Japanese Floral Print in Watercolor Tutorial

A Japanese floral would have bold colors and strong lines.

The Japanese culture has had a substantial impact on both traditional and contemporary art. In 1853, Japan opened its door to trade with the Western regions. This provided a view of life that invigorated Western styles and inspired Impressionists. Art Cafe reports master artists, such as Vincent Van Gogh, were drawn in by the bold colors. Japanese watercolor focuses on subject matter with a Japanese flavor. Floral paintings would consist of basic petals and bright colors washed with an opaque styling.

Things You'll Need

• Flat brushes
• Filbert brushes
• Round brushes
• Detail brush - thick with pointed tip
• Watercolor paper
• Masking tape
• Paint board or easel
• Graphite or drawing pencil
• Tracing paper (optional)
• Light box (optional)
• Sea sponge
• Watercolor paints
• Palette
• Water basin
• Water
• Paper towels

Instructions

Getting Started

1. Gather your supplies together. For brushes, you should have at least a few flat (#1, #12, #8, for example), several Filberts, a number of round tips units and a thick detail brush with a pointed tip. Sizes and style may vary based on the paper and subject matter you paint. Line up your paints and a palette. Put everything in one general area. You will also need a water basin, some paper towels and tracing paper if you want to trace your design.

2. Select a flower image to paint or review some pictures of traditional Japanese flowers, such as a lotus, for inspiration. Your choice of flower subject is not limited to any specific style.

3. Tape the paper to your board with some masking tape.

4. Sketch the basic outline of the flower. This process is different for every artist. Some trace the outline on tracing paper then place the tracing paper behind the watercolor paper. Use a light source, such as a light box or sunny window, to transfer the outline onto the watercolor paper. Other artists prefer to sketch directly on the watercolor paper. Use the method that works best for you.

5. Wet the paper with a sea sponge and water once you are satisfied with the drawing outline. This process lightens the guidelines so that you do not need to erase them. Let the paper dry overnight.

Background

1. Select the background color. Again, this process depends on the artist. If using a white background, skip this step. If you want your painting to have a dark back, paint that in first, working the color around the lines for the flowers.

2. Dip a large flat brush into water and blot the brush with a paper towel.

3. Mix the color selection onto to your palette and paint the background. When complete, the painting should have a full, dark background and reverse color (white) flower petals and possibly leaves.

Detailing the Flower

1. Paint the leaves. Leaves are a detail you may or may not want. If adding leaves, paint those before working on the petals.

2. Add veins to the petals sparingly. The amount of detail will depend on the size of your subject. Use a thick brush with a thin point, such as a large detail brush. Select either the same shade or one shade darker than the color of the petals.

3. Squeeze out a dab of concentrated paint onto your palette. Do not dilute the paint. It should be thick.

4. Dip the tip of the brush into the dab of paint.

5. Lightly place the brush at the top of the petal and pull down to the bottom, lifting slightly toward the end to taper the line. This will take practice to perfect. Work one petal at a time. Put as many veins in each petal as needed, but vary the look. Some petals will have more veins than others.

6. Let the veins partially dry. Clean the brush and dip it into clear water. Run the wet brush over the partially dried veins. This will bleed the color into the paper. Do not blend veins on adjacent petals at the same time. Let one petal dry before brushing the petal next to it. Skip around the page so that you do not paint adjacent petals. This allows you to see how one petal looks dry so you can vary the next.

7. Add color to the edges of some petals using the same method. This breaks up the different petals so that they do not run into each other.

8. Paint the flowers once the veins have dried completely. Use the same color or a lighter shade. Dilute the paint with a blending agent appropriate for your brand watercolor paint or thin it out with water.

9. Dip a brush into the diluted paint and wash over each petal. Do not paint so heavily that you eradicate the vein detail. Let the wash dry on the petals before adding more detail, such as highlighting or stigmas, the pollen producing center section.

10. Make any adjustments needed to the background once the petals have dried. You may want to alter the background once the flowers work is completed.

Tips & Warnings

• This is a very basic guide. The key to successful painting is to develop your own style.

References

• Art Cafe: Influence of Japanese Art
• Yong Chen: Painting Flowers in Watercolor
• Susie's Watercolor TIps: Adding Veins to Flower Petals