Oil Painting Flowers for Beginners: Paint a Rose and a Bouquet Step by Step

1. Welcome to oil painting flowers: Hello, and welcome to this course on painting flowers. Flowers are an excellent subject to practice observation, color, and soft transitions. In this course, you will learn how to paint a rose and a bouquet step by step. We will focus on simplifying organic shapes, understanding how petals are structured, and creating depth through color variations. You will also learn how to approach more complex arrangements while keeping your painting clear and balanced. This course is designed to help you gain confidence with organic forms and improve your control of the color. 2. How to paint a rose – presentation: We are going to work on a very classic subject with a red rose. When you are dealing with still life, you have to paint red rose. It's really a classical subject, and it's really an interesting one, like all the subjects that we have been doing so far. I really find it interesting as well because when you work on a red rose, first you have to mix the right red color. So it's really great to practice color mixing with the red color. And also, what is going to be very interesting is that it trains your discipline. When you are working with a rose, you are mostly repeating the same thing over and over with all the petals, and you have to keep that discipline to make sure that your first petal is as beautiful as your last one. And so you don't have to overlook the last petals and make them very fast. No, you have to get steady and to make sure that you are practicing with the same level of care throughout the entire rose. So that's why it's also very interesting. And finally, red rose this work on the red rose is also very interesting because some petals are going to be very thin. And so you will have to work very thinly, very finely with a very small brush, and it's great to practice this work and the details to get better at it. So many reasons to paint this red rose. And so we are going to get started in a few seconds. But before that, the material I will use. So I will use my classic materials. There are no additional colors, and I will be painting on old painting paper that is 20 by 30 centimeters. If for my drawing, I will be using a projector to make sure that it is very accurate. And if you don't have any projectors, it's perfectly fine. Use a grid. It's very important to have a very accurate drawing and even more rows. Because if your drawing is not good, if you don't have the right foundation, you can easily get lost in the petals. There are so many ones, and therefore, if your drawing is not accurate, you will probably end up lost at some point when painting. In a way, it's not the end of the world if one or two petals are not correctly placed. But the thing is, if they are not correctly placed, then that means that you have to think of the work on shadow and light on the shadow and light areas and to make up to invent the details. And if you don't do it properly, well, the petal might look a bit wrong. So that's why it is really important for you to have a nice drawing with the right proportions, with the right petals placed at the right place. So that's it for this introduction. Now, let's get started with this beautiful flower. 3. Painting rose petals with depth and softness: So before mixing our colors, let's go through our usual color analysis of the subject. And when it comes to the rose, well, we can see that there is a strong concentration of red, of course, with very intense red. As you can see in some of the highlighted areas, I'm talking about the third color from the top, and then other reds that on the contrary are much less intense and much darker, almost close to black. That is the fourth red from the top. And then with the first two from the top, what you can see is that these are fairly ordinary reds, but still quite intense and vivid. So we need to recreate that, and it's really this combination of different reds that will allow us to give depth to our subject. And then as for the green in the stem and the leaf, we notice that this green is somewhat dominant, a fairly ordinary green, not too dark, more of a mid tone. And on the leaf, a few slightly lighter touches, as you can see, which will help create some depth. Later on, there will probably be overmxs to make, but for now, we'll stick to this, and it should work very well for painting the stem. So let's begin mixing our colors, and I will start with the colors of the rose. And as we saw earlier, there are areas that are rave Light and quite intense. And to add a bit more intensity to my red, the little touch I like to give like to give it is to add a bit of yellow lemon yellow because it is a color that is very intense and it doesn't change much the color. Just adding a small touch like this gives it a little more vibrancy. So there's not a huge difference. It won't turn orange, but it makes it slightly more radiant. And then I figured I would slowly start transitioning towards dark red. So I am adding just a little bit of burn timber. And as I go along, I will keep adding more burn timber to get closer to a very dark red, almost black, like the ones you can see in some shadow areas. So gradually, I will increase the amount of burn timber, and you will see that I will end up with more mixes than what I showed in my photo, both for the rose colors, the reds, and for the greens because in the photo, I couldn't extract everything. I only put out the main colors. It's better to create a broad palette with more colors that's strictly necessary because it gives you more values and more variety for greater realism. So here, too, what you can notice with the last reds, I am mixing this one and the previous one is that beside darkening it with burn timber, I also had a little ultramarine blue because that prevents the color from turning to brownish. And now I can start creating the greens. As we saw, the green of fly mid tone green, not especially intent, so I can start by mixing ultramarine blue with yellow. Then I realized that the green I wanted, the one that you can find in certain parts of the leaf, need to be a little less bluish and lighter, which is why I add a little white and also a little bit of yellow to make my green turn more closer to the yellow than to the blue. And now we have a beautiful green. But this one, but I'm going to create another one, sorry. That will be a bit darker, and for some areas, you can see that it tends to lean a little bit towards the brown. So this is why I'm also adding a little bit of burn timber to it. We can notice that some of the greens can be a bit intense in some areas. So I am going to create more or less the same color as the one I initially make, but without the white. And from that color, I can then create something extremely light, which we can see particularly on the left on the left. And so this is why I added a huge amount of white. And finally, there are greens that are really brownish in some areas. So, in fact, I mix a large amount of red into that green, and in doing so, it reduces the intensity of the green and brings it closer to something more brown. But at first, I added too much red, and it became too orange. So I add the opposite color of orange, which is blue, and then I realized I needed to make it just a little bit more green again. So I added some yellow to rebalance things a bit because I added too much blue. Now let's move on to the painting, and here is the drawing I made of this rose. And so we are going to start by working on the lower petals. And what I am going to do first is apply my color on this petal. And here, I see that this red is quite dominant over a large area. So I begin by applying it in small touches, making sure to spread the color well so I can work on top of it properly later on. So now that I have applied this fairly intense red in the central area, I can start working a bit more precisely around it. And we can see that around the central area, there are elements that are a little more cramped. So I am going to apply this color there, and as I apply it, I will try to gently blend it with the color next to it. In fact, when I am working on elements like this, which are quite small, I try to create the blending at the same time as I apply the color. This way, it is done right away, and I can come back later to refine it with a few brush strokes if needed. But by blending while applying the colors, I would say it simplifies the work that needs to be done afterward. Now, we notice that in the middle of this petal, there is a fold that is clearly visible, and on this fold, we are not necessarily going to have the same shade of red throughout. So here I am starting with a midton red, but there will also be some darker touches added to deepen that fold and make it look more realistic. So here, you can already see a few slightly darker strokes that help enhance the fold. And for this flower, we would proceed one petal at a time and move forward this way because if we do several petals all at once, there is a risk of getting lost and not being able to tell one from another. That's the biggest challenge in my opinion, when painting a rose. The fact that there are so many elements, so many small petals here and there, that you end up confusing them and can't find your way around. So working one petal at a time helps avoid this trap and allows for column and steady progress. And now on this petal, I can have some details. For example, those slightly darker areas we see on the top of the lower part. And all these small touches we are going to have are really important because they help define the volume and the depth between the petals and also the texture. You can see that these petals have small folds and little elements that look a bit worn. And those little lines we had those scribbles also helped create flower texture that feels realistic. So thought this petal, just a few touches like this are very effective. And regarding the lato texture elements I mentioned, these are really tiny, almost random strokes that I place here and there, and they help give the impression of a real flower. Now we can move on to the adjacent area. We can see a small bit of petal that is slightly visible, so I can go ahead and work on it. And it is these darker touches I am going to add that will really help separate the petals and clearly show that it is a different one. And Next, as you can see, I am continuing with this other small petal, and you can clearly notice that even though it is just a tiny petal, there is a strong concentration of different red values. So it is important to apply them carefully and to make sure to mark all those subtle changes, all those little touches. Sure, they may be just tiny details, but what will truly make your rose beautiful is achieving real overall harmony, and that is done by not neglecting certain petals more than others. And by applying the same level of care and precision throughout the entire flower. So yes, even if they are small petals, they matter, and they should be treated seriously. So pay close attention to that. And here on this petal as well, you can see that there are really dark areas. So don't be afraid to use very dark ones because if you use reds that aren't dark enough, in those zones, the contrast won't be strong enough, and it will be hard to really create depth in the area. Now I will move on to the large petal just above. But first, I will draw what I will do is redraw it a bit. I can sketch in some shadow areas inside it and slightly redefine the shape of the surrounding petals. It is true that sometimes when I do my drawing, I do it a bit quickly, and to make sure I don't get lost during the painting process, I often go back and refine it a little more before applying the paint. So now let's get started on this new petal. It has fairly light colors on the right hand side, so I think I will begin by applying this light of red. It would be a good base before adding slightly darker elements on top. So far, on the right hand side, we had a slightly lighter m. Now we can see that as we move toward the left, the red becomes a bit darker. So we'll apply a darker color there as well. That seems like a good base color to me. And then, of course, we'll be able to add a few even darker touches to help suggest a bit more depth and better define the fold. Now that my base colors have been applied in the area, I can start working on it a bit more precisely. What we notice is that along the entire bottom edge of this petal, there are slightly darker touches, and I am adding them with small brush strokes like this. Same thing on the upper part. There is a definitely much darker petal above, but still on this petal we are currently working on, we can see some slightly darker elements at the top. So I am adding those, and at first, it is true that it seemed too dark, but now by blending and mixing this color with the surrounding ones, it becomes a little lighter and more importantly, more natural. It blends better with the other elements. In this area, I felt there were a few too many dark parts, so I went over it with a lighter touch on top. And I also want to better define the edge of my petal where it meets the other petal, we can see that there is a very dark section along the whole edge. Even though it fades slightly as it moves to the right, I am working on it to make it stand out a bit more. So I apply small strokes like this and then make sure to blend it with a slightly lighter red. In the end, what we notice is that most of the elements in the petals are really connected to each other. So no single line should stand out more than the others. I mean, all the elements, all the solo shifts between darker and lighter red need to blend and connect well with one another to create a three dimensional effect in the flower and make everything looks pretty realistic. Here, the area might seem a bit confusing because we really have two petals overlapping each other. So I thought that before really finishing this pond on the right, it might be a good idea to work on this one, the slightly darker petal. In the area we've already worked on quite a bit on the left. This way, it helps me see things a bit more clearly in what is, after all, a somewhat confusing area. So I am working on it, adding those dark elements that stand out nicely and help make it clear that this petal is on top the one we just painted. Now, it is true that there are still a few, even darker details missing on top, but I will add them later because for now, since I already have this color on my brush, the one I use for the petal above, I will also apply a few small touches on the right hand side, adding a few well placed details to help bring out that texture. And so now I can work with that small dark touch, which will really help the petal stand out against the one underneath. What we also need to work on is, of course, the small fold that we can see here on this petal. You can see that it's very dark on the lower part of this fold, and as we go up, it gets a bit lighter. So I adjust the color on my brush to make sure I have the right red value, and especially, I try to keep the stroke from being too thick. Here, you saw it was a little too thick. I spread too far to the side, so I simply go back over it with a slightly lighter red. And now we can move on to this next petal. Once this one is finished, I am doing just the one just above. It seems pretty obvious and really close to the one we just completed. In fact, it is sort of the continuation of that dark area we had worked