Flowers painted in watercolors (three stories about modern maestros of watercolor painting). How to paint flowers in watercolors. Step by step. For beginners Paintings watercolor flowers bouquets

This post is dedicated to watercolor painting. It's about about three artists and therefore about 3 different stories, which are united by flowers painted in watercolor.

Their creativity is original, but plunging into the depths of each individually, one single and unrepeatable flower involuntarily emerges in the imagination. This good sign, leaving a sweet aftertaste that we wish you to drink.

Watercolor drawings of flowers by Fabio Cembranelli

Let's start with the Brazilian artist Fabio Cembranelli. Fabio trained as an architect, graduating State University in Sao Paulo, after which he decided to study the art of drawing. He approached the matter thoroughly - he went to drawing and photography courses. Now she regularly teaches master classes.


The Brazilian artist is admired by people from all over the world. Among national artists, Fabio Cembranelli is considered one of the most famous. During the period from the 80s to the 90s. The Brazilian was engaged in self-development, traveled around the United States of America and visited Europe.

Currently works with watercolors, oils and acrylic paints. Usually he draws from his own photographs or sketches, but uses them only as a starting point, because he creates paintings in the studio, adding new shapes, colors and ideas that are born on an intuitive level in the process of work. The artist says he doesn't need to see a bouquet of roses to paint them. To do this, you only need one flower in order to unravel its color and anatomy.


Most of all he likes to draw flowers and.

Artists who particularly influenced Fabio are William Turner and Edward Seago.

In his work he uses transparent watercolor, because, according to the artist’s explanation, it is this kind of paint (its special fluidity) that allows you to obtain unexpected color mixtures, which sometimes appear unpredictably on paper or canvas. Spontaneity for an artist is the key that opened the door to the world of art.


Fabio Cembranelli has participated in many art exhibitions both in Brazil and abroad. Received many awards. His works can be found today at exhibitions and in private collections. But even with such popularity and fame, the artist continues to live in his native Sao Paulo (Brazil).

Now he teaches lessons (including through popular magazines), conducts master classes, goes to thematic meetings, works as an illustrator, and also participates in art competitions as a judge. At exhibitions, his paintings receive prestigious awards.


Fabio Cembranelli paints only with professional materials: pigments from W&N, Holbein, Maimeri Blu, Schminke, watercolor paper from Arches, Fontenay, Hahnem?lle, brushes are often flat and only with synthetic bristles.

In January 2013, the artist visited Belgium to give his master class. Now his plans are:

  • Mexico City (Mexico) – April 22-26 and 28-29, 2013

  • Catalonia (Spain) – May 25-31, 2013

  • Tuscany (Italy) – June 15-22, 2013

  • Fabio is expected in France from the end of June to mid-August
The schedule for the second half of the year is still being drawn up.


The best thing to say about the artist is the author's flowers painted in watercolor, as well as a video that conveys with what effortless ease and tenderness he paints his masterpieces on canvas. The artist himself admits that she is very close to him.

You can see the fluidity of lines, the unexpected result after mixing paints, the transparency and lightness of the paintings here and now in the video broadcast below.

I don't just paint flowers because they are pretty, I paint flowers because their charm allows a person to see the world anew.

Marney Ward is a Canadian artist originally from Ontario. Her large watercolor flower drawings, in a sense, macro painting, perfectly appeals to bright and clean colors. The artist’s works show not only the smallest details of the flowers depicted, but also her emotional and spiritual connection with them.


Marney Ward claims that her spiritual connection with flowers has existed for as long as she can remember. However, at the very beginning of her life’s path, the artist was interested in the personality of William Blake. She devoted all her time to the work of the English poet and artist, mystic and visionary. Ultimately, after graduating from the University of British Columbia with a PhD, Marney embarked on a journey called transcendental meditation for a decade.


Later she began teaching English language at the University of Western Ontario. By this time she had two adult daughters. Everything returned to normal - the youthful passion for painting began to take over. It took about five years to study Chinese school painting, which awakened in the artist a boundless ocean of inspired energy. Next in the artist’s life was a mentor, Emily Carr, who taught Marnie Ward to freely and impartially express her worldview.

Since 2000, Marnie has participated in more than 30 large-scale exhibitions, and received awards at more than 10 of them.


