Learn to draw a flower in watercolor (step by step). How to draw an iris flower with pencil and watercolor step by step for beginners? How to draw a bouquet of iris flowers with a pencil? Watercolor flowers in good quality
In order to draw a bouquet of roses in a vase, it is advisable to have in front of you a visual aid in the form of the roses themselves or their photographs. To begin with, a small bouquet of 3 flowers will be enough, because roses are not as easy to draw as they might seem. Try not to choose complex compositions from a large number of colors. It is also better to find roses that have clear outlines.
After you have chosen the roses that you will paint, take a sheet of paper for watercolors, attach it with thumbtacks to any board so that it does not curl up when it gets wet. Use a pencil to sketch out the general outline of the future roses.
After that, draw in the finer details. It is not necessary to draw each petal with precision. The main thing is to try to display the most characteristic features of the flower. However, be careful when drawing out the details, as this will help you avoid confusion in the future. Use a hard pencil for this so that the lines do not turn out too bold and are not too noticeable under the paint.
After the sketch is completed, wet the paper with water and immediately begin painting on the wet paper. Start with the lightest and purest tones. You can completely paint over the flower with a color that will then remain only in the light areas. At the same time, do not use only one color - the more diverse your palette, the more picturesque the picture will be. Try to combine 2 - 3 shades, drawing one color.
Once the general background is set, let the paper dry a little and start drawing the details. Take a slightly darker paint and paint the penumbra. In order to see them better, you can squint your eyes and then it will be easier to distinguish the most basic color spots. From the very beginning, you need to determine from which side the light falls on the bouquet - each flower has a lit side and a shadow side. In this case, the light falls on our roses from the right and therefore there are more illuminated areas on the right.
Once the penumbra is drawn, squint your eyes again and identify the darkest areas. There should not be too many of them so that the flowers do not turn out monotonous. Please note that in watercolors it is no longer possible to paint over a dark color with a light one. But if you still paint too much, it doesn’t matter - the paint can be soaked and wiped off with a brush like a sponge.
Once the roses are drawn, you can draw the vase. It is drawn much simpler than flowers, and besides, it is not necessary to focus attention on it and draw it too carefully - after all, the main thing for us is flowers.
The vase is conventionally divided into several main areas of varying degrees of illumination. Starting from right to left: penumbra, light, penumbra, shadow, penumbra. At the same time, there are only 2 most important areas - light and shadow. It is enough to display them correctly, making a smooth transition between them, and the vase is ready. The neck of the vase also has a lighted and shadowed side, we must not forget about this.
Then you can draw a shadow falling from the vase onto the table.
In order for the shadow to look natural, you need to know one basic, simple rule - your own shadow (the unlit side of the object) should be painted with warmer colors, and the falling shadow (cast by the object) should be relatively cool.
Therefore, on the jug its own shadow is warm brown, and the falling shadow is gray-blue.
After the vase, move on to the leaves. First, paint them completely light green, as they will appear in the light.
After that, draw the penumbra with a darker green, and make some areas the darkest. Do not forget that the shadow falling from the flowers on the leaves should be cold. Therefore, it should be painted blue-green.
The roses can then be given contrast by highlighting them as a background. For the background it is better to use paints in cool shades, this will push the background into the background. The background does not have to be uniform, but on the contrary, make it darker next to the light areas of the flowers, and where the flowers have shadows, make it lighter. You can also slightly blur the outline of those parts of the roses that are further away, but at the same time, those petals that are closer to you should remain clear. At the very end, very carefully and so as not to overdo it, you can increase the contrast by darkening the darkest areas of the shadows in several places. This will give the picture greater volume and clarity.
That's all, a simple bouquet of roses in a vase is ready.
We wish you good luck!
Painting with watercolors is a rather complex technique that requires thoughtfulness and accuracy. Unlike oil and gouache, it does not forgive mistakes. But how amazingly beautiful are the landscapes and paintings painted in watercolor - they seem to be filled with air and light! You need to master such a subtle technique gradually. Learning to paint a flower in watercolor is not that difficult, and it will be a great start to a long and interesting journey.
Choosing accessories
It is best to choose watercolor paints based on beeswax. Only they will provide beautiful bright colors, and they are actually inexpensive. To recognize them on the display case, you need to carefully study the cover - it should have the inscription “honey” on it.
