How to Paint Grass Blades

Painting blades of grass onto your work of art may appear easy at first. After all, grass has the reputation of being simple, straight green lines that vary only in height and width, except in the fall when the grass turns brown. Creating a natural, realistic effect with your acrylics or watercolors can actually provide a challenge and a chance to experiment.

Things You'll Need

• Canvas or watercolor paper
• Palate
• Watercolors or acrylic paints
• Flat bristle brush (1/2 inch)
• Thin rigger brush
• Stiff bristled brush
• Expired credit card
• Spray bottle with water
• Cocktail stick

Instructions

1. 

   Let your creativity reign.

   Squint out over a view of grass. This will cut down on the detail you see by letting the right or creative side of your brain become dominant. You will transfer this vision to your canvas.

2. 

   Imagine the shapes of the blades.

   Paint shapes for clumps of grass rather than blades, leaving a bit of white. Using a spray bottle with water, add a spritz here and there allowing the water to softly delineate blades.

3. Use your thin rigger brush moving from the bottom upwards. This way, the brush comes up at the end leaving a fine tip at the top of your blades. Try using a variety of colors.

4. Apply a thick layer of paint. Use the end of a cocktail stick or a credit card cut diagonally in half to scrape blades out of your paint at slightly varying angles.

5. Select the inch flat bristle brush to create thicker clumps of grass. Pick up a load of paint and apply the brush to your paper turning the brush on the vertical. Flick, stab or push the brush lightly upward to create a short or long clump.

6. 

   Choose the right brush.

   Choose a stiff-bristled brush to create the sharp lines of grass with watercolors. Ensure that the brush is not too wet but not too dry either.

7. 

   Paint in your grass.

   Paint in your smooth grass then leave your painting until it is just damp. Take off some of the paint with your brush to leave lighter areas for contrast.

Tips & Warnings

• When applying grass to the foreground of your painting, look at different types of grass in different settings and varied light. Painting animated grass requires a different style again. Try the early 20th century technique used by Walt Disney, beginning with ink-drawn lines. Wash these with two or three tones of color, then apply semi-opaque paint to the light wash, highlighting areas.

• Focusing on each blade of grass in only one shade will create a boring effect that draws the eye away from your painting's actual focus. Likewise, delineating each blade of grass at uniform intervals growing exactly parallel to each other will create an unwanted distraction. In reality, grass appears in different colors and shades depending on light, reflection and variety of grasses. Grass also bends with wind or disturbance so you can achieve the effect of movement depending on the angle of your strokes.

References

• Artists Network: Painting Grass
• How to Draw and Paint: How to Paint Grass in Acrylics
• Animation Art Conservation: A Blade of Grass
• Susie's Watercolor Tips: Painting Sand and Beach Grass in Watercolor