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Carnations

How to paint  layered watercolour carnations

Level: Beginners

Watercolour carnation example.jpg

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These simple Carnations are built up in soft, overlapping layers. Allow each layer to dry before adding the next so that the flower keeps its lovely translucent, papery appearance with lots of petal layers.

Suggested colours

 

Choose a lively mixture of warm, harmonious colours, such as:

  • Cadmium Yellow

  • Rose Madder or permanent rose

  • Alizarin Crimson

  • Cad Red

  • plus sap green for the stems and leaves

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You'll also need a pencil, two brushes and a paper towel

First steps

Very lightly draw only two lines, to position your flowers

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Step 1

Use two brushes, one for paint and one for water.  Keep a paper towel handy

Saturate one brush in thick creamy paint.  Using the belly of the brush, lay a concentrated oval of paint at the base of the flower - (where it will meet the stem).

Switch to your clean, damp brush.  Using the belly of this brush, move it in an up and down motion, only just touching the blob of paint.  The Carnations are frilly,  use just water to paint the ruffles and let the paint blob diffuse into this water.  You're aiming for a barely there light pink edge - broadly in shape of a fan.

carnation steps_.jpg
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2. The second and third layers
 

Mix a stronger pink or crimson. Paint a smaller fan shape over the lower half of the first layer using the same method.

Add broken, uneven edges to suggest overlapping petals.
 

Keep the strongest colour near the base and allow it to become lighter towards the top. Leave parts of the pale first layer showing around the outside. Allow this layer to dry.

Repeat for the 3rd layer with darker paint in an even smaller fan shape.
 

3. Calyx and stem
 

Paint the calyx beneath the flower using a rounded green shape that tapers towards the stem. Drop a darker green or violet into one side while it is still damp to create depth.

Pull a slender stem downwards from the calyx using the tip of your brush. Let the stem vary slightly in colour and width so that it feels natural.
 

Leaves

Carnation leaves are long, narrow and gently curved. Begin at the stem, press the brush lightly to widen the leaf, then lift onto the tip as you sweep it outwards.
 

Vary the direction, length and angle of the leaves. Drop another green, blue or violet into the damp paint for subtle colour changes.
 

Tips

  • Work from pale to dark, allowing each layer to dry.

  • Vary the colours of your flowers

  • Keep the outer petals soft and the centre richer and deeper.

  • Make the edges uneven, frilly and slightly unpredictable - use a thirsty brush or clean tissue to lift out paint if necessary

  • Leave sections of every layer visible.

  • Avoid outlining individual petals—the layers and brush marks will describe them.

  • Paint flowers at different heights and angles for a more natural composition.

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If you give this another go, I'd love to see it.  Please tag me on instagram @kerryslackart

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*****  Apologies for the quality of the examples,  they were painted left handed due to a wrist fracture

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