The next step is choosing brushes. This is the main tool that determines how the paint will fall on the paper and how well the result will correspond to what was intended. The best option for watercolors is squirrel wool brushes. Why? They are very soft and pick up paint very well. The tip of the brush should be pointed. It is important to pay attention to how well the hairs are fixed at the base. To paint flowers with watercolors, you will need brushes No. 1, 2, 4, 6. The thinner ones will help to draw small details, and the wider ones will fill the background and main part.
A palette for mixing paints will also come in handy - it can be made from a sheet of very thick paper. Just remember to fold the edges so the paint doesn't drip.
The paper on which the drawing will be applied should also be thicker. Watercolor is diluted with water, so the thin base can become very soft and spread out. There is special thick paper for this technique with a rough surface.
Creating a Sketch
Let's look at how to paint flowers with watercolors step by step.
The first thing you need to start with is creating a sketch in pencil. This can be done in different ways depending on your skills and ability to draw.
Not everyone is able to draw a sketch of a flower themselves at the initial stage. The easiest way is to find a picture you like and trace its outline. You can find and print a ready-made sketch. If you want the outlines of the flower to be clearer in the final drawing, it is best to outline them with a pen filled with water or alcohol ink. When we start painting a flower with watercolors, in the first case, the ink will be slightly blurred, in the second, it will remain unchanged.
For those who still want to make a sketch on their own, it is recommended to very thinly and subtly line the sheet into sectors, that is, draw vertical and horizontal lines in the middle. This will help maintain symmetry and make the position of the flower in the drawing more harmonious. Avoid using an eraser as it leaves pellets.
We paint flowers with watercolors. Background
After the sketch is ready, in the future painting you need to fill the space around the main object with color. If oil or gouache is applied to the canvas with strokes, then watercolor is layers.
The background is written first because it should be more transparent and cold, focusing attention on the main thing - the flower.
Watercolors tend to spread across the canvas. To fill the background completely, avoiding paint creeping onto the outline of the flower, masking fluid is used. If it is too thick, it can be diluted with water. The mask is simply applied to the flower image with a brush. If necessary, it can be stretched with matches into sharp and small corners. Now you need to wait for it to dry. Don't worry about dropped drops, just remove them. But it is better to wash the brush immediately after use, since the dried mask will tightly grab the hairs.
Make the background the color you want. Use a palette to mix paints until you get the desired shade. You don’t want the layers to dry out too much, otherwise clear boundaries will appear, but here that’s unnecessary.
Drawing petals
The flower itself is painted in watercolor step by step, layer by layer, and only after the background has dried, otherwise the paint from the stems and petals will blur it. Don’t rush to start scheduling right away; first practice creating smooth transitions.
The rose petals have flaps of a darker shade. Take a thick paint brush and draw a thick line on a separate sheet of paper. Below, draw a strip with just water, and the same one in the middle. This will create a smooth transition from a darker shade to a lighter one.
Each petal must be drawn separately. Use less water here than when filling the background. The very first layer is applied in a very transparent yellow or red color - depending on the petal. Dry it well so that there are no pellets. Let the previous one shine through each layer, as a result the final drawing will glow. Where the color deepens, use red. Use blue carefully, its shades should be subtle. Excess water from the drawing can be removed with a dry, clean brush. Remember that each layer should be very transparent!
Stems and leaves
When we paint flowers with watercolors, we need time and patience. After the petals are ready, you can start working on the stems and leaves.
The same principle of multi-layering is observed here. In order for the drawing to be voluminous, the shades must change and flow into each other. Don't add too much paint as it will bleed. And always be sure to dilute it heavily with water. Green can be mixed with yellow to create lighter shades.
Since the first layer is always the most transparent, the color should be very light. Only the final layer is written in dark green. The darkest areas will be under the color bed and along the edges.
It is better to fill the stems with color first, and then move on to the leaves. All additional details are drawn later. Each new layer, if a change in shade is required, first try it on the palette. Painting a flower in watercolor is quite a painstaking job.
Adding details
To make the drawing more realistic, you need to deepen the colors where necessary and draw veins on the petals and leaves. This stage is no longer so monotonous.
The color build-up on the petal flaps and leaf edges is also done in layers. Each of them must dry well. After all the shades have fallen into place, you can move on.
To paint the veins, take the thinnest brush possible. But here, too, it is not recommended to use undiluted paint. Let the shade be slightly darker than the main one in this place. For petals it will be red or yellow, for leaves it will be green. The lighter they look in the finished painting, the more the flowers will look like real ones. If in your sketch the veins on the leaves were originally drawn in ink, it will be easier for you. Add notches using thin strokes.
Creating shadows
When painting a flower in watercolor, it is important not only to apply the layers correctly, but also to be able to play with details that greatly influence the final result.
