Watercolor Roses - Pro Techniques Explained

Wish your botanical watercolors looked more realistic? Learn how to paint a perfect rose - just like the one I created for 2019 Canadian silver dollar coin!

In this comprehensive botanical watercolor lesson, I will break down the rose painting process into actionable, achievable, and enjoyable steps that anyone can follow. In 60 minutes, I will guide you through the entire process, from creating a perfect watercolor palette to applying pigments in stages to create a realistic flower form.

Easy-to-follow lessons will cover how to:

• Build a harmonious botanical palette - for any flower of your choice
• Understand the effect of light on botanical shapes and how to reflect it in your work
• Paint sunlight and shadows effectively for maximum visual impact
• Plan watercolor layers effectively to achieve depth and volume
• Apply wet-on-wet and wet-on-dry watercolor washes
• Create a nuanced texture on flower petals using a simple brush stroke you will love
• Paint realistic water drops following a tried-and-true method

This class is tailored to those who already know watercolor basics, and want to perfect their botanical painting. It will equip you with fundamental techniques that are universal to any botanical watercolor subject.

Plus, when you watch the class you’ll get a set of gorgeous botanical reference photos from my collection, so that you can practice the technique at your own pace.

• Introduction
• Supplies You'll Need
• Building Botanical Palette
• Understanding Botanical Shape
• Class Project & Process Overview
• Rose Step 1: Outline & Mask
• Rose Step 2: Background Wash
• Rose Step 3: Definition Wash
• Rose Step 4: Texture Stroke and Accent Wash
• Rose Step 5: Finishing Touches
• Painting Rose Leaves
• Final Thoughts