on. So I'm going to work on it with small touches here and there to help bring out this petal more clearly. Overall, it's not very complicated. Be careful to add this one light element that needs to be carefully added along the entire edge of this petal, and that really helps to clearly mark the distinction between this petal and the one we painted earlier. You Now, I am going to create a slightly different color because in some areas of the flower, you can notice that although the red is a bit darker, it has a tone that appears somewhat purplish. That's particularly the case, for example, on the left side of the flower, where the petals are quite dark. It seems to me that when the color lightens in that area, it tends to become a little more purple. So from that base color, I am creating a slightly lighter one by adding some white and also a bit of red because that helps brighten the color, too, because the mixture I initially made was darker than permanent red. So I am creating this new shade. Now, I'm sorry, the mixing isn't clearly visible due to a small technical issue, but you will be able to see the color on the area where we are about to paint. And the difference between the color isn't huge. Is just somewhat a bit more purplish. And we are going to focus on this petal you see on the left hand side, which is quite interesting to work on because even within a single petal, you can notice multiple areas that are darker or lighter. So it's going to be interesting to explore how to do that. My approach for this section is to start with the smaller petal within the larger area because I feel like it's not particularly difficult to paint. And when there is something easy to paint, I go ahead and do it because it is easy, it builds confidence. And once one part is painted, it is always painter to paint the rest around it. It gives us a good visual reference to build on. Now I can move on to painting the petal just next to the one we have just worked on. It is darker than the previous one, and we can also notice that the tones are slightly more reddish with a purplish hint. So this new color I have makes feels perfect for painting it like this using this slightly rounded brush, which still allows for quite a bit of precision in this relatively narrow area. And while now I'm using this color, I figure I can also apply it on the side where we can see a medium dark shade. Then I will go in between those areas with some very dark elements. And to help those darker parts stand out later, I can first add a few lighter touches nearby. And as you can see, these lighter parts here aren't really a vivid red. They lean more towards a purplish hue. And that subtle tone also shows fruit, even in the darkest areas I will be painting in between. They are very dark, but you can still tell it's not black. It's actually a very deep red with a slight purple tint. That's a small nuance. Honestly, even if you painted this part of the flower using the colors we had previously mixed earlier, you would still get a convincing and fairly realistic result. But by paying attention to the small color shift, I think it had an extra level of refinement. Now I can add these lighter touches, this highlight, which help give the painting an even more free dimensional look, but be careful not to make them too bright or too sharp. Otherwise, it might look a bit less believable. As you can see here, I'm blending it nicely with the surrounding areas. And the one I did at the top, we also need to I will also need to tone it down slightly, make it a bit less bright and less noticeable. That is something important to keep in mind. Highlights that are too bright or too visible often have a counterproductive effect. So it's definitely something to watch out for. Now, let's move on to this next petal just beside the one we worked on earlier. Here we return to our original colors with those rich and intense reds. So I'm going to start by applying my base color, midm red slightly on the lighter side. And on top of that, we'll be able to add some even darker details later, even though we can already notice that the area on the right side is a bit lighter. Painting a red rose is a truly challenge, but also a real pleasure, in my opinion. Technically speaking, it is a very demanding subject. Red is a bit of a tricky color. You can't just lighten it with white the way you would with blue or yellow without the risk of dulling it. The red quickly lose its depth if you treat it like regular color. So this is why you need a base red that is already intense, like permanent red. Just by adding a touch of lemon yellow like we did, it's more it makes it even more vibrant and you can create truly striking tones. But again, you can't treat red like a standard color. You have to work it with fineness. Sometimes you darken it with burnt and bur, sometimes with ultramirn blue, or even a mix of both. There are many little subtleties in the color mixing, and that's what makes it so interesting to paint. Observing and analyzing those tiny shifts within a single petal becomes a whole exercise in itself. And painting a red rose is also an exercise in focus and concentration. It is a flower with a very defined structure, but at the same time, a lot of softness. You have to be precise without being rigid, placing each brush strokes with its intention, without outlining everything too much. You learn to suggest to modulate the color rather than trying to draw sharp edges around it. And beyond the technique, there's something quite moving about painting a red rose. It is the color of passion of life of the heart. A red rose can save so many things. And through painting a single flower, you can create something truly beautiful. And I am sure that whoever you gift it will be deeply touched by it. 4. Painting rose petals with depth and softness, Part II: At this point, my base layers are pretty well in place, so I am going to continue by adding, for example, a few slightly darker touches here at the bottom of the petal. This will help it stand out a bit more and create some depth in relation to the surrounding petals. In this area, I can also add a dark accent, which will again, help create a sense of volume and show the difference in height between the petals. So it is important to really emphasize those elements. And as we mentioned earlier, the different light and dark areas really all connected. They really work together. So after carefully cleaning my brush and removing any leftover paint, I can gently go over the area, adding a few touches here and there to create smooth transitions between the different red colours. Here, I am continuing to work on the details of this area, especially this little fold you can see, and now something very important. You are about to see the small highlights that I am adding right next to the darker section. It is a tiny detail, but it is crucial for giving volume to that little fall. Without it, it just looks like a dark line. But with that lighter touch added next to it, you can really start to see the shape and the sense of depth form. That's how we build volume in a painted surface. It is the combination of a mid tone in the area, a darker touch just beside it, and then a small lighter highlight. And that trio is what creates the illusion of volume. Now, I'm going to add a few more touches to this area here on this petal and then we'll move on to the center of the rose where all the petals are overlapping and twisting into each other. That part is more intricate, and I will show you how to handle it. The process for the remaining petals is exactly the same, so there is not much point in throwing every single one. Instead, we will focus on how to approach the center of the rose where all the tiny complex petals come together. It can seem overwhelming at first, but in my opinion, it is actually the most challenging and the most rewarding part of the flower to paint. To paint this area, which is quite complex, I am going to use a strategy. I apply almost every time I am faced with a complicated section like this one. I start by focusing on the elements that stand out the most, and very often, those are the darkest areas. In this part of the rows, you can clearly see those dark shapes where there is a strong shadow. They really pop out. So I am going to begin by marking those areas first because they are easy to identify. We know where they are and where and they are clearly visible. And I think that by starting with these darker areas, I will have some solid reference points that will make it easier to place everything else around them. And once those are in, I will start painting the petals next to them and really work them carefully. Then we'll gradually move through the rest of the area, always looking for the next set of dark elements to guide us. And I think that this approach really simplifies the process. Now that I have applied this color, I am switching brushes, or you can play in the same one. What matters is that we don't have the dark color on it anymore. And then I can move to the petals right next to it. And as you can see on the photo, they slightly connect to these very dark areas we have just painted. So we need to blend them gently to avoid a harsh break between the red and that very dark, almost black shade. And next, I continue. Here, there is a petal with a more intense tone and a few lighter touches, so I can add those in also. I did go a bit too far with this kind of black color at first, but that's okay. I can paint over it, as you saw, and I can do it without any problem. I just had to apply a generous amount of red to cover the dark color properly. Now I can move on and work on this next mole petal. You can see how the red gets gradually lighter, and there is a nice and soft transition in the shadowed area. And that's exactly what I am applying here. Then above that, there is a much lighter color with some slightly more intense red. And as I am going, and I am going to add this as well. By working one petal at a time, we are able to keep bearings or bearings. Each new petal we had helps us better navigate this part of the flower, which is very complex with a lot of overlapping petals. It is very easy to get lost in this area. But by painting one clearly identifiable shape, it becomes much easier to spot the surrounding ones and paint them in turn. And now with these new petals painted, I have some good reference points, and that makes continuing much easier. We are progressing slowly, yes, one petal at a time, but we can really see the progress and the piece is starting to come together before our eyes, and it's actually going quite smoothly. And now with my swath brush, I can go over the petal again right on that very delicate area to enhance the light effect and make sure we get the little highlights that really stand out. And then we can move on to another petal, the one on the left. Now that I have painted the ones on the right, it is easier to spot this one and work on it with more precision. It's not a particularly complex petal to paint, but to avoid getting lost, I prefer to start with the surrounding ones and the darker element. And now that we have elements next to this one, it is easier to locate and paint it. Once this area is well advanced, we can move on to the upper part. This up up section becomes a bit complex again with many petals overlapping each other. There are lots of small dark areas and small patches of red, so it is a bit tricky to find your way around. So I am going to paint with black again, and this black will help me find my bearings. I will try to mark the main dark areas, and in doing so, I will be able to move forward more confidently on my flower and on this rather intricate area. So I carefully observe my reference photo and I pay close attention to where the dark areas are, and I try to be fairly precise. That said, if I go over a bit or forget a petal, it's not the end of the world. The key is to maintain a certain consistency throughout the painting. So I try to be as precise as I can. And this way, it becomes easier for me to paint all the small petals that appear in the different areas. You here I am adding more dark elements, but be careful because you can see that there is a very slight difference in value. It is just a bit lighter than what I had applied so far, and it's also slightly more red. The difference isn't huge, but it's exactly these kinds of small details and subtle nuances that can make a real difference and take your painting to the next level. And now that I have marked all these reference areas, it's going to be much easier once again to paint between all these dark elements and to start adding the colors of each petal. I will be able to distinguish them more easily from one another thanks to those darker areas. So I will paint in between each of these dark elements, and I carefully observe the colors I need to apply. The little details to watch out for are especially the fine and lighter lines that appear in some places. These are small elements. It's true, but they are really essential because they help create a real sense of depth and emphasize the relief in the area. It is really this contrast between lighter and darker elements that give volume and three dimensionality to our flowers. So it is important to pay close attention to that. You have probably already noticed this if you paint regularly, some subjects truly require patience, and this rose is one of them. It is a subject that on the surface seems fluid, almost straightforward. But when you find yourself in front of it, brush in hand, you quickly realize that each petal has its own logic, its own curve, its own values. You can't just vaguely copy a shape. You need to observe, understand, and adjust, and naturally this takes time. So if you are feeling a bit frustrated, know that it is perfectly normal. In fact, it is often a good sign. It means that you are stepping out of your comfort zone and making progress. The mistake would be to think that you have to paint quickly or get everything right in the first time. In truth, slowing down is often the key. Taking a pause, stepping back to look at your work as a whole. This helps you understand what is working and what might need a little refining. There is a very freeing idea to keep in mind. It doesn't have to be perfect. Painting isn't a display of skill. It is a process of construction, a series of decisions. Some will be right immediately. Others will need adjustments, and that is what makes a piece feel alive. You can revisit, layer, reinterpret. Nothing is set in stone. What matters is that you move forward with care, with enjoyment, and above all, without pressure. This brings us to something that goes beyond technique. Painting isn't just about placing color on the surface. It is also a way to learn about yourself. Every subject teaches you something. A rose, for example, teaches you subtlety. It forces you to slow down to see differently, to pay attention to almost invisible nuances like this black color that seems to be black, but is already that is actually some kind of a red purple, very dark. And this ability to observe, to stay focused, to take your time, you will find it in all your future works and even sometimes in everyday life. You will also notice that the more you paint, the more consistency you develop, and consistency is far more valuable than inspiration. By painting often and accepting that not every attempt will be perfect, you grow. Your beautiful rose doesn't always emerge on the first try, but that is okay because with every attempt, you sharpen