Fearless Friday, Sunflower Love
I’m all about sunflowers this week
I have been extra busy,
so I borrowed parts of this post from the archives
to share some easy sunflower painting fun today
Before you begin to paint something
take a few minutes to really look at your subject
Look at the proportions of the different parts
and study the color variations
See how the petals have various shades of yellow and orange?
This is the technique I use to paint on glass or fabric
It is more of an impressionistic technique, so don’t over think it
Using acrylic paint, do a couple of practice flowers
Fast and loose brings the best result
Start with a large round brown dot and let it dry
I used a piece of parchment paper and a canvas bag for this demo
An easy way to make a large dot is by making a C and then a backwards C to form the perimeter.
Adjust the shape and fill in the middle
The shape on the bottom right is for the center of a flower who’s petals are down turned
Dip a fat round brush, like a #8, into yellow, then orange, then yellow
This allows the paint to mix on the surface and gives the color instant depth
Make petal shapes by making short, quick strokes outward all around the brown center
Adjust the color as you go if it gets too orange or too yellow
Variation equals interest
Dip a clean smaller round brush, #6 into a dark green, then into yellow
Make a long stroke from the bloom downwards
Do this quickly for the straightest result-
BUT it doesn’t have to be straight, a gentle curve looks good too.
Once the stems are painted add a couple of leaves
Dip brush in green, then yellow and make a quick stroke by placing the brush along the stem
Push down at the beginning of your stroke,
then lift the brush off the surface to form the leaf tip
I actually sort of twist the brush tip as I lift it off the finished leaf to get a little attitude 😉
When the bloom is dry,
use the other end of the paintbrush to paint random black dots on flower’s center
and let a few stray off onto the petals and around the flower
This is an inexpensive canvas bag from the craft store. Put a paper towel or piece of paper or foil inside the bag before you paint it to make sure the paint doesn’t seep through to the other side
Here’s another way to paint a sunflower with watercolor
Put down a loose shape of yellow on wet paper
Add some splatters too if you like
When that dries add a dark center
darker petals
then more petals, in a lighter shade
Then black details, a stem, and leaves
The sunflowers below are created with a combination of markers, ink, and colored pencil
I don’t have a step by step breakdown of this,
but if you compare it to the acrylic sunflowers and the watercolor sunflower
you can see the differences between the different mediums
It’s fun to try the same subject in a variety of styles
like we did a few weeks ago with Pink Roses
I hope I’ve brightened your day!
Have some sunflower fun and Be Fearless!
🎨🌻🎨🌻🎨
I will be joining these fabulous parties and blogs:
Meal Plan Monday Dishing it & Digging it, Between Naps on the Porch,
Merry Monday Make it Pretty Monday Celebrate and Decorate,
Tasty Tuesday Oh My Heartsie Girl Full Plate Thursday
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Jenna, sunflowers are so happy and they always make me smile. Your talent and creativity are amazing. Happy Friday!
Thank you Pam, I love having sunflowers in the house!
Check your email, Jenna!
beautiful happy sunflowers!
Beautiful!!! I love sunflowers so much. 💕
Me too!
It’s so fascinating to see and read your creative process, Jenna!
thank you Rita
Jenna, it’s always fun to see the process of your creative projects. Fast and free! That’s what my art teacher would tell me! I took painting classes in my early 20s. I was too stiff!
Sunflowers are such happy flowers! Happy Friday!
Thank you Sarah, you paint with your stitching!
Oh I love your beautiful sunflowers Jenna!!💚🌻💚
I always enjoy seeing your process and your beautiful work.
thank you Patty Anne, they are such fun to paint!
wow, I love this, and seeing how you created this. I adore sunflowers, your paintings are so fresh and full of inspiration!
thank you Debra!
Hi Jenna, oh I love sunflowers in August and I just love all the ways you painted your flowers. I made a painting of sunflowers a few years ago and they are not easy to paint but you make it look so easy!
I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
Julie xo
thanks Julie, sunflowers make everything feel happy!
These are great! I was just painting a sunflower painting today. I should have read your post first! I’ll share soon!
Oh good, can’t wait to see!
I love all of the sunflowers! So pretty! Hugs!
Sunflowers make me so happy, love them!!
I love painting sunflowers too. Your projects are all so very pretty. Thanks for sharing them at #HomeMattersParty
Thank you Donna!
Beautiful! I especially love your watercolor rendering of a sunflower Jenna! 🌻
This is a great post – I feel quite inspired to paint a bag. Thanks so much for showing the fun side of painting !
Thanks Margaret, sunflowers are one of my favorites, to paint or just enjoy!