Expressive Watercolor Flowers: Paint Loose Gladioli

1. Expressive Gladioli Flowers in Watercolors Trailer: Have you ever looked at tall, complex flower like gladiools and thought, How could I ever paint that in a loose expressive way without getting lost in the details? You are not alone. But the truth is, once you understand how to simplify the structure, you can paint any compound flower in a free and joyful way without needing to draw every petal first. Hello, I'm Nina, I am Wakala artist specializing in loose style, art educator, and certified art therapist. In my classes, we explore not only techniques but also how to connect with your creative voice, let go of perfectionism and to enjoy the process. In this class we paint sword lilies, gladiol flowers made up of many blossoms layered along one stem. You will learn how to break down complex floral forms into simple shapes, how to paint directly with the brush, nosketch and how to create soft dreamy backgrounds to make your flowers shine. This class is part of my expressly what I call a floral series designed to gently grow your skills one flower at a time. If you are just starting, you might want to begin with my cone flowers class where we explore basic brush strokes. Then you can continue with dandelions for wet and wet practice puppies to master color bleeding. And this is where we explore the negative space technique and abstraction. Each flower offers a new challenge, a new discovery, and a new way to grow. So if you are ready to lose enough to learn something new and to surprise yourself, I invite you to paint these beautiful gladiol flowers together, grab your brushes, and let's dive into painting. 2. Supplies: For painting gladiolysis, I will use the following materials. Watercolor paper. That is A four size of Arteza brand. Also, you will need several sheets of just a normal paper for flower study or you can use your sketchbook. What a colour paints, we are going to use the following colors, hansa yellow light, quinacridon gold, golden yellow. Pearl scarlet, bright red, Pian moti genuine, green gold, and cascade green. If you have these colors, that's fine. If no, just look which ones you have, mainly we will need some yellows and red ones. Check if you have some cool shade of red and warm red. So brown color. And some greens for foliage. Watercolor brushes, I will use several brushes for painting with water. First, the outline and also another several brushes number four and six for introducing the color. So just check the ones which you have. Water pot is better to use two, one for cleaning your brush and another one with clean water. Kitchen towel so that just in case if you need to remove some extra moisture from your brush. Good mood. And let's get started. 3. Flower Shape Study: One of the important things for painting flowers in loose style that is very important to transmit the shape of the flower and to create the illusion of volume of the flower. So let's have a look at gladiolus. The best you can understand its structure when you are looking in this front view flower. And you can see that actually, it's one triangular within another triangular. So I will start with this inner triangular this way. And then here is going to be the flower center and the petals. So later, you can create different shapes of petals. But the main idea is that you need to keep them within this structure. And then the outer triangle, it's like this. And you are creating these petals. So it could be this way, here a bit wider. Like this. Then let's have a look at the darkest areas. Darkest areas is the flower center. So that is what we need to pay attention while we are painting in order to transmit this volume. So here it is. Another dark areas are in the lower layer of the petals. So it could be for here, here, where they are touching other so just underneath this where they are touching each other, the petals, it could be some shadow from the top flower. Another thing if you will pay attention here at the very edge, the texture of the petals. So let's say this way like this. So here we can also add this volume and the texture to the petals. So now you can see that it starts already to look more like a flower, not just some kind of strange structure. And also, it could be some shadows from another flowers, like in this case. So this petal is going to be darker. So here we have the structure general structure of Gladoolus flower. Let's have a look at side view. So side view, what we can see is also some kind of triangular shape. Let's see. A bit more, let's say wide triangular this way. Here it is going to be also the darkest area, and then you can recreate the petals the way you would like. But the idea is to find the shape of this triangular and then the darkest place in order to add some volume. That is one of the key ideas about painting gladiolosis now let's prepare the structure of those gladioloss which we are going to paint in this class. 