your eye, you refine your gesture, and that no one can take from you. What you are doing here is meaningful. It is an artistic journey. You are carving out time for yourself, to create, to learn. And this practice, even if it's quiet and personal, holds great value because it is yours and because it helps you move forward. So yes, sometimes you will go over an area three times, four times, even ten times. Sometimes you will hesitate, modify, start again. But all of that is part of the process. Keep going. Be curious, patient, and observe. And most of all, stay connected to that joy. The joy of seeing your image slowly take shape. This isn't a race. It is an exploration, and each brushstrokes brings you a little further along and makes you better in your practice. Working with the petals is very important. It is essential to apply the color carefully and with precision. It is also important to add those slightly lighter touches right next to the darker areas. And in some places, I don't hesitate to go back over the dark color if I feel it has been too softened by the red tones I applied. Then I can had those lighter and more defined red lines that help create contrast and give depth, allowing the petals to stand out from one another. So here we can see good progress on all these petals in the upper area. And now I can start to close off the center of the rows with this fairly dark line, which once again will serve as a useful reference point to helping place the other elements in this area more accurately. Alright, now we are going to paint this last small petal together. This will be the final part I will paint with you on camera. The rest of the rows will be completed off camera simply because the process is exactly the same as what we have already done together up to this point. You now have all the tools you need to continue on your own, building up the dark areas, layering the red tones, and adding those lighter touches to bring out the depth and form of each petal. But most importantly, don't give up now. You are really close to the finish line. Take the time you need to complete your roles as best as you can. It is a challenging subject, but it's also incredibly rewarding. If certain petals feel more difficult, that is okay. Just do your best, even if it's little by little. What matters is pushing through to the end. In just a moment, I will show you the finished flower. You can use it as a model or guide or even just as inspiration to complete your own. Feel free to refer to it if you are unsure about a shape or a specific area. And then we'll move on to the stem and the leaves, but there's no rush. Take all the time you need. It is better to move slowly and carefully than to try to finish too fast. This rose deserves your full attention. So feel free to put the video on pause with the final rose, and then we'll meet each other for painting the stem and the leaves together. 5. Painting the stem of the rose: Now it is time to work on the stem and the leaf. And I start by applying a green in the area, and it's going to be a base green onto which I can later add darker or lighter elements. After stepping back and looking at my footage, I realized that the green I had applied in the area was not the right one. It doesn't work. It won't ruin the final result too much, though, because what's also important is to carefully work on the slightly darker and lighter elements that will be added. And these combinations of small touches will help create. And then the most important part of the subject is still the rose. So, yes, it's a mistake on my part with this color for the stem, but not one that will seriously harm the final result. Now I am mixing a slightly darker green again to begin working a bit on the stem, adding some darker touches mostly on the left side, which will be in shadow. These small touches here and there will be enough to help create volume and give the impression that we are dealing with something cylindrical rather than completely flat. And to work on the texture of the stem, it's not an incredibly complex texture to paint, but it's necessary to add these little elements, these small touches here and there to make the stem look more realistic. Now I am mixing a slightly lighter, slightly whitish green to work on a subtle highlight you can see on the right side. And there you go with small touches here and there, I can apply the color, and it really stands out. So yes, initially, I initially said that my color wasn't quite right. It's true that the green on the right of the stem is a little too light, but thanks to the darker elements I have been added, the result feels a bit more balanced overall. And now we can move on to working on the leaf. It's not a particularly complex leaf to paint, but it feels like a good warm up, a good way to ease into the process before working on the one on the right, which will be a bit more complex. And with this leaf, we can see that the sides are fairly dark while the center is quite light, this is I am this is what I am aiming to replicate, applying these lighter areas and making sure they blend well with the darker parts. Just like with the rose petals, the different shades of green in the leaf are more or less connected to each other. Sure, there isn't a smooth gradient or transition between the two colors. The shift is pretty abrupt, but the two tones still blend nicely together. So with small touches, that's what I am trying to achieve here too, a good blend between these two elements. And And then on this leaf, there are some surprising little touches of color. There is some brown on the lower part and a bit on the upper part as well. There are also slightly reddish tones at the top and on the side of the leaf. So I am going to try adding those in. But it is important not to overthink these kind of details. They are just small accents to include, and this is a minor element in the overall composition, not one of the most important. Add them in, but don't worry too much about making it 100% perfect. Now let's move on to painting the other leaf. It is a bit more complex, but by going step by step, one element at a time, you will see that we can break it down quite easily. So the first step is to apply the base colors in the area, and I will try to play the most dominant colors in the right spot. Here, for example, at the start of the leaf, I noticed that there are some lighter areas on both the left and right side. So I can add those with light strokes like this and then add darker tones along the edge. And then I continue with the rest of the leaf. And I notice that at the top of the leaf, there are some darker elements, and we find that same color a bit lower down as well. So I will add that into. And by breaking the leaf down into smaller areas, I can make steady progress and actually see it come to life as I go. At this point, I am mixing a bit more paint because I didn't have enough and I wanted a more medium green, kind of in between tone because I feel like that's the main color across most of the leaf. So I apply it over the entire area where it seems to be the dominant shade. Even though there are spots with slightly lighter or darker touches, this green still seems to be the main color used throughout. Then for the lower part, it is the opposite. The area is generally lighter overall. So I start by applying that lighter tone, and later I will add some darker details on top. This way of working feels simpler overall. Now I can start moving on to the next phase, and I will begin applying color with more precision, meaning I will refine my brush strokes. At this point, I will refine my brush strokes. Sorry. And at this point, I try to identify smother areas within the larger ones we already painted. For example, at the start of the leaf, I noticed some areas that are even darker than what I had already painted. They stand out more, so I will begin by adding those. Among the details I can add are the lines running through the middle of the leaf, which we can already start to make out a little. And also along the edges of the leaf, there are slightly darker areas that I can add as well. But right now, the central veins of the leaf don't stand out enough, so I am going to work on those more carefully. And as I do that, I am not just going to paint a single dark line. I want to make sure everything around it blends well with the rest of the leaf. And that's really something I need to pay attention to. And I will work on that a little bit more later. Now, on the side of the leaf, as I mentioned, it is also a bit darker. So I am using a kind of brownish green, and as I apply it, you can see that I try to blend it a bit with the neighboring colors. And yes, I can keep going and work on the entire right edge, too. We can see that there are some darker parts there, as well, and little by little, the leaf is starting to come to life. And it's really the accumulation of all these little touches one after another that makes the difference. When faced with something like this leaf, it is easy to feel unsure about where to start. But as always, the same advice applies. Begin with what seems most obvious. At first, I saw the left as a few larger areas. Then I noticed I could add darker elements on the edges. Then I saw the central veins were quite dark. And next to those, I saw some smaller darker touches I could add to. And every time I add one element, then another seems then another that seems clear, the whole structure of the leaf starts to make more sense. And eventually, I will reach the point where I think the leaf is looking pretty clear now what is still missing. And I look for those missing elements by comparing the leaf I am painting to the one in my reference image. And as I said earlier, I want the darker pods to connect with the rest and blend into the green of the leaf, and that's exactly what I have done here. So now the leaf is looking pretty good. It's really starting to come together. What I'm doing next is adding some lighter elements next to the darker areas. And it's really this addition of small highlights beside darker spots that helps make the leaf look more free dimensional, bringing out the sense of volume. Once again, it is that combination of dark and light elements, just like with anything we paint that creates the illusion of depth and realism. Be careful not to make your highlights too bright because then it won't look quite right. You want them to be visible, but still quite subtle. So sometimes, if you feel like certain areas look a bit too light, adjust your color or blend it a bit more with the dark greens nearby, and then just a these small touches without overthinking it. No need to be precise down to the last miting matter. A few well placed details here and there are more than enough to make the whole thing look convincingly realistic. Uh To make this lighter area stand out even more, I'm going back in with my slightly darker green, and in some spots, I will go over them again. That will really help enhance all the work we have done here. So that is the final touch for this leaf. And all that is left to paint is the lower part of the stem, but that will be done in the same way as we did in the upper part. So this is why I will continue off camera and we'll meet again for the background painting. So take your time to carefully finish that lower part of the stem. So here is my stem color on the palette. I have created a very light gray by simply mixing a large amount of white with a bit of ultramarine blue and burnt umber in equal parts and then adding a lot of white. Nothing too complicated. And now we can move on to painting the background. The first thing I'm going to do is paint all around the rose with this color in order to create a sort of protective barrier and avoid overlapping onto the rose itself. So gently, using this slightly smaller brush, I will work my way around the edge. Also, an important detail. Some parts of the rose are already dry. So this is a bit like applying a second layer. There is a chance that a bit of gray might come into contact with the red of the rose. Since it is essentially a second layer, I have used the medium number two, which contains a bit more oil than the medium number one. This way, the fat of a lein rule is respected when applying this layer. So I will do that all around the flour, and afterward, I will be able to paint more confidently with a flat brush without worrying about going over the rose color. Okay, now I have skipped the rest of this background application around the flower since it is repetitive and not particularly interesting, I was doing the same thing over and over. And so using a flat brush and broad strokes, making sure to stretch the paint well, I can complete the background work on the rows. So take your time, even though the background isn't the most complex part, a poorly done background rushed at the last minute can ruin the whole piece, and that would be a real shame. So take care, work patiently, and everything will turn out fine, especially since we have already spent quite a lot of time on the rose. It will be a shame to let a rushed background spoil it. And there we go. Our rose is now complete. I hope this tutorial helped you better understand how to build up a rose in painting step by step by playing with contrast, volume, and details. As always, take your time, observe your reference carefully and most importantly, enjoy the process. So thank you very much for watching and see you very soon for a new subject. H 6. How to paint a flower bouquet – presentation: Eating flower bouquets is one of the most classic exercise in still life painting. And with this subject, we are going to learn many things. There are beautiful flowers that we will learn how to paint, how to be able to create some volumes with the petals, how to paint the stems, and create some beautiful greens. And also what is very interesting is that the vase is very different than what we can see usually with some other sin. It's made with some kind of paper that is very different. And this paper is made of different browns, so it will be very interesting to see how to make these beautiful browns. And also, there are many folds created by this paper, which makes it even more interesting to work on. So this is really a fascinating subject where we are going to learn many things. Poomking and for the creation of this artwork, I will be working on a paper, and the size of this paper, this old painting paper is 30 by 40 centimeters. I will be using my ordinary materials and finally, for the drawing, I will be using my projector. But if you want, you can definitely go for the grid to make sure that you have the right proportions. A great drawing with the right proportions is the first step towards painting that looks very realistic. So I really recommend that you use the grid to make sure that you have the right proportions with your drawing. Now, let's get started, and let's paint together these beautiful flowers. 