How To Paint a Rose in Watercolor Step By Step – Part 3

I have worked a bit more on this rose painting. I darkened the leaves more around the buds. I did this with using sap green, alizarin crimoson and phthalo blue. I mixed the colours on my palette. I also added some of the rose colour on the leaves, as I described this Part V. Then I removed the masking fluid of the first rose, because I do not like to leave the masking fluid on the painting too long. I am fearful that if I leave the masking fluid on the paper too long, I will not be able to remove it, so I simply removed it.

I then began working on the rose on the bottom of the painting. Since this rose is not in the center of interest, I made the colours cooler than the other rose. I worked more with permanent rose, brillant purple, sap green, alizarin crimson and phthalo blue. I also used Aureolin, which is a cool yellow. I also greyed down the colours a bit, so this rose will not be a competition to the other rose. I still have to soften the edges there. In the first photo you will see a close up and in the next photo you will see the whole painting, so you have a good idea where I am working.

At this point, I have not made as much as progress as I had hoped. It is going slowly, but I like what I have done so far. I am working around the painting, doing my layers with the same colours, which I have used before. I worked on another bloom and you can see, that this bloom is also a bit cooler than the first painted rose, which is really warm.

TIP: Although I am doing a light underdrawing I always erase the drawing lines before I start adding the first layer of colour. I do not like to see pencil lines later shining through the rose. When you have done your first layer of colour it is very difficult to erase the lines. So keep them fine and light. I will show a full version of the painting and some close ups. I still have to soften some edges and I have to add maybe more darks on the leaves. I will also look at the rosepetals again to see if I am satisfied with them, need more darks etc. There is still a lot to do and I hope to make a lot of progress in the coming days.

Here is an update of my rose painting. There is progress, but still a lot to do. I work in the same way I started and I am using the same colours.

<< Part 2 | On to Part 4 >>