If you’re looking for a pretty project, try this “water stained” hydrangea illustration tutorial! You only need four main supplies to create it: paper, a gel pen, gold watercolor, and a paintbrush.
This hydrangea illustration is a beautiful and relaxing project. For something so simple — both in respect to technique and the supplies required — it renders impressive results! My hydrangea has earned a permanent spot in my living room décor. I suspect that you’ll love your own hydrangea illustration just as much! Here’s how to make it:
First, gather the following:
Start by using your pencil to freehand draw a circle or trace around a circular object on your paper.
Next, draw four curved X’s in the middle part of your circle.
Turn those X’s into flowers by adding a circle in the center and drawing petals.
Draw a few more curved X’s around the four flowers that you just drew.
Then, turn those X’s into flowers, too.
The flowers that you just drew are in the foreground. Now, you’ll focus on drawing flowers in the background. The flowers in the background will be partially covered by those in the foreground, so you’re mostly drawing partial flowers here.
Once you’ve finished drawing the little flowers, draw five leaves and a stem as shown below:
Finish up your pencil draft by adding curved veins to the leaves.
Now, get out your gel pen, and use it to trace over your pencil draft. When you encounter negative space between flowers, fill it in with black.
Continue to trace until you’ve got an inky flower ball.
Then, trace over the leaves and the stem.
Once your ink feels dry, you can gently erase pencil draft lines. To be on the safe side, though, you might consider leaving the draft lines so the ink doesn’t smudge. Pencil draft lines won’t be obvious in the final illustration.
Now, it’s time to make inky water stains! Wet your size 00 paintbrush in water, then place the brush on the inky edge of a flower petal. The ink should start to run. Use that ink/water to partially color your petal with the pretty resulting gray tone. Repeat this technique for all of the petals in the hydrangea illustration.
Continue to fill in flowers with “water stains” of ink.
Then, stain the leaves and stem as well.
Next, use your gold watercolor to fill in the centers of the flowers and the leaves.
Then, add gold watercolor to the tips of random petals and along the veins in each leaf.
Once your gold watercolor has dried, use your pen to add dense little lines emanating from the centers of your flowers. This will give the piece more contrast and interest.
Now, step back and admire your pretty creation! If you’re so inclined, give yourself a pat on the back: you deserve it.
While I prefer to create projects like this one on hardy handmade or watercolor paper, you can create it in a sketchbook instead. If you’d like to give the piece some color, feel free to add watercolor to the flowers or the leaves!
Thanks so much for reading this TPK tutorial. If you love flowers as much as I do, you can check out TPK’s other floral illustration tutorials. The various tutorials feature different techniques and mediums to keep you busy creating for days! Enjoy, and have an artistic and wonderful Memorial Day weekend.
Warmly,
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