The picture will look three-dimensional and alive thanks to the shadows. As a rule, to make them, the darkest shades are taken - blue and a mixture of black and green. Where should the shadows be placed? On the petals, under them, on the leaves. Before applying paint, leave any excess on the palette, otherwise the shadow will turn into a bleeding spot.
We apply shadows on the petals with blue, and dark green on the leaves. If the shade is dark, this means that it does not need to be diluted much with water. The most important thing when applying layers with watercolor is their transparency. Shadows are drawn closer to the completion of the work. It is important to dry all previous layers.
Take your time. Look carefully at the drawing, maybe you missed some detail. The upper leaves always cast shadows on the lower ones, as do the flaps of the petals. Painting flowers with watercolors is a delicate art.
And finally...
When the work is close to completion, all the veins on the petals and leaves have been drawn, shadows have been created, colors have been deepened, it’s time to return to the background.
Where the flower is lighter, the background should be darker, and vice versa. This will give the drawing volume. Here you can additionally draw stains from mixtures of paints with which the flower was painted, and simply in spots. This way the picture will look more alive, and the play of shades will balance the main object with the space around it.
Closer to the outline of the flower, add mixtures of green, yellow, and ocher paints. The distant leaves do not have to be clear, they can simply be blurred as a background.
To give your work the appearance of a real painting, make a mat. You can insert a finished painting into it or draw out a work area from the very beginning.
So we looked at how to paint flowers with watercolors, describing this technique step by step precisely because of the complexity of its implementation. So, following all the recommendations, doing the work with love and pleasure, it is quite possible to master it on your own.
The end of May is the time when nature has already come to life after a long winter sleep and is now beginning to bloom, illuminating the world with colors. At this time, there are many sources of inspiration everywhere, you need to capture everything that your eyes see. Below you will learn how to depict the world in watercolor as you see it with all the accuracy and brightness of the shades. We will learn from a bouquet of tulips that can be found in almost any home in the spring. 
You can take other flowers that you like. The main thing is that the bouquet is lively and “juicy”. Always draw from life - this way you can fully see even the smallest changes in shades. From this lesson, take the principle of operation into your knowledge so that in the future you can understand how to create similar images.
The scheme of our work will be divided into several stages:
Sketch
Chiaroscuro
Watercolor test
The drawing itself
The sketch is very important when painting with watercolors, because it is what the entire image is based on. In our example, we used watercolor paper, which allows you to “play” with shades, due to the fact that the paints take longer to dry and you can interestingly mix several different colors. Let's learn a simple technique for drawing flowers with a pencil:
We mark on paper the position of all the flowers from the bouquet. We try to accurately convey at least the general shape of each of them. We maintain proportions using the sighting method. To do this, take a pencil, place it horizontally at arm's length and measure the width of each bud. After this, place the pencil vertically and see how many times the width extends into the length. Thus, the size of the buds will be preserved, and the drawing will become realistic. Our flowers are still circles and ovals - we don’t focus on the details. 
Look carefully at the flowers, count the petals, and look at the structure of the cups. In this case, we have 4 red-orange tulips with folds in the middle of the smooth petals and 1 yellow one with fringe along the edges. On red buds, the petals are arranged in one layer, overlapping each other in a circle, while on yellow ones they bloom in two rows. 
We begin to draw the details from the “bones”, and build the petals themselves around them. Our buds look like hexagons. The “guides” will determine in which direction one or another leaf will bend. All our tulips turn out different, because we draw each one individually. Remember that depending on the time of day and temperature, flowers can change their shape, so do not drag out your sketch for several hours. The flowering phase is also important, so you need to be able to display it correctly. Our bouquet has a very successful arrangement of three buds, located in different phases. 
We display the lower yellow tulip open so that not only the petals are visible, but also the inner part with the stamens. 
All that remains is to finish drawing the leaves. During the entire work, do not overdo it with the eraser, so that in the future the watercolor does not roll off in places where there are “erases”. 
You can start applying paint right away, but we recommend that you first make two small sketches on small pieces of paper. The first one will display how the shadow falls - it will be easier for us to distribute the paint as needed: 
Next, using watercolors, we determine which colors are suitable for our large creation, and which can be immediately rejected. To do this, we draw something like this, without precision or additional details: 
In a color sketch, it is important to look at how the background will look and whether it should be brighter or darker. We determine the level of darkening on the shadow sides and the brightness of the flowers themselves. After this work, you can safely take watercolor paper and start drawing. It is better to choose imported cotton paper that is not artificially bleached. It has a grayish tint compared to a regular leaf. However, it will not look the best on white wallpaper, so it is preferable to choose a different background for your masterpiece.
