Paint multiple rose petals in watercolor using the wet-on-wet technique and a simple color palette – red, blue, and yellow.

This class is perfect for beginners and is packed with real-time tips. You'll have plenty of chances to practice the core techniques of wet-on-wet and lifting. Make sure to finish each exercise by painting single petals before moving on to painting the main rose using the wet-on-wet technique.

It's a fun way to improve your skills!

The key to mastering the techniques is to get a feel for them in your hand and determine the right amount of water to use on your brush and with the paint. It's important to remember that there are no shortcuts to watercolor painting. Consistent practice is the key to improving your skills.

Please view the accompanying full guide in the Project Resource below.

Project 1

For our first project, you will paint a single petal with soft shadows, all wet on wet, and you will lift colors if/when needed.

Project 2 is another rose petal featuring folded edges and cast shadows. This project is perfect for anyone looking to practice painting cast shadows. I will provide detailed explanations of the process during the class and in the workbook. You will use a simple color palette consisting of primary colors: red, blue, and yellow.

Project 3

For this project, you will paint an entire rose. You will paint each petal separately, wet on wet, using the same color palette as the exercise petals.

The stem and leaves have additional colors, such as sap green and phthalo blue, but the blue can be kept simple. You can use the same blue as for the petals. As for the green, if you don’t have it, no worries! You can simply use a shade of blue and yellow since yellow + blue creates a shade of green. This is something I am teaching during this course.

Project 4 is a Painting Challenge!

However, I will help you with the first main petal. We will paint it together. Please refer to the Workbook from this class for all the sketches and references.

After completing your petal and rose paintings, I encourage you to share them with our community. This will give you the chance to receive valuable feedback and connect with other members.

I am super excited to see your finished work!

Art Materials for the entire course.

Watercolor Paper.

I recommend using 100% cotton watercolor paper, Cold Pressed, 140lb. A paper that is good for layering. Please make sure that the cold pressed you are using has a texture. Examples: Arches, Saunders Waterford, Magnani.

Watercolors.

You don’t need to use the same brand of paints I use (Holbein); you can use the colors you already have.

Suggested watercolors:

Imidazolone yellow (primary yellow)
Cobalt blue (or cobalt blue hue, or ultramarine light
Phthalo blue red shade (primary blue), optional
Quinacridone red (cooler red)
Bright rose (a shade of bright pink)
Sap green (a standard shade of green)

Brushes:

Flat 20-24, to cover a larger area of the petal when wetting the paper (I am using da Vinci's Casaneo, Flat 24)
Round 8-10: a medium-size stiffer brush for color blending over smaller petals and overall leaves and stem.
Either a larger round softer brush, such as 12-16, or a quill brush, for example, sizes 2-4 ( I will be using a long quill size 2 and 4 “Songbird”)
A rigger brush size 2 or a liner brush to lift the colors ( I will be using a rigger size 2 brush, “Songbird” by Maria Raczynska )
Round 2 or 3, a smaller medium stiff brush for details and lifting ( I will be using a round 2,3 “Songbird-Details” by Maria Raczynska )

Other materials:

A small bath towel to wipe your brush on (essential)
A paper towel for additional lifting, if necessary
A couple of smaller jars with clean water for the easiness of dipping a brush or cleaning your brush
A plastic palette, or if you don’t have one, a dinner plate
A good light with a daylight bulb. Preferably two lamps on your desk, plus a headlight.

Niharika Vempati

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