4. Gladioulus Composition: As we have talked before, that the key structure, the key shape of the dole flower is triangular. And that is this reference water which we are going to use for painting our class project. Let's have a look. Our main idea is to find these triangulars. So here we have one triangular. And then once you will understand the structure for your hand, it would be easier to make the brush strokes. Another triangular. So we don't see it completely, but here it is. So this is another triangular. This flower, that is another triangular shape. So here, here we have some. What else you can see is to check this kind of spaces like negative spaces between flowers, and that is going to be another triangular. That I'm drawing quite roughly, but, I mean, you understand the idea. One more triangular. So this one is more this shape. One more from that side. We don't see it really well. So more or less this. This one is more like front view. Yeah. This kind of triangular and then it starts already the buds. And that is really simple. So they go like this in this pattern. And now let's have a look here what is important. So we have some petals, one more petal, and we can see that here is the darkest area. So that's what is important for us in order to transmit this volume. We will make it really dark. And here there is like one more petal, but, I mean, for us, it doesn't matter so much. What we will need here is to pay attention to this dark area. Here, the darkest area. The same we'll have to pay attention. In our flowers to leave this area. You can see that here it's like inner three petals and then the outer three petals. This flower we have here, dark center, and also you can see how they're looking in which direction the flower is looking, that also this helps to transmit while you're painting in loose style. The same some inner petals, outer petals this way. This flower, we don't see it really a lot. So here is the dark area, and then start some petals until we don't see really many petals of this flower. So this way, this flower is here, the darkest area, and it's looking in that direction. And then there are also some interesting shapes of petals like this. This way. Here is the front view of the flower and also it's higher. So we don't see its flower center compared to this flower. So we see only some shapes, and here it's going to be the darkest area. And with buds, you can notice that the darkest areas are here, where they connect to the plant and from here. So from the lower part. And here we have then it could be the trunk. And you can see the leaves first, they are lower than the flowers and they are really white. So that's more or less this level. So here we have the structure of our class project, and now let's move to the fun part of painting with watercolors. But I would suggest you to check this reference photo in the resource section of the class and do the same drawing which I have done in order so that your hand will understand this uh, I mean, the theory is fine, and you understand the idea how to paint this gradlos flower. But once you will make this structure, it would be much easier for you than to turn and to paint directly on white paper without any anti drawing. So let's move to the fun part. 5. Brushstrokes Techniques for Painting Petals: Before we'll start with our main composition, let's do some warming up. Let's explore different ways how we can paint petals. Just practice and find that way which suits you more. I will use bright red. And one of our first exercises is just a load with a paint. My brush is quite wet and like this. So try this way. Next one, we will turn this way. Now we'll try to make the shape of the petal. So I'm turning like this, my brush. Yeah. And here like this. In order to avoid this really defined line, you can just with damp brush, make it soft. Then you can add a bit more concentrated color for here. So somewhere. And here. This way is nice for the inner petals. And let's see what else we can do. Another way is with lines, you are moving really fast your brush and trying to create live in some white spaces, and you're creating the shape of the petal. And then with another brush, wet brush, you are joining some of them. So here also, you can correct a bit the shape that is just a wet brush. And for here. You can add a bit more of contrast in these areas that is cadmium red. In these areas where it could be some folds or so add a bit more of volume. That is the way how you create. Another way of painting petals, it could be also using two brush strokes technique. That is you allowed in your brush and then you're moving it like this. Then from another side, and then you can add some dark color in the middle or somewhere here, the same at the border to make a bit of texture. Now as we have looked at different ways of painting petals, let's paint one flower. And we'll see which technique you find more convenient for you. Another way, you can make wet first, the area of the petals. So let's paint the simplest ones with front view. So here. And then I load my brush with paint. And like this, I'm moving, creating this different more interesting like wavy outer edge. Here. The next one. And one more. Then we can introduce some yellow color in the center. And some brown in the darkest area. I have added Indian yellow, and this is burnt sienna. So that is another combination of colors which you can use. We have made the inner triangular. Let's add now the outer petals. Let's apply different ways of painting petals. For example, this one with lines. So I have loaded my brush, and then I start just recreating the shape. And then with some darker color, we will join here so that they won't be so separated. You can make it smooth, just with wet brush. I would say that