7. How to mix colors for the vase: As usual, before we begin, let's start by analysing the various colors in our subject, beginning with what we are going to paint first the vase made from craft paper. We can see that this area contains a large variety of different browns. Looking at the cord, it is a fairly light neutral brown with a bit of a creamy tone. Meanwhile, the rest of the craft paper, especially the central area, contains browns with a slightly yellowish tint. And, of course, we will use values to create subtle relief and give the vase that cylindrical three dimensional appearance, what what we don't want. Is that this craft paper, this vase look as if it was flat. And if we don't want to get something flat and more voluminous in three dimensional, we need that large variety of browns to create that effect. So we also notice that the top part is more in shallow, most likely because of the leaves and flowers above it, and the browns in that area are darker and similarly less saturated. They lean more toward a grayish brown. So that gives us quite a few browns to mix, which is great because brown is never the easiest color to mix on the palette. So this will be a good opportunity to practice and improve on that. Let's start mixing all colors. And like we saw during the analysis, the colors of this vase, this vase will be kind of yellow, orange brown. So I create a mixture with some orange at first, but with quite a good amount of yellow as I wanted to go more towards the yellow color. And now I have orange that is also pretty line because as you could see, I added some white to it so that I don't end up with something too dark at first. Now my color is way too orange and way too intense. This is why I had the blue to it, which is the opposite color to make this orange less intense, less vibrant. And also some burn timber because the burn timber is a very good color to make the elements automatically go more towards the brown color and a little bit more neutral. So this is why I like to use it when I want to create some brown colors. Now, I think that my color is pretty good but still way too intense. So this is why I'm adding a little bit of blue, but I am also going to add even more blue and even more burn timber to create something that is even less intense than what I have right now on my palette. M Now I am going to create something a little lighter that we can see in this highlight on the right. Even though this highlight is not as intense as what we could see with some other painting, it is still quite noticeable. So this is why I will add a bigger amount of white to my mixture and add a little bit of orange and a little bit of blue to make it less intense. Also, you can see that the amount of yellow is way bigger than the amount of red because I want my color to lean a little bit more towards the yellow. But right now, because I added a lot of yellow and quite a lot of burn tumber and blue, my color turned to be a little bit too greenish. So this is why I added the opposite color of my color, which is the red. And now I want it to be a little bit more yellow again. And every time I ask myself these famous questions I talk about in the basic course, which are like, is my color too light or not light enough? Too green or not green enough, too red or not red enough. So I constantly ask myself this, but I don't need to do it out loud anymore. At first, I really took my time to ask myself those questions, but now it's really automatic and I don't even think about it, but I know that in my mind, I am asking myself these questions, and I know instantly which color I need to take. And with practice and with time, you will see that it would become easier for you too, and you will do it very naturally. Now I wanted my color to be a little bit darker and to make it darker, I added some burnt and burn, but not only because when I wanted to make it darker, that means that I want to reduce the proportion of the white color, and therefore, I need to increase the one of the orange. So this is why I also added some yellow and red to it. And now I am creating something a little bit lighter to paint the cord, and this color seemed great. And I also realized that the gap in value between these two color was too important. So this is why I added some burn tuber to my second color. I am going to create a fairly dark color for the shadow areas that can be found on both of the upper part of the vase and on the lower part where it is closer to the ground and therefore a bit darker. For that, I significantly increase the amount of burn timber and ultramarine blue to get something quite dark. Especially on the upper part, we are looking at the brown that is slightly grayish. That's why I added a good amount of ultramarine blue. And I also lighten it because I realize that it's still too dark for the top areas. And with all that blue mixed in, we've gone a bit too far towards the gray color. So what I am going to do is that I'm going to tone down the intensity of the shade by adding the opposite color of the blue, which is orange. And gradually we are getting back to a more balanced tone, moving towards a gray brown, but less desaturated than before. And honestly, I think this color looks pretty good. And we'll see once it is applied on the paper if it needs adjusting or not. So this dark color we mix is actually pretty good, but I am thinking that for the other areas of the vase, we are going to have browns that are almost as dark, maybe just a little bit lighter, but especially a bit more orange. So I am going to increase the amount of orange in the mix and decrease the amount of ultramarine blue so that we move less towards a great brown and more towards an orange, slightly more intense brown. At this point, I am realizing that my color is a bit too dark, so I simply lighten it with a little bit of white and also that my orange wasn't leaning enough towards the yellowish tone that characterizes this craft paper. So I added a large quantity of yellow because yellow tends to get easily overwhelmed by the other colors if you add equal amounts. The other pigments quickly dominate if you are not careful. And so after a few adjustments, I am gradually getting a color that seems pretty good for the darker elements of this craft paper. But as I often say, when I see my colors at this stage, they seem pretty good for the craft paper, but the real test will be once they are actually applied on the paper. Usually, colors don't look exactly the same on the palette as they do once they are on the paper. You don't get the same perception. So we will see. Now, looking back, the lighter color I had mixed earlier seems good for the highlight areas on the vase. But for the little rope, the cord, I will need something even lighter. So that's what I am going to create now, still aiming for something slightly yellowish, though maybe a little less so for the rope, but mainly something lighter than the other areas. So I am mixing this new color now, making my adjustments as always. And once this one is ready, we'll be able to get started. 8. Painting the vase – middle section: Here is my drawing. At first, I had made a grid on my paper, and I drawn thanks to the grid. But I realized that I used the wrong side of the paper and to avoid having to redraw everything, the grid, et cetera, what I did was simply trace it by placing the paper on the window and draw over it. So as you can see, I drew the main areas, and for the shading, I will do that in real time when I start painting. So, let's get started, and we are going to begin with the central area of the craft paper that you can see here. To start this painting, I am going to use a strategy that I often apply, which is to first mark out the main color areas. So I try to block in the major masses, identifying where the large zones of identical colors are, and then I apply them. So I observe carefully trying not to focus on the details during this phase and instead really work on dividing the area into small color groups. So I ask myself around here, what would be the dominant color? And if I had to choose just one, and here, which one would I pick? And this way, I can already start to create a bit of volume in the area because as we have seen many times, what gives the elements a three dimensional volumetric field is the correct application of colors in the different zones. So here, I started with this slightly darker area, and I noticed that in other places, it's going to be a little lighter. The value difference isn't huge, but still you can tell there is a difference between these areas. And this is why I think that this new color is probably a good choice for working in this part. Now, I make sure to wipe off the excess paint from my brush, and then I will start blending the two colors together, making sure they mix well so that the transition between them is almost invisible. I try at least to keep the colors and areas I had initially defined more or less where I intended, even though I know that it is almost a lost cause that those areas will shift a bit and need to be reworked. But that's part of the process. Right here, you can see that there is a strip with a certain highlight, so I define it. You also see that I adjusted my color to make it a bit lighter because it seemed fine on the palette, but once applied, I realized it wasn't light enough. And now by remixing my colors, I can create a new shade that will work pretty well for this right hand side of the vase. And now that my colors are applied, I can start blending them together with multiple back and forth movements. And whenever I feel like there's too much paint on my brush, I don't hesitate to wipe it off. For now, I would say that we have a pretty decent base, and I am going to finish this small area by working on the upper part where you can see that there is a noticeable difference in value compared to the lower part we painted on the left. And this already gives us a good little section to work with and where we will be able to add a bit of texture, a bit more depth, and a few subtle folds that we can observe around here, even though it's not necessarily the area where the paper is the most creased. So the effect will be a bit lighter. At first, the color layout was fairly rough. We define large color masses, big blocks, where you could see slighter darker areas, slightly lighter ones, and so on. Now the next step isn't quite about working on the finest details yet. And actually, on this craft paper, there aren't really extremely fine details like we will see later with the flowers and plants where things will be a bit more refined. Here we don't have very fine details, but we do have a fairly pronounced texture, and that's what we are going to try to create now with this phase of work by defining the areas a bit more precisely. For example, I noticed that in several places, there are little spots and small clusters, small areas where elements are a bit darker. So now with my slightly more precise brush, I am going to try to define them with small touches here and there, as you can see me doing in the central part of the paper. M On the paper, you can see that in this slightly lower area, there is a fold that is somewhat visible. It is not the most pronounced fold you will find on craft paper, but it is still a good practice exercise to start with. And what you can observe with this fold is that generally the edge is going to be a little darker, and you can see that across the right side, it gets a bit lighter, eventually blending into the other colors. And it is the same with the fold that you can see marked on the left. For now, there is no real depth created along this fold, but it will come. It will come thanks to the lighter elements we will had next to it, which will allow us to create volume. And that's really the secret to creating volume. It's all about playing with shadows and highlights. In other words, with dark and light values. And this is how you create hollows, make elements look more three dimensional, form folds and so on. And that's what I will work on later. On the right side, too, we had applied a medium dark color, and you can notice that there are some slightly darker touches here and there. So I am going to add them now, and gradually, I will lighten the color on my brush to add small touches that are just slightly lighter than the surrounding highlight area because even in the highlight zone, we don't want a perfectly smooth, textureless area. It is important to understand that in painting, especially when trying to represent things realistically, completely uniform surfaces are very rare. If they exist at all, maybe in some background, but even then, you will often notice that some areas are slightly lighter or darker to help elements stand out a little bit more. As you can see, my next step now is to start working on the slightly lighter elements. Often, these lighter elements are found right next to darker areas that help create volume. For example, here on the left side. Also, across the central area, adding these lighter touches really helps build a well developed texture for the craft paper. If you look closely, you will notice there are tiny reliefs on the surface of the craft paper. It is a slightly rough paper that falls easily. And because of this, there are lots of micro reliefs that we can easily represent with an alternation of lighter and darker touches. And that is also what I am doing here. In some places, I dab lightly with my brush, observing where I see slightly lighter spots. With almost random brush strokes like this, I manage to create that very irregular texture typical of craft paper. On this upper part, the lighter elements I am adding also help create a sense of height and depth in that area, where you can see that it bulges a little before becoming more hollow where the rope tightens the vase slightly. So I keep going, and also what we can notice is that in the highlight area, you can notice even lighter touches than what I initially applied. And in the end, in some areas, it is almost like we have used three different values. We started with an intermediate base color, the dominant color of these areas. Then we added some darker touches, and now we are adding some lighter ones. And it is often this combination, this layering of three different values that really helps create depth in the different areas. And here for the falls that we observed on this area, the little light touches I just add are the ones that will really bring out the effects of falls and creases in that area. For the central area, we are almost done. Now, what I am going to work on is the shadow cast by the rope. This rope projects a small shadow that is visible in the central part of the vase. And cafe, be careful because if you look closely at this shadow, you will notice that it doesn't have exactly the same value throughout. You can see that on the upper part, it is darker, and as you move down towards the bottom of the vase, it gets a little lighter. I am also going to make sure that the shadow blends softly with the surrounding areas. Because generally, with shadows, you don't want to completely sharp edge. Instead, it should blend very gently into the surrounding tones, and that's exactly the effect I will try to create. So these are the last elements I am working on this area. Then we will move on to the lower part of the vase, which is also going to be very interesting to work on because there are a lot more faults there, and it will be a great opportunity to see how we can create that sense of volume in this area. Oh 9. Painting the vase – lower section: Now let's move on to this lower part of the vase. And on this lower part, you can see that the colors will be very similar to what we painted on the central area. However, this lower part will be interesting because there will be a bit more folds. It's great to work on that to create volume. The folds are more pronounced, so there will be slightly greater value differences in those areas. So I am really going to focus on that to create as much volume as possible in these spots and make it look very realistic. But first of all, I start by applying my colors properly. I