Step 1: Super light sketch
 

• Lightly mark where the flower head will sit (off-centre works beautifully).

• Keep your pencil lines very faint – this is a loose piece

• We just need the central cone, an idea of where the petals will flow to and a centre line for a few petals so we get good curves 

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Step 2: Flower Petals first - Pass one

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Allow some petals to overlap and merge.   One confident stroke is better than three hesitant ones.  Gaps and uneven edges are perfect

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• Splash some clean water over the petal area

• Paint the petals with a light colour wash, vary your colour mixes slightly as you move around. Try and use a 'thick to thin' one stroke for looseness and speed.  

• While still damp, drop in a stronger pink or a touch of yellow or orange near the centre.

• Let the colours bleed naturally

• Avoid overworking

• Use a cocktail stick to add petal veins - max 3, curved lines that follow petal curves

• Use a tissue to lift out some white space​

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Step 3:  Flower centre - Pass 1 & petals pass 2

Add a wash of very light yellow/orange to cone - let it dry

Using a slightly darker concentration of paint,  add a few extra shorter petals to fill out the flower
 

Step 4: Flower Centre - Pass 2

Using the opposite end of your brush, stipple darker paint around the cone - remember to leave a yellow highlight.  Add even darker stippled paint around the edges.  Blend some of this together with a damp brush, so it doesn't feel too tight compared with the looseness of the petals
 

Step 5: Stem

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Use a mix of:

• Sap Green + Yellow (Ochre) (add a touch of brown for shadow)

• Paint the stem in one confident downward stroke.

• Let it taper naturally.

• While wet, drop in a slightly darker mix on one side to suggest shadow.

Keep it simple and slightly imperfect.
 

Step 6. Final touches

A few splatters or soft background marks if needed — stop early for a fresh, loose feel. cover your flower first if you don't want splatters to land there