The distinctive features of watercolor paper are its heterogeneity and the speed of moisture drying. While one layer has not dried, you can mix several more tones, which creates volume. For example, fill a petal with a yellow-green mixture and carefully drip scarlet paint on top and dark green paint on the bottom, shade it a little. 
We also fill each petal on the flowers, shade, distribute the shadow. The heterogeneity of tones will only emphasize the realism of the drawing. 
The single-layer technique makes the drawing lively and bright. Look at the unopened bud - you will agree that such a huge number of shades can only be created by nature and... us: 
While the buds are drying, we write one leaf. Mix green tones and experiment with brightness. While the watercolor is still wet, you can notice this beautiful shine: 
Now we move on to the central orange-red flower. Fill it with the background color - in this case, rich yellow, then draw in the red veins, mix the colors to create shimmer. 
We emphasize the shadow on the right side with light, cool shades. Fill the stem with light green paint, and draw a dark shadow with a thin brush. 
We begin to fill the second sheet from the outer part, then move on to the darker inner part. For convenience, plots can be divided into as many fragments as is convenient for you. 
Let's start working on the left blooming tulip. We leave the most jewelry work - the middle - for last. 
As you work, your desk might look something like this: 
It is important to decide which petal is which in order to individualize each fragment. Pay attention to where the edge is lighter and where it is darker. 
We visually enliven our flower with stamens. Yes, in nature they are black, but we depict them as umber. Each stamen belongs to its own petal, and the pistil in the middle complements the composition - we draw it especially carefully, shade it, but act carefully so that there is no stain. 
Next in line is the most beautiful and catchy flower - a yellow flower. We highlight the core of the bottom row with dark shades - this is not a shadow, but part of the petal, so we express it especially carefully and precisely. We shade the orange paint along the edges so as to highlight the entire spectrum of colors on a single leaf. 
We make the second row darker, adding a little more reddish warm shades. 
Carefully select the core: 
Now it's up to the leaves. You need to depict them as accurately as possible. We pay attention to the incident light, emphasizing the reflections on glossy surfaces with neat lines. Shade the resulting parts and combine different colors. 
Now a few tips to sum up our big master class:
More samples. Use different papers, brushes, color combinations and paint brands to find those that you will use forever in the future.
Whatever the paper, it is you who creates on it, so it depends only on you and your mood how original and bright your work will turn out.
We always start drawing flowers with sketches. We generalize them to simple contours, and then fill in the details inside the geometric shapes.
We look carefully at each flower individually. The artist’s task is to study the object of his inspiration, to notice the smallest play of light and natural play of tones.
We make sure to do shadow and watercolor sketches in order to correctly “scatter” the shadow over the future “finish”, and also not to make mistakes with the tones.
We focus our attention on the structure of the objects we draw. It is the “anatomical” details that often become the basis of the design, like the skeleton of our petals, for example.
Don't be afraid of unevenness and spots - imperfections are often a sign of realism, and absolute symmetry and uniform tone eliminate the liveliness in a drawing.
Drawing flowers is both simple and difficult at the same time. The wide variety allows you not to get too hung up on the rules for transferring forms. But the incredible beauty and richness of the color range is a big headache for meticulous artists. After all, it is very difficult to convey this beauty with the help of ordinary paints. Let's talk about how to paint flowers in watercolor. This instrument is most suitable for conveying the charm of flowers that is found in nature.
Features of watercolor paints
If the word “watercolor” is translated from Greek into Russian, we get “water paints”. The keyword “water” explains the transparency of watercolor beauties, their inimitable charm, fabulousness, and airiness. Regarding them, we can paraphrase the well-known proverb: “You can’t spoil watercolor with water!” Indeed, the more water, the more beautiful the watercolor works.
The technique of writing “on wet” is very popular for them. This is when colored strokes are applied to damp paper, touching each other. Because of this, they mix in an unimaginable way, creating unique combinations. Another feature of watercolor is its incredible transparency. No matter how many layers you add, each previous layer will still be visible. Thanks to this quality, many masters of watercolor painting achieve wonderful effects by overlaying different color layers on top of each other.
Do you already want to try this enchantress in action? Do not hurry. Otherwise, the first failures can be very disappointing. Although watercolors are one of the most common paints among beginning painters, they are the most difficult to master. That's why:
Watercolor does not tolerate mistakes. If you apply a wrong stroke, it cannot be corrected unless it is completely washed off before it dries.