work area by area just as we did on the upper part, and I try to remain fairly precise in my work on each area. Even though, as you can see, I am working with a brush that is a bit fake. I am using my flat brush. So here, the work is very similar to what we did higher up, meaning the application of colors first. Then I will blend and really focus on creating a good texture in that area and properly emphasizing the relief. So here, I am going to speed up the video a little bit during the color application, and we'll also skip the blending step since it is the same as what we did earlier. I think it is more interesting to spend time seeing how to properly work on the texture and the different folds we have in this area, which can be a bit trickier. So make sure the color are applied correctly in the right places, and then we'll see each other again to work on the texture and the little folds in this area. Now that my areas are fairly well defined and that blending has been done, what I am going to do now is try to work on them a little more precisely. I'm going to set aside my flat brush and observe the different areas within this phase and work with a thinner round brush. Each time I will ask myself, does this area need to be worked on a bit more? Are there, for example, slightly darker elements that are more visible. And if the answer is yes, I will add small touches, as you can see. You can also notice that the small touches I add with my brush are deliberately very irregular, like little dots going here and there. There is no clearly defined pattern, and that's what helps create this craft paper texture. With my brush, I apply the color and try to blend it just a little with the color underneath, but not too much either, because that's also what helps define this texture. So this is what I am focusing on, and little by little, you can see that we are getting closer to a texture that is quite similar to the one in the area above. Now, at this point, it is true that we haven't really created any volume, any crease yet because those slightly lighter values are still missing. On the lower part, you can also notice that it's going to be darker because there is this strong shadow being created between the vase and the ground area. But for that, I will need to work with a slightly finer brush. What I was able to do already with this brush was to start marking the transition between this very dark brown and the slightly lighter brown that I am applying now because the shift from the shadow near the ground to the slightly lighter elements above isn't abrupt. It happens through a smooth transition, and this is something I have also started to work on. Now I can start adding some slightly lighter touches in the area, and these lighter touches will allow all the folds and details to appear a little more three dimensional. Once again, it is the sub combination of lighter and darker elements that helps create volume within this part of the vase. So this is an extremely complex work that requires extreme precision. However, it is a task that will take a bit of time because you need to carefully observe where to place these lighter elements and blend them very delicately with the surrounding colors so that the transitions look truly natural between the different areas. So take your time, observe the elements, and light the touches carefully, and also make sure not to make them too light because otherwise it will make the result look fake and it won't appear realistic when the value contrast in certain areas is too strong. That is the kind of situation where you realize something looks off. So it is a slow and steady progression, but it gradually leads to a well defined result. So I would say that my lighter and darker areas are now fairly well defined, and we are starting to see a nice texture and some folds. Now I am going to work a little more on the folds that are located in the lower area. You can see that I didn't hesitate to add some burn timber to my color to get something really dark because in some places, it gets very close to black. However, be careful because in some areas, the color becomes a little lighter. For example, you may have noticed that the little tip that points upward on the left, you can see that it fades slightly into the brown of the vase, and similarly on the sides, it blends nicely. So it is important to ensure a smooth transition between these different elements to achieve a more natural result. Now I am carefully working on the fold on the right. And for the one on the right, what I notice is that it blends even more with the brown above it. So I apply the fairly dark base, as you can see, and with some small brush storks here and there, I am making sure to create a good transition between these very dark brown and the lighter elements above. This fold is a bit more complex. You really need to closely observe the subtle details, the small shift in value you can see here and there. So that is what I am going to do. I will refine my work a bit, improve some areas where I feel it's maybe not dark enough or not blended enough with the colors underneath. But overall, I would say that fold is slower part. We are good. We have managed to create the different folds. It looks much more dimensional, and that is satisfying. You can also notice that on the upper part near um the loop near the rope, there is a small area that we hadn't worked on yet, so I will paint that off camera, and then we'll meet again to work on this last part of our vase, which is the upper area, the area that looks a bit darker and a bit more grayish. And after that, we will also work on the little ropes and, of course, on the flowers as well. 10. Painting the vase – upper section: So let's work this last area of the vase. And the first thing I do is that I try to apply my colors at the right place using these kind of more grayish colors. You can see with these dark ones that is mixed at the top of my palette. And what I will also do is mix these different colors together so that I can create some more intermediate tones. So the video is a little bit sped up because it's basically the same thing that we have done before, but take your time to build a good base for the vase. It is not a race. I have only sped up things to make the tutorial a bit lighter since it's already very long and heavy in file size and to remove some of the more repetitive parts because like I said, we have done that before with the central part of the vase, and we are just doing the same thing for now. So really take your time, and then we'll move on to the rest and and work this area with some details and feel free to pause the video before starting the new parts. The work on the details we'll do in a few seconds. What I am going to do now is rework my darker areas a little more precisely because I feel that I don't stand out enough. So I am going back over them with small touches here and there to create something with more contrast. I will also make sure that these elements blend delicately with the surrounding area so that the transitions between the darker and slightly lighter part look natural. So here, as you can see, I have blended my different areas together. The zone looks a little bit better, a bit more natural. And what I am doing is adding small touches of color in different places to create that particular texture of the craft paper. Just like we did on the lower part, I am adding the small touches of color here and there. And what we really make the different folds in this area stand out on a peer free dimensional, are the slightly lighter touches that we will add alongside later. So in the end, even though we are working on a slightly darker and more grayish area, the method remains the same. We still have that slightly irregular texture, those folds that are a bit darker with lighter elements nearby to make them pop out. So now I want my folds to be more pronounced to stand out more. So I am reworking them with darker elements, but I don't want them to be as strong as the previous one, which is why I am trying to blend them a little into the surrounding colors. I find it really interesting to work on raft paper because it's not a smooth material like glass or metal. It has a very unique texture with lots of little folds and small irregularities. And all these tiny imperfections are exactly what make your painting feel more lively and believable. With craft paper, the goal clearly isn't to create something perfect. It is about capturing the spirit of the paper, its material, and its natural, slightly rough character. And that is also why I chose this subject because it allows us to work on different materials throughout this complete still life painting course. We get to see how to paint lots of things glass, metal, pottery with the work on the lies flower, and apple. In short, we really explore a wide variety of texture. And now with this craft paper, we are discovering something different again, and learning how to paint craft paper also trains you to paint other more complex materials later on. If you manage to suggest the fold, the roughness and the subtle color shifts here, you will be much more comfortable later when painting fabrics, foliage, or even certain skin texture if you want to move into portrait painting. This work we are doing on the vase is really an exercise that requires patience. I know, we are moving forward little by little, observing a lot, but it is exactly this kind of deep and detailed work that builds real progress. Every fold you paint, every small transition you refine is one more step toward a truly realistic result. And it's completely normal for it to feel a bit long sometimes. But it is also in moments like this that your artistic eye really develops. You are not just filling in colors. You are observing, interpreting, interpreting and understanding how light and material interact to create volume. And that is truly a truly valuable skill for your entire autistic journey and for all the paintings that you will create in the future. So stay motivated, stay focused. Just imagine the moment when this vase is fully finished. We are getting close to the end now, and it is such a great reward for our patients to see it slowly come to life before our eyes and appear free dimensional. We don't want to let up right at the end of a project that's been a bit long. The final reward is right here just ahead. Now for this upper part of the vase, it is almost done. I will just add a few final touches, and then I will also paint a small area between the ropes that is still left to be done. But it's not going to be any more complicated than the rest. We will use exactly the same approach. So we'll see how to do that in a few seconds. So in here, I work in exactly the same manner. But the area is thinner, and therefore, I need to be a little bit more precise and work with some finer brush. But basically, it's the same thing. I will do the same thing also for the small parts that is underneath. And then we will finalize the vase with the work on the ropes. Now we are going to work on the rope that you can see around the vase, and it's really something that will complete our work. Here I am adjusting my color a little bit to make sure I have the right shade because when I looked at it again, I felt it wasn't quite right. I wanted something a little less yellowish and a bit more neutral. So I rebalanced my orange color by adding some red and also a bit of burn timber to shift it towards something more neutral, more brownish. And I am also going to lighten it a bit with some white. Now, I would say that my color looks pretty good, and so we can start painting the rope. So for this rope, what I notice is that the base is quite light. So that's what I am going to apply first. I use a fairly fine brush and paint the entire area with this color to start with. And only afterward will I work on it with more detailed touches to really create a rope texture. But for now, what I am doing is simply applying the dominant color, and this way, we will have a good base to build. So I started here, and I am going to continue over the entire rope and we'll mit back once the base is applied everywhere to finalize and work on the texture. Here, my base is applied everywhere, and now I am going to work on it a little bit more precisely. What we can see on this rope is that there are lots of small fibers running diagonally with a kind of slightly curved trajectory. What makes them visible is simply that they are a bit darker. So that's what I am going to add now using this fairly fine brush, my sword brush, I gently apply small darker touches, and if it slightly overlaps onto the area above, it's not a problem at all. Actually, it is a good thing because what we can notice about this rope is that it has a very irregular texture, and there are a lot of little fibers sticking out onto the top area. And by adding them, it helps to recreate the irregularity we see in the texture of the rope. Also, there are small elements that spill over onto the background. But since I haven't painted the background yet, I won't be able to add them for now, which makes sense. So what I will need to do is wait until the background is painted, and then I will be able to add them later. If I want to make sure I have exactly the same color without having to remix it, one technique that works and helps slow down the drying time of the painting for a few days is to put your palette in the fridge. This way, I can keep my color fresh literally and reuse it a few days later. Otherwise, if needed, I will simply remix the color and apply it as a second layer. But if I apply it as a second layer, I will need to use my second medium, which is richer in oil. Otherwise, I risk having cracks later on. So there we go, and now I am finishing the rope by adding these little elements that overlap onto the vase. So I quickly observe and then try to add them, and it's not a problem if they are not placed with midi metal precision. So that's it for the work on the rope. Now I am going to do exactly the same thing on the overside and it will be also the exact same process on the lower part. So I will do that off camera and then we'll meet again to mix the colors for the different flowers and start working on them. So take your time, be far off, and I am sure that you will manage it without any problem. 