How to Paint Spring Flowers in Watercolor

Last Updated: October 3, 2022

How do you welcome spring? Perhaps you've been thinking ahead for months, eager to see the first flowers pop out of the ground. Or, maybe the new shoots take you by surprise, appearing as if by magic on the landscape. No matter the temperature outside, or what the calendar says, it's always spring when you pick up a brush and paint early arriving flowers in watercolor.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Planning and Practicing

Find photographs of your favorite flowers so you have lots of time to study their make-up, color, and special qualities. All the while, look past the obvious to see the flower's structure. This is an exercise in simplifying the flowers' forms to see them as lines (stems) and common shapes: circles, ovals, shields, daggers, etc.
What all-over shape do you want the garden to have: curved symmetrical, random, or on levels? Will the taller flowers be off to one side or scattered throughout? Will the smaller ones be in rows? How will your choice of colors create drama? Would intricate flowers be highlighted next to simpler ones? Could a favorite object such as a statue be employed as a centerpiece or a focal point? Will flowering trees or branches from a shrub be visible at the edges of your picture's plane?

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Reduce the blossoms to simple geometric shapes and, for the moment, eliminate details and color. For example, a rose is basically round and the layers and rows of inner petals can be shown as a few, wiggly crescent-shaped lines converging at the center.
The broad petals can be depicted with long curved lines from top to bottom. Use a double line whether the stem is thick, or spindly to allow room to paint it. The tulip's spiked leaves begin at the base of the stem and flare slightly at the top.
They are called a "radial" type of flower because they are round and petals radiate out from the center.
Look closely at the luscious blooms of the lilac and hydrangea because their large heads are made up of many small flowers clustered together, designating them as "cluster" blossoms. Start by outlining the basic shape of the blossom, round for hydrangeas and elongated for lilacs. Within that shape, make many smaller circles for individual flowers. Divide each tiny flower into small petals and at the center of each flower make another small circle which can later be colored to define it.
Don't fear the more complex trumpet shaped flowers such as daffodils or jonquils because when broken into simple shapes you'll see two distinct ones; a cone or trumpet in the center and a circle at the base. When divided into sections, this outer circle becomes the petals. It is a good idea to make the correct number of petals for any given flower, so check references. Note how some petals curl backward.
The edges of the flaring trumpet can be curved or ruffled. Deep inside the center of the trumpet are long, thin strands which often release specks of pollen onto the petals.
Shrink down those large trumpet shaped flowers and cluster them to get the delicate bluebell, Lily of the valley, crocus, or grape hyacinth. Tiny flowers and statice or baby's breath, make nice fillers for your design.
Dogwood, apple, and cherry blossoms are delicate, round flowers growing from a small stem off a branch. The dogwood has four petals with an indentation at the top center. Cherry blossoms are pale pink and apple blossoms white.
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Doing this research to break down each flower and practicing drawing them is time well spent and will make using these flowers in a painting easier. Try not to be obsessive about perfection, though. Save your materials by starting an Art File and use them for future reference.

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Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Painting Your Flowers

1

Begin your painting by letting whimsy rule the day. You will be creating an imaginary garden, by celebrating the flowers' shapes and colors regardless of whether it realistically makes a whole lot of sense. This is called employing "artistic license" and following the laws of design rather than the bounds of nature. This satisfying painting lets you forget about mulching, hoeing and weeding because it is a work of art, not of nature.
2

Obtain a pad of watercolor paper, 11" X 14" size #140 weight. Use an ordinary pencil to lightly sketch your flowers according to what appeals to you and what looks good on paper. Compose freely and creatively. For added interest, you might put some of the flowers in pots, ornamental planters, or hanging baskets. Add height using a trellis or strings to support climbing varieties of flower.
Or squeeze tube paints around the edge of your palette, keeping the center clean for mixing your colors. Take whatever colors you think you'll need, but always put the primary and secondary colors out, as well as brown. Select small and medium round brushes and a 1/2" flat. Add paper napkins or sheets from a roll of paper towels and a container of water.
Watercolor pencils and water-soluble crayons to cover larger areas are a joy to work with. Possibly, use a combination of watercolor pencils, water-soluble crayons, and watercolor paints. With the dry media, just draw normally and wet the area with a brush and clear water to, magically, turn it into paint.
5

Think of the delicate nature of your flowers as you begin to paint and dilute your colors to get the required transparency, using the mixing area of your palette. There is no right or wrong place to start, so just jump in.
6

Group flower types. Pencil in a shape for a particular flower, then fill the whole shape with that flower. Move to another shape and fill it with a different flower. Use different shaped flowers and contrasting colors for richness and to carry the viewer's eye throughout the painting.
Work those greens by making the leaves and stems different shapes and colors.
8

Bring extra, unexpected life to your garden in the form of woodland visitors: butterflies, dragon flies, lady bugs, a rabbit, a toad, or a squirrel. Add a touch of drama with a cat and some birds. You might incorporate a water feature and lily pads with waterlilies and a lazy frog sunning himself.
Yellow, exemplifies sunshine. Multi-colors look like sunrise or sunset. Just try to keep the background colors sheer and vibrant. Wipe with a tissue or dab out areas for fluffy clouds, if you wish.
Set it up and study it to see what areas need more "oomph". Then, return to the painting and add notes of slightly deeper values or shades of the same or complementary colors to the parts where needed. This is also the time to add another sheer layer of color in places that dried lighter than you'd hoped.

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How do I mix colors?

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There are some different ways you can do this. The formal way to mix watercolor is to take some paint with a wet brush and place it somewhere on your palette, and then take some of the other paint you want to mix and then mix it together. If you want a rough way to mix colors, you can take some of the medium with a wet brush and place it on the paper, and while the surface is still wet, take another color and continue painting with it for a cool effect.

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Tips

Value is what helps us see and discern images in life as well as in art. Aim for being able to read a picture from across the room. Many beginners make light or mid-value paintings because they are afraid to use darker values. Build up layers of color gradually and always wait till the piece is thoroughly dry before attempting to paint a new layer, but don't be afraid of using darker colors as accents.

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Obtain a seed catalogue. It is a compact reference for flowers because most contain photos of practically any flower you can imagine. These publications are a wonderful morale booster in late winter when our minds turn to digging in the garden, being in the open air and growing living things.

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Try to show the life cycle of a flower from barely opened buds to full bloom, to the shriveled blossom of a flower that has had its day.

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How to Paint Spring Flowers in Watercolor

Steps

Planning and Practicing

Painting Your Flowers

Community Q&A

Tips

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