Flowers have always been a source of joy and inspiration for Marney. After studying floral watercolors with artists Karen Heine, Anne Hunter, Elizabeth Kincaid and others, she continued to develop her own unique style.

In 2011, her drawings graced the magazines Art Avenue and Focus, and in the same year her works became the highlight of three books at once.


Estimated prices for her paintings vary depending on their size: sheet 30x37” - $1800-2800; 21x28” - $1000-1800, smaller paintings - up to $1000.

A gallery with juicy and bright floral watercolors, as if they flew straight out of the soul of the craftswoman, for your attention!

Watercolor paintings of flowers Jiang Debin

A native of the city of Chongqing, which is located in China, Jiang Debin has been drawn to painting since childhood... Today the artist is a member of the Wan Fung Art Gallery, whose founder’s original goal was to collect the artistic heritage of China. The elegance and unique style of painting of contemporary Chinese artists is the format by which the works were selected. The goal was achieved and now the gallery occupies not only a significant place in China, but also in Southeast Asia.

Debin himself turned out to be a godsend for the gallery. Paintings of flowers in watercolor from Jiang Debin relax the viewer, immersing him in an atmosphere of harmony.


Jiang Debin participated in a group exhibition from February 26 to March 11, 2011 at Wan Fung Art Gallery. The exhibition was called Harmony of Spring and was entirely dedicated to spring as a time of rebirth of nature. It featured fine art from forty famous Chinese artists.


The exhibitors were faced with the task of showing not only the high level of professionalism of Chinese painters, but also miraculously sing odes to spring, praises to spring creatures - birds, animals and flowers that were born on the canvases of artists.


With hope for correct translation from Chinese (中国的 we present to you the names of some talented artists who took part in the exhibition: Cai Jianru (Cai Jianzhu), Chen Xinquan (Chen Xingkuen), Chen Yongkang (Chen Yongkang), Chen Zhaokang (Chen Zhaokeng), Feng Yiming (Feng Yiming), Hu Yongkai (Hu Yongkai), Huang Youwei (Huang Yuwei), Lin Decai (Lin Decai), Liu Maoshan (Liu Maoshan)... Of course, this sentence can be continued and continued until there are 40 people, but due to the difficulty of pronouncing the names, we decided not to torment you, our dear readers . One way or another, the authors who took part in a large-scale artistic event (even if not in in full force), are definitely worthy of attention and praise, because everyone is talented and original. Perhaps their names will be heard repeatedly on the pages of the blog.

Well, now it's time to dive into the floral gallery Jiang paintings Debin.

We hope flowers in watercolor contemporary artists you liked it, as did this article. Thank you for your interest in, subscribe to blog updates and stay with Art Veranda.

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 large quantity 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 watercolor paper and attach it with thumbtacks to some kind of board so that it does not curl up when it gets wet. Sketch with a pencil general outline future roses


After that, draw more small parts. It is not necessary to draw each petal with precision. The main thing is to try to display the most character traits 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 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. She shows off 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. In the neck of the vase there is also a lighted and shadow 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 (which is cast by the object) with relatively cool colors.

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!

Iris, cockerel, royal lily - it's all about him, about the gentle and mysterious iris. Let's learn to draw the favorite flower of gods and kings.

Before you start drawing, take a good look at your flower model. Pay attention to the location of the petals. Three stretch upward, forming a kind of tube around the core. These petals are called standards. The three lower, rather large, petals with a bend fall down. These petals are called fouls. Each foul has a peculiar beard of thick hairs at the base. The lower petals of irises are also characterized by the presence of dark thin veins.

The leaves are sword-shaped, flat and long. Stems are straight and tall.

Determine for yourself what the main geometric figures(circle, oval, rectangle, triangle) you guess the outline of the flower.

Option 1

Let's try to draw a single flower.

Draw two ovals, positioning them as shown in the photo below. Be sure to draw a vertical axis of symmetry. The lines should be thin and light, easily erased if necessary. These lines will form the boundaries of the future drawing.

Draw three standards in the upper oval. Start drawing by drawing the central petal.



Draw two elements that create the effect of beards.



Focusing on the auxiliary lines, draw two side petals.



Draw the lower center petal, stem, and narrow leaf. Erase the auxiliary lines. Color the drawing as you wish.



