How to Paint a Frangipani

Frangipanis often feature one color towards the middle of the bud and another one the outsides of the petals.

Frangipanis are bright, exotic flowers that are most often different shades of pinks and oranges. They can also be white with a yellow center. No matter which kind of frangipani you want to paint, making sure that the blending is smooth and even will create the best finished product. It is for this reason that using watercolor paints are a great idea; watercolors are easy to work with and blend well. Once you know the correct technique to use, you will be able to paint a frangipani in no time. Does this Spark an idea?

Things You'll Need

• Watercolor paper
• Pencil
• Watercolors
• Watercolor paintbrush
• Mug or small container of water
• Paper towel

Instructions

1. Sketch the shape of the frangipani on a piece of watercolor paper with a pencil, making sure to use light lines. Frangipanis feature five equally sized petals that are arranged in a circular formation and overlap each other slightly toward the center of the flower.

2. Dip a watercolor brush into some clean water, and then lightly tap the brush over the watercolor paint color of your choice. Once you have gathered color, hold the brush in the middle of the flower and swoop up to color in the bottom third of the petal. Lift the brush and dip into water.

3. Tap excess water off the brush and press over the area where you left off. Sweep up the rest of the petal. The water will smear the initial color and lighten it at the same time to create a blending effect.

4. Use the tip of the brush to outline the petal with a second color if you wish. Blend the edges of the two different colors together by dabbing with a wet paintbrush.

5. Repeat the same technique until all petals have been painted.

References

• Home and Garden Webshots: Frangipani gallery
• John Lovett: Watercolor Tips For Beginners