11. How to mix colors for the flowers and leaves: So let's focus on the colors we are going to mix for the flowers. We can see that there is a wide variety of greens for the leaves. So it's going to be interesting to mix because green is always a color that may be a little bit tricky to mix, so we will see how to get that. And we can see that there is a bright, intense light green, not fluorescent, but still very vibrant. So we need to find a way to recreate that. We also notice that there are much darker greens. In some areas, they even get close to the black. And overall, we have a lot of greens with different values. So very dark, some very light and very vibrant. And, of course, we also have some intermediate tones between the two. So we need to create this white variety of green to probably replicate these leaves. As for the pinks and the flowers, we can also see a certain variety in terms of value. But what is important to notice is that there aren't any extremely bright pink. And generally, when mixing flower colors, they aren't extremely saturated colors, especially for the pink roses like this one. Here, the pinks will need to be softened a little. We will need to slightly reduce their intensity. And so we will see exactly how to do that right now with our color mixing. Let's start by mixing the colors of the flowers. As we noticed earlier, we are aiming for pinks that aren't very intense. So what I am doing is starting by adding a large amount of white because these are very light flowers, and I am creating a meton here, which isn't going to be very dark. What I also did is add the opposite color of the red, which is the green. This way, I am creating a pink, creating a pink that is less saturated, a little less intense, and that is perfect because I don't want anything too vibrant. And now we have an intermediate color that looks good for some areas of the flowers. Next, I am going to create something even lighter. Again, I will start with a pink base that I will make less intense by adding green. But this time, I add a very large amount of white to make sure that it is very light. This looks pretty good, and now I am going to create a slightly darker tone. And as you can guess, what I will do is reduce the amount of white compared to the other colors. But I will still keep adding the opposite color of the red to make sure that the pink doesn't become too flashy or almost fluorescent. So that's what I do. I mix this red with this opposite color, but I think that my color is pretty good, but I want something a little bit darker. So I had even more of these free colors, and gradually through small adjustments, I'm managing to get a color that looks pretty good. In some area, we can even see that the color is even less intense, slightly brownish, more neutral. So I am going to dull it down even more by adding a little more green. And what I will also do is add some burnt umber. Burnt umber is a kind of magic color when you want to really reduce the intensity of the color and make it slightly brownish and very neutral. And from this base color that I am creating, I will create different shades with it, adding darker elements and making others that are a little lighter. And now I would say that we have a good palette to paint the flowers. Let's start mixing the greens. What I am going to mix first on the very light, very intense greens. For that, I mix a large amount of yellow with some blue. But at first, I added way too much blue, so I adjust it way too much yellow, sorry. And so I adjusted it. And gradually, we get closer to a color that's really interesting and will be perfect for painting certain areas with a very intense green. So I will keep this one. And from this color, I am going to create a slightly different variation, just a little bit lighter simply by adding a bit of white because I don't want it to shift too much towards yellow. So that's why I lighten it with white only. Of all our lightest greens, I would say that we are in a good place. Now I am going to create other greens, but ones that are a little more balanced, more like mid tones. And for that, I mix a bit more blue with my yellow color. But I still add a large amount of yellow because if we put equal parts of blue and yellow, I would end up with something that is way too blue. And you may have noticed that I remove a little bit of paint from my mixture, and that is because I was using an old tube of yellow. It was nearly empty and sometimes you find dried up bits inside. So be careful with that because otherwise you can end up with chunks that you really don't want in your painting. So now I am creating something even darker for the areas that are extremely dark. And as you saw, I added some burnt timber because it helps darken the color even more without pushing it too much toward the blue. Now I'm going to create something a little bit lighter, something a bit more intermediate. But when I mix it, I notice that it turns a little too blue, so I balance it out with more yellow, and I am also lightening it with a bit of white. And with all these colors on the palette, I would say that we have a very solid base for painting the flowers and the leaves. If needed, we will adjust along the way while painting. But overall, we are in a good place. I'm just going to create the last color from this one by adding some white to it, and then we'll be ready to start. 12. Painting the flowers step by step: So let's get started and work on the flower with this first petal on the right. So at first, I am applying this very light color in here because we can see that this area is very light. And therefore, I think that this color and even the one that is even lighter is best for this area. And as we move downward, we can see that this area is getting a little bit darker. So I am adjusting my color. But what I realize is that the gap between my light color and this dark one is too big, and so I have to create an intermediate color. And so this is what I am creating right now. In the same manner that what I did before, except that I adjust the proportion of the white to get something in between these two colors. And so now we are almost good. I think that the color seems better and seem more intermediate. And I'm going to apply it in this area to make sure that I have a better transition between these two different pink colors. So that looks pretty good. Okay. And as I am moving downward, I think I can get something even darker for this area. And as I apply my color, I make sure that I stretch it well and that these colors blend together very gently to have a nice transition from one color to another. Next, with a final brush. I'm going to work a little bit more in detail. And what I realize is that well, I need to have something a little bit more brown for some areas. So I am adjusting my color and adding a little bit more of burnt umber to it. And then I can add these little details in the area. And so these details, it's not very complicated. It's just some little spots here and there with something a little bit darker. And this would be more than enough to create something realistic. You will see that I am not going to spend a huge amount of time to get something great in this area. I am going to move on to the next flower. For now, since only part of a petal has been painted, and there are so many flowers and leaves and petals in this bouquet in this composition, it is completely normal if you find it a little difficult to figure out exactly where I am. Actually, I am working on the large flower that you can see on the right, and right now I'm on the far right of the flower at the top. Hopefully, that will help you get your bearings a little bit. So here with this new petal, I am calmly starting to lay down my colors. At this stage, the goal isn't to seek perfection, but really to try to capture, let's say, the spirit of the flowers, to feel their lightness and their movement. So I take my time, and it's really by moving forward little by little, that I start to build a lively painting for my flowers. And before diving into the details of the flower, and this applies to every petal and every flower I am painting, I try to observe the flower as a whole. I ask myself, where are the big color areas? What are the main masses? And it's perfectly fine if at the beginning, some parts remain a little blurry. We start by constructing the big shapes first, and it's only afterward that we come back and refine them a bit. Although here we are dealing with relatively small flowers, and then we don't necessarily need to add a huge amount of detail to give them a nice texture and a sense of realism. Now I'm going to readjust to adjust a little bit my lower flour because I thought that it wasn't bright enough in some areas. It needed to stand out more, which is why I added a few mod touches of white like this. Now I am moving on to the flower just below. You may have seen that I had already started a little bit. What I noticed with this flower is that it has some slightly pinkish, slightly more reddish touches, but in a color that is a bit more intense than what we had mixed so far. This is why I am reworking it, and I don't hesitate to adjust my colors as I go, making some changes because this is what I observe in my reference photo. You shouldn't approach it by thinking, Okay, I have mixed my colors at first. They are perfect, and I can paint everything with them. Usually when I mix my colors at the beginning, it is just to create a small base that I will use to paint the rest of my piece. But by no means do I consider them as my final colors. Very often, adjustments are needed, and that is exactly the case here, since I added mix this more intense color before, because it only represents a very small part of the floral composition. So now you can see that I am adding a few touches of color like this, which stand out nicely and help make this flower look even more believable. So it is very common that while I am painting a piece, I end up adding more drawing to my work as I go. At the beginning, I usually sketch the basic elements, the main outlines. But sometimes when I start painting a certain areas, I realize that if I don't have a few more pencil marks, it might get a little complicated for me to paint it properly. So it is better for me to lightly redraw certain parts. Otherwise, I might get lost and it might feel too unclear to know exactly where to place my colors. Very often, I create a very rough initial sketch, and then I had little elements as I paint to guide myself. Especially because when I start painting, when I am in the drawing stage, I always have the sort of impatience. I want to quickly move on to start painting right away and see the final result take shape as soon as possible. So the drawing phase is something I almost tend to rush a little bit just to be able to grab my brushes faster and start applying the paint. And you will notice that to create the impression of volume between the petals, to make it look like one petal is more forward than another, or like one is a bit more voluminous, or simply to show that there are several petals next to each other, creating a certain depth, it is a bit like the work we did on the craft paper. It is the combination of dark elements and light elements that allows us to build a sense of volume of relief. For example, on the petal, you can see at the bottom part, the one very close to the craft paper, you can see that there is a small petal, a very small one that is very light, and above it, there are much darker brushstrokes, and it's this difference in value between the two that helps the viewer understand that there is a gap between those two petals, that they are separate petals and that there is real volume being created in that area. Sometimes when you have petals like the ones I am painting right now that are a bit delicate because there are a lot of small areas with different colors and so on, it can be a good idea to start by marking the darkest elements first, especially when you are working on something light, like in this case, because the dark elements will stand out much more. By applying them first, it gives you reference points, meaning you can easily place and identify them. And therefore, it becomes easier afterward to paint between those points because you know that Your base color will already be fairly well positioned within the area. Of course, that doesn't mean the work is finished. You still need to add more details to make the pedal look believable. But at least you know that your base is well structured, and it is easier to refine it afterward by working in this way. In any case, it is a trick I really like and that I use for any subject. Anytime I face a situation where something is a bit tricky to paint. For example, if I'm painting the sea in a landscape and painting waves is always a bit tricky, I will try to spot smaller areas where the water is darker. In this way, it is easier for me to paint and to place my other elements around these darker spots that act as reference points. It immediately becomes much easier to locate other groups of colors. So it is definitely a useful technique. And with tell life painting, it works just as well. Actually, that is pretty much what we did when working on the craft paper. We had some darker areas standing out here and there, and then we painted around them, knowing how darker ones were properly placed and could serve as guides. Another useful tip when you are painting elements like this, like flowers where there are a lot of similar colors, and the values are pretty close, is that if you don't necessarily want to reload your brush and change color, but you want something a little darker or lighter, simply varying the pressure on your brush can help. If I press harder with my brush, while painting over an area and I want to add a darker detail, by applying more pressure, I will be able to paint over it and get something fairly dark. Well, of course, it depends on the color I am using, but if I use the same color and paint over an area, while applying less pressure, I will end up with something a little lighter. And sometimes that's really convenient instead of having to reload the brush with a different color every time, which can break the flow of painting. Just adjusting the pressure of your brush like that allows you to adjust the value you are applying. I think I already showed this in the basic course, but it's definitely a very handicip and personally, it helps me a lot, and I do something like this all the time. I'll let you take a few moments to quietly paint these little parts of the flowers here and the ones on the right, as well, before we move on to the big one on the left, observe your brush strokes, have fun with the color, and most importantly, don't forget to enjoy the process of painting these beautiful flowers. The approach is exactly the same as what we have been doing so far, so just take your time, enjoy yourself, and we'll meet back here in a few moments to work on that beautiful flower we have on the left. M Now, let's move on to this flower on the left. You can notice that on this petal at the top, we have a fairly intense, quite pink color, but it's not like the other petals we painted earlier. Where the color was a little more desaturated. Here, the pink is more intense, and you can also see it in the darker elements, which lean a bit more toward the red color. So I am gently working on them with my small brush like this. Probably notice, and it's true that I hadn't mentioned it earlier, but when I paint a flower, I really like to work petal by petal because otherwise, if I try to work on the entire flower all at once, meaning applying all the base color across the whole flower, I am afraid that I might get a little lost. And after all, if I sketch the flower in pencil at the beginning, it's precisely to have reference point, to know where each petrol is placed and therefore where each color should go. And I am worried that if I work on the entire flower all at once, I will end up large with too large an area to manage. And later, when it's time to work on the small details within the flower, I won't be able to place them precisely, and I won't get the flower I was aiming for. Plus, when you work petal by petal, you can really see the flower coming to life before your eyes much more quickly. When I finish one petal completely, it gives me a certain feeling of satisfaction, and that motivates me even more to paint the next petal, because I know that once again, I will be able to work carefully on it, and it will come to life, too. And with each new finish petal, I get closer and closer to a realistic final result. And that's another reason why I enjoy working petal by petal when painting a flower. If this is one of the first times