor painting look more realistic.
Watercolor is a wonderful way to depict the beauty of nature. Watercolors can be bold and give great detail and energy to a painting. They can also be soft, subtle and calm. Although it may take years to master this art, many artists find this versatile medium a pleasing way to capture both the intensity and delicacy of the world around them. Using water, paper and a simple brush, even beginning artists feel comfortable as they explore painting through watercolor.
Instructions
1. Draw a flower on watercolor paper using a pencil. This should be a line drawing without shading and with minimal detail. Draw lightly so the watercolor can cover your lines as you paint.
2. Wet the brush and apply the water onto the middle of the flower. Use the wet brush to apply orange watercolor paint using very few brush strokes. This is called the wet-on-wet technique. The paint will spread through the paper, filling the area with color. Allow it to dry.
3. Brush water onto one of the flower petals the same way you did with the center of the flower. Use yellow to fill the petal with color and allow it to dry. Do the same to the remaining flower petals one at a time.
4. Wet the brush again and use orange or red watercolor to layer on top of the dried yellow petals. This is a wet-on-dry technique. Use this to create depth and shading. Apply the red or orange where you want the petal to be darker, and allow the yellow to show through where you want highlights. Add yellow to the center of the flower to create highlights and make the center pop.
5. Use the same techniques to add a stem and leaves. You can also add color to the background. Continue to add and layer colors as you please. You can work into your watercolor painting at anytime by applying water with your brush.
