Learn how to add volume to your loose watercolor roses with these simple techniques.

If you’ve been wanting to level up your loose watercolor roses by adding volume to them, then you’ve found the right class.

I am fond of painting roses loosely but my old works look too flat. Until I found a way to make them look 3D without sacrificing its looseness and going to the path of realism.

And that's what Ill share in this class. Due to the complexity of this flower, they can be a little bit intimidating to paint but i'll break down the process in three simple steps.

Observing the general form;
Placing the shadows correctly;
Adding highlighted parts and details.

As a bonus, I will also share how I edited my reference photos to make them easier to use.

What will we do in this class?

We will paint roses loosely but add volume to them by learning how to place shadows properly.

Don't worry, I will also share with you how you can easily see these abstract shadows shapes without squinting too hard.

We will use the following watercolor techniques to achieve our goal:

Using different paint consistencies;
Connecting colors to define the form;
Wet on dry for the details and abstract shadow parts;
Glazing or layering for more complexity; and
Lifting dried paint for the highlighted parts.

Who is this class for?

To all watercolor lovers who want to paint loose roses by adding volume, you're welcome to join this class.

If you're trying out to try watercolors for the first time, then this could also serve as a good starting point.

We won't do any sketching here so prior drawing experience is not needed,

However, a bit of experience in painting with a brush is recommended.

What do we need to get started?

Please prepare the following for this class:

Watercolor paper: preferably 100% cotton
Watercolor brush: flat or oval brush, round brush and/or angled brush
Watercolor paint: your favorite color for roses (Permanent Rose, Quinacridone Red, Quinacridone Magenta)
Water jar, rag and/or paper towel
Download the Class Guide for the reference photo and the edited versions for reference

Hope you enjoy this sweet but fun class and won't get disheartened if you didn't get it the first time you try it. Here are my earlier attempts and you could really see that it took me some time before I got the result I wanted.

Music by Purple Planet.com

Sarah Englehart

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