you are painting flower or even if you already have a bit more experience, maybe sometimes your flower will look strange or awkward at first, but it's just like learning to write. With practice, your hand will become steadier, you high sharper, and you will achieve better results. And making mistakes with a color or shape you really have to remember it is never a failure. It is truly an opportunity to learn because very often, it's through correcting what we do that we make the greatest progress. And a few days or even a few weeks after finishing this piece, you will be able to take a step back, observe it while comparing to your reference, and ask yourself Alright, looking at this painting, I made, What isn't working? What could I improve? And that's the kind of mindset you should have when looking at paintings you might feel failed because they aren't truly failures. They are just part of your learning process and your first works. It is important to have a kind and constructive view of them, and one that seeks improvement. That mindset will really help you move forward because by analyzing the mistakes you've made, you will know that what not repeat next time. You will know exactly which point you need to improve. And each time you take that necessary step back and think, Alright, I created this piece. There are some parts I did really well. And now, if I look a little closer, I realize this part isn't quite right. Then for your next painting, you will know that this is the point you will want to work on. Having that attitude toward your mistake will truly help you make real progress. We are almost at the end of this work on the flowers, and honestly, continuing like this is really great. If you are still painting here painting with me, it means that you've already been working for about 15 to 20 minutes on these flowers. It is a pretty meticulous task. So truly congratulations to you. This is exactly how you build real artistic skills, not just by watching what I am doing, but also by practicing, persevering and training yourself. Every brushstroke you make is making you better. Really be aware of that. The more you practice, the more you will improve. Now I am going to continue working a little bit of camera for the rest of the flower since it is pretty much the same process for the few petals we still have left to paint in this area. So keep going. Stay at the same pace, and we'll meet backup afterward to work on a few final petals that are a bit different and that I wanted to go through with you. So continue at your own rhythm. I'm sure that you will do great because if you are still here painting and watching the video, it means you are definitely on the right track. So feel free to post the video and we'll meet again in a few moments for those last slightly different petals. So as you can see, I have made a lot of progress in this area. There are just a few more petals to paint. And these ones on the bottom part of these flowers, you can see that they are a little bit darker. But if you look closely at the photo, you can see that the painting the colors are a little bit more grayish, a little bit more neutral, but I decided not to paint them with something as neutral as it is on the photo. I still wanted them to be pretty vibrant, a little bit more, at least than what it is and the photo because I think that they look a little bit sad with these colors. So I know I am doing something that it's a little bit the contrary of what I tell you sometimes to really look at your color and paint what you see it is. But sometimes you can have a little bit of freedom and liberty with painting, and that's what is great. When you don't like something on your reference or on your model, you can definitely change it to get something that matches what you want it to be, especially with the color. Only condition, I think, is that you maintain the same work on the shadow and to get something in volume and something that looks realistic. And so that will be pretty with this work on the flowers, just a few more to paint, and then we'll be ready to start on next big area, the one of the leaves. Y. 13. Painting the leaves naturally: Let's start work on the leaves. It is a great task ahead of us. We have a larger area to paint and a lot of elements to work on. So we'll see how to tackle a few of them, and there will be part of it done off camera, since it will be pretty much the same for all the leaves. So here I begin with this leaf at the top, and as you can see, I start by painting along the edge that touches the flower. This way, I secure the area a bit, meaning that at least I know when I apply my colors to the rest, there will be very little chance that the color will touch the edge of the flower. If we take a close look at this leaf, we can notice that we won't have the same value everywhere. There will be darker and lighter areas, and that is exactly what I work on at the edge of my leaf, the part touching the flower. We noticed that the edge was slightly darker, while as we move toward the left, we get lighter elements. So I won't stop there either. I will try to work a bit on the texture of the leaf. This texture comes simply by adding some darker touches and also some lighter ones. And overall, that's it. I don't need extreme precision when adding these elements. We are painting a leaf. It is a natural element, so we don't need as much precision as we would when working on a person's eye. And so that's it for this first left, and we'll move on with this stem we see here next to it. So I will start by painting it with something quite dark. But as I move toward the top part, I will lighten the color a bit since we can see that the green won't be the same everywhere. And this is a mistake some people make. They think that since it is part of the same element, the stem, they should paint it all with the same green, but that's not the case. We can see that we have different values, so we must be attentive and observe the small changes in green, as they are really important to make our elements look realistic. Unfortunately, I had a little recording issue and couldn't capture this part, as you can see. So on my stem, I added much lighter marks toward the top part. And on this kind of leaf, you can clearly see that we have two very different greens. Within these greens, I worked on the texture by adding small dots with different values and some lighter elements. And this allows me to create a fairly realistic leaf in that area. And it's really through working with the different values with light and shadow that we achieve something realistic. It's not so much the details we had, of course. Of course, small details and touches here and there greatly help to make it look realistic. But in reality, it mainly starts with adding the right proportions in the drawing. That's why it is so important to use a grid or projector, which helps ensure that you start with a very solid base. Otherwise, it becomes very complicated. Then it's really the proper application of colors that allows you to get something excellent. The details you had afterward are just a little cherry on top that helps to perfectly finish the work. But first, good proportions and second, good colors. So here I am finalizing the area. As you can see, on the upper part, I added the lighter more yellow green touch. And on the leaf itself, there were some darker elements tending out a bit more, which I was able to have. Now I can move on to painting this leave, and I start by applying a base color. But again, on this leave, we won't have the same greens everywhere. It is really important to start developing this painter's eye, which will help you spot in everyday life those subtle little color changes. And the painter's eye I was talking about is really not a big deal. It is simply learning in your everyday life to observe things differently. For example, the objects around you, ask yourself on this object, where are the brightest area, the darkest one, the more intermediate areas in terms of color. And when it comes to these colors, how would I identify them? If I had to mix this color, would it lean more toward which color yellow, green? Et cetera. And just by doing this simple exercise every day, it will help you tremendously later on. Whether you need to mix color on your palette or simply recognize certain shades in different areas before mixing them. It will become much easier thanks to this habit you have practiced many times in daily life, and it doesn't take long. It's just about being too observe when you are in the car, taking the tramway or taking a break at work or at school, simply observing what is around you and starting to see things with a different eye, you will see it makes a huge difference. I know that when I started doing this, it helped me a lot. I would sometimes think, Hey, this morning, if I really look at it, what color is the sky, actually? The sky that I had always thought of as blue since I was kid, I realize it's not just blue. Sure, they are bright azure blues, but there are also some slightly gray or blues, and in some areas, the sky becomes lighter. And those clouds I always used to represent as pure white on my paper, you realize that there's actually very little pure white. It's all these little touches of gray that help to create the volume. And you can do this literally anywhere. That's the great thing. You can keep improving without even painting just by spending a few minutes every day observing the daily life. So I have been talking a lot, but at the same time, I am making progress because the comments I am giving you are recorded after the painting session is done. So I keep progressing on my painting. So that's it for the talking. And now let's refocus on the painting. I have made good progress on these small leaves. They are quite colorful, as you can see, but you can clearly tell there isn't just one color. There are, of course, several. You can see some darker values, some lighter ones, and some elements that are less intense and more desaturated. And I can achieve that effect by adding some white when I notice that the green is taking on a slightly whitish look, so I add those slight of touches. And overall, that's pretty enough. For these leaves, there's no need to add thousands of detail, a few well placed color and a few small touches, and you can get leaves that look quite realistic in the overall composition. Now we are going to work on this stem on the left. As you can see, I slightly modified my drawing. I'm adding some elements to make it easier. That's something I do very often. I like to start with a base drawing that is not overly detailed, and as I progress, I had details that I found useful to help me create something more realistic and simplify my work when painting. So here I am starting by applying a base of this light green all over, and I am doing it on the stem and also on these small elements that you can see on the left. And so I'm going to do it on each element. And when once it is done, we'll meet again to work on the detailing. And now, as you can see, all the elements have been added, so feel free to pause the video if you need a moment to do the same. And on my palette, I have mixed some colors together to get a slightly darker shade. And I am starting by adding a few darker touches to my stem. This will help me create something more realistic and with more volume. Then what will also help a lot is adding these little highlights which also contribute to it to making it look more realistic. And once again, it is the combination of three different tones, light, mid tone, and dark values that make an object look realistic and three dimensional. Also, adding the background behind the elements will help a lot to make everything look even more realistic. At this stage, it is a task that requires some precision. And for adding these small details and highlights, I am working with a fairly fine brush. In some places, if I want a very bright highlight, I apply the color using just the tip of the brush. If on the contrary, I want something lighter but not too intense, I can apply the color and make sure it blends nicely. And on the side elements, I also notice that some darker touches need to be added, so I will go ahead and place them. And little by little, work my work is becoming more realistic and more convincing. And now I am really in the final stages of my work. I observe carefully and ask myself if there are any small touches that should be added here and there. So I look closely questioning whether all my areas are well worked and balanced. And once that is done, we'll be ready to move on to the next step. Now, let's move on to the area beside the stem. This is a zone that might seem intimidating and difficult because it is quite messy. There are lots of different elements close to each other and many overlapping leaves. As usual, when I face an area like this that feels a bit tricky, I start by working on the simplest, most obvious and most visible elements first. In this case, what seems easiest to identify and distinguish in this slightly darker leaf that we can see here is, well, this dark leaf. So I begin by painting it, telling myself that once this dark leaf is done, it will be much easier to work on the surrounding areas. Having this leaf painted gives me a reference point, and I will be able to compare the placements of future objects, well, future leafs with it. And for this dark leaf, I would say I am good. So now what I'm thinking is that right next to the slightly darker leaf, we can clearly see some lighter elements, and I am going to apply them here adding a small touch of a lighter color. This way, once I have placed these lighter touches, it will be easier to position the other elements nearby. And step by step, we realize that we are able to create elements that at first seem difficult to place. But once you have positioned one, you can place another next to it, then another, and so on until you eventually realize that you have placed all the elements and the area is complete. I am adding a few small details, a few last one in this area, and I'm going to paint this little circle thing we can see on the left side. It might seem a bit intimidating at first. It is somewhat complex shape, but in reality, it's actually quite simple to paint. What I am going to do for this kind of circle thing is apply a base color, one that seems to be the dominant tone. Then I will add a few slighter touches and a few slightly darker ones. And overall, that's really it. That's pretty all there is to do for it. And finally, what will really help finalize it and define it shape nicely will be the background painting that I will do afterward. But overall, there's nothing more complicated to it. This circle thing isn't as tricky as it seems. So here I am starting this new area, which might also seem a little bit confusing because once again, there will be a lot of leaves overlapping and layering over one another. It can be hard to find your bearings in this kind of area. And remember, often when I see that I am facing a zone like this, which is a bit complex. I told you that I usually like to start with the darker elements because they are often the ones that stand out the most. But here in this area, I find it is the opposite. We are dealing with an area that is a bit dark overall. Many of the leaves are quite dark or have a fairly mid tone greens. So I am doing the opposite. Here, I feel like it is the lighter elements that will stand out best in this foliage area. And so this is what I am starting with. Once they are in