it's missing a bit of volume. I will let burn Sienna here at the bottom, where it joins with the top layer of petals and you can add also some golden yellow to make it a bit brighter. Let's try to make another petal two brush stroke technique. This way and then from another side. As well, you can add some more contrast that is scared me in red to define the edge. This end here also, you can add some darker center. Here we have. We are missing one more. Let's try the same with strokes or another way that also without making wet, I'm just moving my brush. And then I add a bit more of contrast at the edge. And also, you can add these kind of lines. And let's add some yellow because it will make it a bit alive and brighter and here are the same. Just several drops. I'm using Indian yellow. You can use also quinacridone gold. That's fine. Yeah. So it makes more like alive. The petals. Let's wait till it will get dry and I will show you on this one what we are going to make in order to create more volume. I have taken cadmium red, and then I just add some more of these folds. To create the volume that it's like here, it gets some kind of texture. And just with wet brush, I'm making it softer, so not so defined. This way. Now this petal has a much more volume and we can do the same with this one. So just in several areas where usually the flowers used to have some folds with wet brush. Some of them, you make them softer. This way. This petal also now has more volume. What else you can do with petals is to lift some color and to create some highlights. For this, it's better to use some flat syntetic brush to make it wet, to remove some extra moisture, and then you just pass it. You remove the color again, then you rinse your brush. And again, with clean water, you can make some more, remove the paint. And egging. So that is another way how you can add some highlights to your petals. And one more thing is once it has got dry, we can add some lines to create more volume. So just that is cadium red. And then with wet brush, you're making them soft. So here, then, for example, this petal, it looks really flat. You just add these lines and creating giving a bit of volume and also the shape. And with wet brush, just making it softer. I like this to give more definition to the edge and a bit more of texture. And with wet brush, just making softer. 6. Gladioli Watercolor Flowers: Here I have the scheme of our flower. What you can do to help yourself is to make the limits of your painting so that you won't go out out of those limits. So just make these dots of those triangulars. But I mean, so that is something really orientative. And to remember that the flowers are getting smaller once they grow up going up, no. Like that is really complicated to keep, but let's try. So here I have left some dots indicating these dots of these triangulars. Now, let's start. We will start with this flower. So I will use brush number. See, I will use two shades of red. One is bright red as a cool version of red, and another one is pearl scarlet red, that warm shade of red. And I will start first with this cooler one, and here I have this lower flour with some brush strokes, let's start to recreate the shape. You see that this red is quite cool red. I'm moving my brush with a tip outside outwards. And for here would be some more. Also, you can make petals this way. So I will show you like different ways how you can create them. So that is also another way. You would be leaving some white areas. Now, let's add some nice, bright, warm red. So here, this is pearl scarlet, and it will create really beautiful shades. So for here and it will give more contrast to our flour. Here's the texture. And with this one, from here, you can add some warm shades. Here is the darkest shade. For the darkest shade, I will add PM moti genuine this color. If you don't have this color, you can mix red with a bit of green or red and with a bit of sepia, or any other brown which you have and see which result you can get. So here we have. So that would be our first flower. You can remove some areas. For example, if you got them really dark, you can lift the color just with a just with damp brush. And also what you can do, you also can create the texture with just lifting this color. You can create some texture effects. Like this. And you can add also some more concentrated color as well, in some areas. Let's move to the next flower. I will do a bit different way. So I will make wet my paper. The first, I will paint three internal flowers, and I will bath my brush in bright red color and the tip of my brush with scarlet pearl. And I will move from outer edge this way. Creating the shape. So just move your hand and see what you can get. So like this. And then I will add a bit of yellow to make it brighter. So here comes some yellow. That is Hansa yellow light. You can use cadmium yellow. You can also use Indian yellow, and this is Kinacridon gold. That is also really nice. I would also here some areas this Kinacridon gold that it will make beautiful color. And now let's add some outer petals, the same. So here what you can do to make it more like this way. And then another side for here. So you can play actually many different ways how you can create the petals. So you can make them like two brush strokes towards the center and then to add some darker line towards the