You’ve learned the essentials of watercolor. Now it’s time to bring it all together into a relaxed, intuitive floral painting.

In Step 4 of my Absolute Beginner Watercolor Series, we’ll explore composition, movement, and how to create a balanced floral bouquet that feels natural and free. This class focuses on confidence and creativity rather than rules. You’ll learn how to trust your instincts, build flow with color and shape, and enjoy the process of painting intuitively.

Whether you’re painting from your imagination or using inspiration from photos or real flowers, this class will help you understand how composition develops through play and observation.

By the end, you’ll have a finished bouquet painting that reflects your unique style and the joy of watercolor.

You’ll learn how to:

Understand the basics of floral composition
Paint intuitively while finding natural balance and flow
Build confidence with placement and spacing
Use color repetition for harmony and movement
Create a loose floral bouquet from start to finish

All you need are your basic watercolor supplies, a few favorite colors, and an open heart for creativity.

1. Introduction: Welcome to Step Four - Composition and Confidence

A warm welcome to the final class in the beginner series. We’ll talk about how far you’ve come and what we’ll focus on as we explore composition, movement, and painting intuitively.

2. What is Composition: Understanding Balance and Flow

Learn what composition means in simple, approachable terms. We’ll look at how size, shape, and spacing work together to create visual flow without overthinking.

3. Confidence Through Composition: A Simple Plan to Begin

In this lesson, we’ll ease into composition by using a simple, beginner-friendly layout as a guide—helping you build confidence while creating a balanced bouquet, without pressure or perfection.

4. Class Project – Part 1: Starting Your Bouquet
We’ll begin painting together by placing soft, colorful shapes to form the base of your bouquet. I’ll guide you through rhythm, placement, and how to keep the composition feeling light and open as we start.

5. Class Project – Part 2: Adding Leaves and Movement
Next, we’ll add leaves, stems, and smaller shapes to connect the design. This step brings energy and flow, and I’ll show you how direction and curves help your bouquet feel unified and full of movement.

6. Class Project – Part 3: Playing with Color and Space
In this final part, we’ll focus on harmony and balance—repeating colors for cohesion and leaving white space so your painting has room to breathe. These small decisions help your bouquet feel effortless and fresh.

7. Outro: Celebrate and Continue Your Watercolor Journey

Congratulations on completing the entire beginner series. We’ll talk about celebrating your progress, sharing your work, and what’s next for your watercolor journey.

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Let’s keep learning together: I’d love to keep painting with you. Follow me to see my next class when it’s released.

If you’re brand new to watercolor, go watch Step 1: How to Choose Supplies with Confidence
to learn all about watercolor papers, paints, brushes, and palettes. It’s the perfect place to begin if you’re new to watercolor.

If you’re ready to learn water control and brushwork, go watch Step 2: Water Control and Your First Flowers
to practice brush pressure, paint flow, and simple leaves and blooms.

If you want to explore blending and flow, go watch Step 3: Blending Colors and Loose Floral Shapes
to learn how to create soft transitions, background washes, and gentle color harmony.

Congratulations on reaching Step 4 of the Absolute Beginner Watercolor Series!
You’ve built your foundation, found your flow, and now it’s time to paint with confidence. I’m so proud of how far you’ve come.

Keep an eye out for my next watercolor series coming soon, where we’ll continue exploring color, texture, and creative projects for everyday painting.

Wenqi Zhu

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