place, I think it will become easier to work on the other elements that we can see among these leaves. So that's it. Every time I adapt and ask myself what seems the most obvious in this particular area. And here I felt it was the lighter leaves. So here, even though it is a small area with the leaves, it still requires a good amount of precision. But once again, I am trying to make sure I really stretch out my paint because if I end up with areas where the paint is too thick, it's going to be complicated later on when I need to add small details and other colors to create volume. So remember, and this is something you should always keep in mind, no matter what area you are working on, whether it's large or small, with a flat brush or a fine brown brush, you always need to stretch your paint properly so that you can easily add more elements on top afterwards. Now that I have laid down most of these light greens, I am thinking that I can finish off these leaves and atom slightly darker elements on top to work on their details. This way, I will have some completed elements, and I can then move on to the others. Often, when painting foliage, whether from life or from a photo and even more so from a photo, you can see an overwhelming amount of detail, and it's completely normal not to want to reproduce everything. And you don't actually need to recreate every little detail, especially not with millimetric precision. What really matters is the work on values and managing to create a certain overall harmony. Simply placing the leaves in the right areas and applying the right values will create a very harmonious impression. And in the end, these leaves are not the main elements of your painting. In fact, the purpose of the foliage is to build a sense of harmony around the key element simply by looking believable and achieving that believability comes from choosing the right colors and placing them correctly. Ultimately, people review your work from a bit of distance, so they won't be focusing heavily on the very tiny details of the foliage. And more importantly, when someone looks at this painting, what will truly catch their attention will be first the vase and then the flowers. The leaves are mainly there to a beautiful colors and to tie everything together harmoniously. So on these leaves, I started by applying something fairly light, quite intense, then added darker elements. But you can see that on some leaves, there will also be slightly lighter areas, and that's what will help create depth. And remember that when we shade something, we often use three tones, a light value, a mid tone, and a dark value. And this is usually what allows us to create volume in the areas we are painting. For And now that these leaves are finished, I can start painting between them, adding slightly darker elements. It is immediately much easier for me to find my way and paint the elements properly using the right greens in the right places because it is true that if you don't place the greens correctly, things can quickly start to look wrong. Even though we are just painting leaves and adding more green, if we don't place the elements properly, we might not get the right tones or the right value contrast between the different areas, and that would prevent the relief and depth from appear. So when you are faced with a big mass of leaves like we have here, it is very easy to get lost because there are leaves going off in every direction. The strategy I use, as you have seen, is to try and pick out elements that stand out more than others. Alternatively, what you can do at the beginning is create a very detailed drawing, adding a bit of shading with the pencil. This way, when you start painting over it, you can easily find your way. You know that where you did darker shading, you will have darker leaves, for instance. In a way, it's like making two artworks in one. First, the detailed drawing with realistic shading and then the painting on top. This approach can really help, but it also take quite a lot of time. Personally, I like to be efficient when I paint and avoid spending too much time on elements I feel are a bit secondary. Since I manage very well by starting with the most obvious elements and using them as landmarks to build the rest, I don't feel the need to make such a detailed preliminary drawing. But again, if that is an approach that you prefer, feel free to do what suits you best. I give lots of advices and throw different techniques, but that doesn't necessarily mean my method is the best or the most suited for you. Take what speaks to you from the advice I share and always feel free to adapt it in your own to your own needs. Sorry. M You may have noticed that on my painting and on my drawing, I didn't create exactly the same foliage everywhere. There are some elements that I remove, certain stems or small leaves for the simple reason that from a teaching perspective, it wasn't necessary to show you the same thing several times. It was to simplify the painting a little and to have fewer elements to paint, since it is already quite rich in detail. So I felt that some parts weren't absolutely essential when it came to the foliage. So, again, it is up to you to decide whether you really want to paint everything or if you prefer to leave out some leaves or certain elements. Very often, when you are painting and creating a piece, what you need to consider when deciding whether to add or remove something is, first, will removing or adding this element make my painting less realistic? Would it look strange, for example, to have a hole in the foliage at that spot? And second, will my painting still feel harmonious? Will there still be a sense of balance between all the elements? In my opinion, these are the important questions to ask yourself when you want to add or remove details in a painting. So we are now reaching the final part of the final part of this foliage area, a few more little touches, a few more details to add, and then the foliage on the right side will be done off camera since it is exactly the same process that needs to be repeated. So I know that this is a phase where you can quickly start to feel a bit tired of it where you might want to move on because you are repeating the same steps for long minutes. But remember, in a painting, it is often the small finishing touches that make all the difference between an average result and a beautiful professional looking piece. Every detail you are adding now, even if it feels tiny will contribute to building the overall atmosphere and credibility of your scene. It would be a shame, for example, to have a well executed left side, and then a less finished right side. So if you feel like you are losing precision or getting fed up, just take a short break, come back a few minutes later, and you will find your eyes fresher and your motivation renewed. Don't rush to finish because that is exactly when you are most likely to ruin the work you have done so far. So, alright, let's keep going. Stay focused. There is still a good part of the foliage to work on, and then we'll be able to finish this piece by painting the background and the surface the vase is sagon. So I am sure you can do it, and I will see you then once this part is finished. 14. Painting the background for depth and contrast: Now let's move on to painting the background and the surface where the vase is sitting. So first, we can see that we'll be working with two different shades of gray, a medium dark one for the lower part, and a lighter one for the background above. What I start by doing is mixing a large amount of white with some ultramarine blue and some burn timber. This is usually how I create my grays. I add only a very small amount of the two other colors compared to the white because I will gradually adjust my mixture based on what I see. For example, here I noticed that my gray is turning a little too blue, so I had a bit of burnt timber. Then there was too much burn timber, so I readjust again because, as you can see, the lower area has a gray that is still slightly bluish. And at this point, I am starting to get a color that is pretty good for the bottom part. For the upper part, the background will be much lighter. So what I do is take a large amount of white to which I had just a little bit of the color I initially mixed. This way, I get a light grayish tone that is not very dark and will work really well for painting the background you see in the top part. I am going to start painting the background on the upper part. At first, using a brush that is not very thick, I am going to carefully paint all around my subject to create a sort of safety barrier. Around the vase, I am not trying to blend my colors too much. Because you can see that the colors don't blend together at all here. And besides the brown of the vase is almost dry. However, around the flowers and leaves, you can see that in some areas, the colors blend very slightly into each other. And that's also what I am going to try to do. So I will work really close to the edges, barely touching the color just very lightly to let them blend together nicely. I am not loading too much paint onto my brush because I don't want to end up with thick areas. For these parts, I need the whole background to be as smooth as possible later on. I am really focusing on stretching my paint well so that when I come back with my flat brush, it will be much easier to create a nice, even and smooth background for this area. And I am taking my time observing carefully and working patiently to paint all around the edges and all these elements. I also notice that some areas are going to be a bit more complex than others, especially around the stem, which is very detailed. So I switch to a finer brush to handle it, which will allow me to be more precise when applying my color. I am not going to do much more in this area. I am just finishing painting between these little stems, and then we'll see how to simply paint the background. I'm going to switch to my flat brush and apply broad brush strokes, making sure to stretch the paint well and, of course, to going over the leaves. Here, we want to really smooth even background, so I'm not going to overcomplicated things. I will use the same color for the sayo background. And with broad brush strokes, I will stretch the paint nicely. So I will do it here on this small section. We'll do it together now. Then I will complete the rest of the background of camera. I'm also adding a bit more medium to my paint to make it a little more fluid and easier to spread. So I will see you in a bit. So here we have the background painting, and now we are going to move on to the lower part. You can see that in this lower section, we are dealing with grays that are a bit darker. So I am going to take this color, use my flat brush, and start painting this upper part of the lower section with this gray. What we notice here is that the color gets a little lighter as we move down. We don't have the exact same gray all the way across. So I am adjusting the color as I go, and that is also what will make the table make the table the vase is sitting on look more realistic and three dimensional. Up until the shadow area, the catch shadow of the vase that you can see a little further down, we can observe a gradual transition with this gray. Another thing to note is that our slightly darker gray blends very softly into the line to background we painted earlier. So I had taken a cleaner brush to blend the two areas together, but my brush was a bit damaged, so the result isn't great, and I'm reworking it now with this slightly fine brush, making sure to wipe any excess paint that builds up on the brush to achieve a smooth and seamless blending between these areas. Now I can start painting the shadow of the vase. You can see that it is a little darker at the beginning, but we don't have the same gray value all across the shadow. Some areas get lighter as we move further away from the vase. We can also notice that right next to the vase, there is a small lighter gray touch. So I have added that as well, and I am making sure that all these elements blend smoothly together by adding small touches like this. Even within some of the darker areas, you can observe a few slightly lighter touches. So I am marking those too. There will also be a few slightly darker spots that we can notice, and I am adding them as well. This way, I will end up with a shadow that is nicely worked out and well rendered. And now I can finalize this section that I had started. Now I can continue with the slightly lower area where we have different grays, more mitten grays, and I'm going to apply them without overthinking it using my flat brush. You will notice that I am adding more medium to my painting because sometimes my paint isn't fluid enough. And especially when painting the background, it is really important to stretch the color properly. At first, I hadn't added I hadn't added enough medium to my colors on the palette, and you can really feel the difference when trying to spread the paint. So I am applying my color with this flat brush, and I am making sure to leave a space for the small shadow that will be on the side, which we will work on in just a moment. U Now we can start working on the small shadow area here. What I notice is that we can use this gray as a base gray because across the entire shadow area, the value isn't uniform. So I am applying this gray, making sure it blends well into the background, and then I will continue painting across the whole area underneath the vase. You can see that there is a slightly darker shadow with some areas leaning a bit more towards gray brown tones like these ones I am going to apply. So I am carefully applying them with a fine brush and working them in small touches. It is important when working on shadows to observe carefully and not limit yourself to a single grade value because as you can see here, some parts of the shadow are darker than others, and these differences are important, and they really need to be taken into account. So now I am finishing up this area, and then I will work on the right side off camera. We'll meet again for adding the final details that will really bring a beautiful finishing touch to our artwork. Now I can start adding the final details to this piece. Around the cod, there are a few small threads that spill over onto the background. Using my sword brush, I'm going to add these fine lines. Of course, I at first remix the color on my palette, and I will do this on the upper part, and we also add a few little strengths like this on the lower part as well. It's not much, but it really gives a very finished look to the painting. By the way, I added a little bit of the liquid to help thin the paint and makes it easier to apply these touches over the top. Oh And finally, the last detail we can add is a few touches, some small elements in the foliage. We can see that there are a few very fine lines extending out like this. And so I am adding them in, and it really brings a nice finishing touch to the piece. It's not much, but it looks really good. And that wraps up this tutorial, a tutorial where we were able to cover a lot of things, creating volume on the vase, mixing those browns, green, and pink tones, and applying them in a way that builds a sense of form and free dimension. And I think it was great subject for making real progress. So I really hope you enjoy it and feel free to share your work because it is always a pleasure to see it. So I'll see you very soon for another tutorial, and thank you very much for watching.