center. So that is one way. And for here, we will add a bit more of color creating the texture. And another way is that you are creating the border of the petals, moving your brush outwards. So this way is also great for creating the textures. The shapes of petals. Here are the same. First, I will make wet the area for inner petals. It can bleed. That is fine and a bit of bright red and pearl red on the tip of my brush. And here we creating the shape. Another shape. So I like mainly this way. Also, it depends. For inner petals, I find it better to use this approach of your brush outwards. And for creating outer petals, actually, you can use this two brush strokes this way. And now let's add a bit of yellow. I will use Hansa yellow here in the center this way and a bit of kinocrdonGld. And now let's add a bit more of pan moti. Here, we need to create shadow this way, and I will make it a bit with wet brush, soft edge. So here we have already the volume of our first flour, and here we will recreate the second flour. Let's add also some pia mootit or some dark brown which you have here to create the shade and one more petal from this side. That would be some outer petal. What another beautiful combination that you can mix pearl scarlet with some orange or if you have golden yellow, that is a really great color. So it will create really beautiful shades. That my brush was a bit dirty. Let's move for more. Just have a look at the shape and recreate the way you see. And for sure, you will get really beautiful. Now I add just scarlet red. Really beautiful shades. So you can make also some shadows just with brush strokes. Let's add a bit of yellow. I made enhanca yellow. Yeah, here. So this one is really beautiful and bright. I really like it. And then a bit of piamoti from the area where there is the shadow. So from this side. Let's add the next. And I will use the mixture that is scarlet with some warm yellow. You can use yellow deep or if you have golden yellow, that is really perfect combination. And you will get. So we got already to this side flower and let's yeah, let's create the shape. I got already dirty. That is normal thing. When you are painting and but don't worry. That is really easy to fix. Here, really beautiful. And here, what we can see I'm painting this flower that one of the flowers it has like some this way. So we can make it like this. And from here, there is one more Petal. Yep. So that was the mixture. I have mixed pearl red with Piemott. And let's add now yellow center. Really nice. A bit of kinacridon gold. That was Hansa yellow, now kinocridon gold, and a bit of pima tit. So for here for the center to create the volume. And now let's move to create top flowers. So just with I have switched to the bigger brush. And let's see whether it was a good idea or not. Yeah, so I made in some more concentrated pearl red, Scarlet Sorry, pearl scarlet. For here, some flowers, and I will add some dark pimutt just for here and for here. So that is one more. And then let's add some bright side flowers. I will make wet this area. So here that is side flour. And as we have seen that the darker area is in the lower part and a bit of palmatt in the lower part. So to make it darker, we will use some brush marks in order to transmit the idea of these buds. So just some So, like this. That is I have used a bright red, so I can add pearl red, warmer shades. Yeah. And as well, a bit of pin moti to give it more the contrast. Just a bit and here in this lower part. And now we need some green colors. 7. Adding Loose Dreamy Background: For green, I will use the mixture which I have of really bright green. That is green gold. This colour is cold. But also you can use some olive green, and I will mix it with cascade green. And we'll add some I think first, it would be nice to add some water to join them. And first, I will make just this green gold. So that is the light green to give it a bit more the light and life to gladiolus and the top part. So here are just some more brush marks. That is green gold. This color. And somewhere for here in the center as well, we can just to transmit the idea that there is a trunk over there. So here. And then let's mix this darker version of green. You can use also some normal green and to add there a bit of sepia or a bit of brown. Then it's going to be also quite nice shade of green. Okay. So really nice. What we are missing? We are missing some beautiful blurs. So just with water, where you feel, you start to add the expression to your flowers and to make this beautiful bleeds. Yeah. What I suggest to leave also in some areas white area near the flowers as for the trunk, I would make it the stem, sorry. I would make it a bit softer and probably I will add some more like the idea of the leaves here. But just really something a hinge. Don't paint them really, really detail. So just some hinge that for there there is something green. What we are missing is to add more flowers at the background with the same red mixture which we have. And I'm adding them in that pattern, how they usually grow, that what we have seen. No, that one triangular has a triangular, then some dots. Then I add a bit more concentrated splatters. And that would be nice to mix a bit of this color. That's what is yellow, golden yellow, that it creates this kind of really, really beautiful shades. I think that kina