Option #2

If you have thoroughly mastered the previous drawing technique, then you will be able to fully master the technique proposed below. Thanks to carefully drawn petals, the iris looks more natural.

How to draw a bouquet of iris flowers with a pencil?

Using the tips below and the technique described at the beginning of the article, you can easily draw several irises to create a delicate bouquet of them.

Option 1

Think over your future composition. Use light lines to sketch out the drawing. When working on drawing flower petals, do not forget that the iris is far from ideal symmetry and this is precisely its charm.



Be careful when working on the details of the drawing. Don't forget about the characteristic beards and veins of the iris. Don't neglect applying eye shadow. The presence of shaded areas will add depth and contrast to the picture, making it more vibrant and voluminous.



Option #2

Below is another fairly simple way to draw beautiful irises. Pay attention to the color scheme of the picture, because irises are characterized by constant color movement.



How to draw an iris flower in watercolor step by step?

Irises and watercolors are made for each other. Professional artists claim that working with watercolors is quite difficult, just like painting irises. However, this article is intended for those who are taking their first steps in fine arts, which means the techniques that are offered to the reader do not require a high professional level.

Important: When working with watercolor paints, use appropriate paper. Regular album sheets are not suitable because watercolor paper has a rough surface and holds paint better.



Watercolor "Irises"

Think over your composition. If necessary, make a light sketch of the flower heads, stems and leaves.

Define color scheme future drawing. The spots in the diagram below are ideal, from the point of view professional artists, color combinations.



Watercolor loves water! And even special sheets of paper are prone to deformation during the drawing process. To minimize the consequences of deformation, the sheet should be fixed to the surface with masking tape (along the perimeter).

Wet the watercolor sheet well with a spray bottle.



Remove excess moisture with a clean sponge. Look carefully at the surface: the sheet should not shine. If you notice any shine, blot the surface again with the sponge.



Start drawing. Write easily, without effort. The paint will spread softly, creating a blurred edge.



Having mastered the technique, start creating a masterpiece.



Let the drawing dry.

Draw the contours and details with a pencil pen or a special liner if you see the need. A few sharp lines in the drawing below turned blurry watercolor blots into graceful flowers.



Watercolor "Irises"

The “wet” technique does not limit the flight of imagination and allows you to create unique floral images.

Watercolor "Irises"

The combination of wet and dry techniques produces stunningly realistic images.



Watercolor "Iris"

To minimize the effects of deformation from moisture and subsequent drying, secure the sheet to the work surface with masking tape (along the perimeter).

Make a light sketch, noting the location, shape and size of the flowers. By using wax pencil outline the image. The lines should be thick and clear. Their purpose is to prevent the paint from spreading and to maintain the boundaries of each individual element.

Draw leaves and stems (wax pencil).

Lightly moisten the middle of one of the petals with a brush and clean water. Color the petals by working with two matching colors (see diagram above). As a result, you will get a beautiful and natural gradient, typical of irises. Violet and blue paints are used in the photo.



Moisten the unpainted areas of the petals with clean water. Color with pale yellow or lemon watercolor. Closer to the base of the petal, use a thin brush to drip ocher paint. The wet watercolor will begin to move, creating an interesting transition. You can also shade yellow with orange. Color the leaves. Let the drawing dry. Draw thin veins on the leaves.

Carefully tint the background. And draw thin veins on the petals.

Video: Iris in watercolor. Detailed video tutorial. 1st lesson. ART studio TUTA-KA!

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”. Keyword“water” explains the transparency of watercolor beauties, their inimitable charm, fabulousness, and airiness. Regarding them, you can paraphrase famous proverb: “You can’t spoil watercolor with water!” Indeed, than more water, the more beautiful 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 superimposing 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 watercolor paints one of the most common 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. When mixing more three colors It turns out dirt, not a color tint.


    Using multilayer 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 the colors themselves good quality 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.


Painting with watercolors is enough complex technology, requiring 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 with a simple pencil. This can be done different ways depending on your skills and ability to draw.

Not everything is on initial stage are able to draw a sketch of a flower themselves. 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 most dark shades- 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 are drawn, shadows are created, colors are 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 the work a look real picture, make a passe-partout. You can insert a finished painting into it or draw 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.