It is very difficult to achieve color purity. This requires a lot of experience in using them. Mixing more than three colors results in mud rather than color cast.
When using multi-layer painting, it takes a lot of time. It is necessary to wait until the last layer has completely dried before applying a new one. Not everyone has the patience for such science.
These paints require good paper and quality brushes. Unfortunately, not everyone has the opportunity to purchase them. And good quality paints themselves are not so easy to find in some circumstances.
However, you should not be stopped by all these difficulties. After all, having mastered the basics of writing with watercolors, you will be able to create with any paint. And the charm inherent only in watercolor sorceresses will delight both you and your admirers.
How to draw flowers in watercolors step by step
It is best to start learning to write in watercolors with color exercises with filling spectral stripes. Having drawn a sheet of paper into squares according to the chessboard principle, paint over all horizontal lines with primary colors. Once dry, paint the vertical stripes with the same colors. As a result, you will immediately know what shades their combinations produce.
Now you can start painting still lifes of flowers. You can go out into nature and paint from nature, or you can pick a bouquet and bring it home. Immediately prepare an easel or sketchbook, paints, brushes and special watercolor paper. It is better to use a plastic board for the palette, but the easiest way is thick white paper, preferably the same one you draw on. So, everything is ready. Let's get started:
We outline the drawing. Yes Yes! Namely, we outline, the drawing is made with a slightly noticeable pressure of the pencil, the fewer lines, the better. It is advisable not to use an eraser at all.
We begin to assign primary colors. To do this, we select them on the palette. Important note: you should start with the lightest areas and it is very important to get the color right the first time.
We write down the penumbra, then the shadow parts of the flowers.
In addition to this method, you can also use the popular “wet” technique to depict flowers. In this case, at the second stage, the sheet is moistened with water and the primary colors begin to be written on the wet paper. And after drying, proceed to the next steps in the given sequence.
The scheme is simple, but very difficult to implement. Don't despair if you don't succeed right away. Do not give up! Try again and again, the more you work with watercolors, the more obedient it will become in your hands. Do not forget that any perseverance and hard work is rewarded.
One of the most exciting creative experiences is seeing a story come to life on canvas. Today we will try to “grow” watercolor flowers - delicate purple anemones. We chose a step-by-step master class from the book “Atmospheric Watercolor” by Jean Hayes, which will show how to create light, airy and atmospheric drawings.
Atmospheric watercolor
1. Take a close look at the flower and mark its center on the paper with a round spot. You can choose the colors of French ultramarine and alizarin crimson.
2. Wet the paper to the left of the stain and add a warm color - rich orange - along the outer contour.
3. Using short, straight strokes, direct the paint from the center to the petals, which we will paint in the next step. Brush strokes give direction to the viewer's gaze.
4. And now the most interesting part - the petals. Work slowly with each one and apply the mixture thicker (cadmium violet) - then you will add water to them.
5. Add more paint and drop water on the new petals. You will get stains that look great after drying.
6. Completely blur some edges of the petals with water. Closer to the center of the flower, deepen the shade.
7. Draw petals one at a time around the center of the flower. Vary the fill density and blur the side edges of the petals. Watch how a flower is born before your eyes.
8. To make the middle petal seem closer to us, deepen the purple color along the wet fill. The paint spreads evenly, but on an inclined surface it will run to the bottom edge. After the puddle dries, you will get an interesting effect, reminiscent of a curved petal.
9. Moving on to the distant petals. They are not as important as their neighbors. Draw only the outlines. The color here serves as a hint to the background without unnecessary details.
10. Having created the contours of the far petals, immediately add water from the outside. Using brush movements from the petal, direct the paint to the edges of the sheet using the stretching method already familiar to us.
11. Partially deepen the color in the core: in anemones it is very dark. In addition, the darker the color, the more delicate the petals appear due to the contrast of light and dark.
Advice. The contrast between blurry spots and clear strokes gives the image expressiveness.
12. Finally, deepen the background shade. Vary the density of the water and keep the drips to create an interesting texture. You can complete the painting, but the point of the exercise is to create the illusion of a flower. Now the image looks fresh and bright.
13. See how the paint looks after drying. The main thing is not to rush, and you will learn to create atmospheric, lively compositions.
Advice. As soon as the object becomes recognizable, stop. For both beginners and experienced artists, the hardest thing about free-motion painting is knowing when it's time to put the brush down. The work should not seem finished.