gridon yellow could be nice to add in some areas to make them softer. With pearl scarlet, we can make some shapes. Yeah, so that it will look like triangular. Remember, here, some parts would be brighter, no some of them side views, and we are missing to it some green. I will use green gold or you can use olive green just to create this top area and to add here some yeah. So it looks already better. And from this side, the same. Let's add just this kind of illusion that there are more flowers over there. So I'm using this mixture which I have pearl scarlet that could be too concentrated for the background flowers, some splitters. And what I'm missing is some yellow. I will use golden yellow. The same some splitters. Probably here, it wasn't good idea to add so many yellow splatters. Why? Because mainly, yellow, you can see the flower centers. So that's why, probably, as I told you that it wasn't good idea, so we will add a bit contrast with red. Yeah. And a bit of green gold here in the top areas. And yeah, F here, a bit darker lives in this area. Oh, this is too dark. This was cascade green. So let's try to remove with water. But just several lines. Again, to sick lines, so just remove with water. That's fine. You can add now that it will get a bit drier. Let's wait till it will get dry in the background. Meanwhile, let's add a bit more of contrast. That is with some brown I will use pimatGenuine, to add a bit more of the contrast. So this way, so here where there are the flower centers that we will add a bit more not everywhere, but just somewhere. Here we have what else we can add is more contrast of pearl scarlet. I get it really concentrated. And what I will do is I will add like this in some areas, and then I will spread it with wet brush. I apologize, but I have noticed that my camera was out of the view of the painting. So you couldn't see these parts which I have died. But that is this technique which we have used of adding the texture to the petals in the warming up exercise. You're adding just some lines with the kind of brush strokes. And some of them you are making soft later with wet brush. So you are just making them softer or some of them you are leaving like this creating the texture. If you have problems with getting some color bleeds or whatever, I explain and show in quite detail in the class on painting expressive puppies. So you can refer to that class and I dedicate quite a lot of time showing you what could be the problem and how you can get beautiful watercolor bleeds. While painting loose style. So that's why I don't show everything here in this class because you can refer to another classes and to see more the basics. Okay, here is the same. Let's add some contrast. And probably for here somewhere. But actually, I think that I'm quite happy with my flowers with my gladolosis. By the way, this edge, it's better to make it softer like this with damp brush. This way. And what I'm missing are some splatters of pearl scarlet. Let's add some splatters. And from this side. And here I think that I'm missing a bit of contrast. I would create here a bit darker color. So let's add a bit more of here. Yeah. And now it's going to be brighter and more beautiful. Yeah, now I like more. I have added this so that to add more contrast so that it won't be completely so that the background also will have some volume. So that's why it was my decision to add there. And here, also, if we will add I will let even a bit here, so that it will transmit the idea that there is some flower over there. And a bit of pie moti from this side here and here. So I think that probably here because it also creates the illusion of another flower here. And that's all. I think that I'm really happy with my gladiolosis. And I hope that also you have enjoyed this class and happy with your gladiolosis and looking forward to see all that beauty which you have created. 8. Final Thoughts: Thank you so much for joining me in this class. I do hope that you have enjoyed painting these beautiful Gadi oli flowers with me in loose watercolor style, and you have discovered something new in the process. Now, it's your turn. Please share your artwork in the class project section. I would like to see what you have created and to leave you my feedback and some encouragement. Doesn't matter whether it's a final piece, some brushstrokes practice or some happy accidents which happened along the way. Everything counts because it's part of your journey. If you decide to share your artwork on Instagram, please do not hesitate to tag me. It makes my day to see your creations there out in the world. If you found this class helpful, please, it will mean a lot for me if you can find a moment to leave a class review. It really helps me to understand what resonates with you and also helps as students to discover this class. Thank you. This class is part of my serious expressive flowers in watercolors. So if you are curious to explore more, you can check out cone flowers, great for beginners and brass stroke basics, Dandelins to play with wet and wet and soft edges. Poppies for beautiful bleeds and water paint balance. This is to try the magic of painting with negative space. Each class brings something new and different, and I'd love to have you join me for the next one. Thank you again for being here, and I'll see you soon in mine as a class. Bye.