Level: Medium
Duration: 30 mins
Learn how to paint a Black Eyed Susan using Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolour paints.
Click here for a PDF version of the template.
What you will need
- Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolour paints (Caput Mortuum Violet, Prussian Blue, Gold Ochre, Winsor Green (Blue Shade), Permanent Alizarin Crimson)
- A5 Watercolour Paper
- Black Eyed Susan Template
- Paint palette for mixing
- Watercolour Brushes
- Water pot
How to do it
- After drawing or tracing your Black Eyed Susan onto your paper, place a subtle wash of Prussian Blue on the centre of the flower.
- Mix Prussian Blue and Permanent Alizarin Crimson and apply to the centre of the flower keeping the top area with a bit of the light blue wash still exposed.
- Apply a gentle wash of Gold Ochre to the petals.
- Mix Permanent Alizarin Crimson and Gold Ochre for an orange. Apply to some of the stronger petal areas to create definition.
- Combine Gold Ochre and Winsor Green (blue shade) for a sap green and use to paint stem.
- Apply Gold Ochre to parts of the leaf. Also use your above sap green mix in the leaf.
- Gently wet (only damp) the dry centre of the flower from the base to mid way. Add a mass tone mix of Prussian Blue and Permanent Alizarin Crimson. Let this bleed up slightly. This will make the base of the centre feel anchored to the petals.
- Mix Winsor Green (blue shade) and Prussian Blue to make a turquoise. Add to the leaf on the top left part and under the leaf stem (to create shadow).
- Mix Caput Mortuum Violet with a tiny bit of Prussian Blue. Use this at mass tone with a fine brush to draw the linear dark tone in the centre of the flower. Keep the other parts un-painted and this will cause the centre to feel 3 dimensional.
- Take the same mix used in step 9 and wash out with water on your palette to a delicate undertone. Use this to add some suggestions of shadow to the petals.
- Add some Gold Ochre to your petals if they need any further dimension/detail or some colour strength.
