
How to Draw and Paint a Simple Flower
When I select a flower to draw and paint I look for an interesting shape. If you have light and shadow on the flower to help you see the form, even better.
1. Decide on your subject.
This can be the hardest step because we often overthink the decision and get stuck on this step.
2. The Drawing Process.
The way I draw a daisy, a petunia, a sunflower, and even a dahlia is basically the same. In this example, I’m drawing a pumpkin flower with leaves blossoming in my neighbors garden. I’ll use a pen so I can show you how to draw more organically without being able to erase. I know you think it’s harder, but in reality, it helps you loosen up, pay attention to the main big shapes and accept your lines. I’m using a continuous contour line with a Faber-Castell Artist’s Pitt Permanent Pen in Sanguine. You put your pen down and you just take your line on a journey trying not to pick it up to create the flowing organic lines.
3. Add Watercolors.
Painting out in the garden I want to keep this simple and quick. I’ll use a couple of yellows and greens in my painting starting with the golden yellow of the flower. The consistency of your paint should be like coffee, not too thick, and I’m using Lemon Yellow and New Gamboge. Then when the flower is dry I’ll use my Phthalo Yellow Green and drop in some of my yellows now and then so the colors mingle.
4. Fine-tune & Finesse your drawing and painting.
By adding some extra line-work you can add more character to your painting then add a little more color for dimension. A painting like this can be done in minutes, I call these fun studies “Quick Sketch Watercolors.”