How to Paint Watercolour Tulips (Easy 5 Minute Tutorial)

Learning how to paint watercolour tulips is a fun and rewarding challenge for anyone who wants to learn how to paint florals.

In fact, tulips are relatively easy to paint. This makes them the perfect subject matter for beginners!

And one of the best places to start is by painting tulips in a minimalist watercolour style.

That way it’s easier for you to learn the basic structure and shape of a tulip without getting lost in all the intricate details.

So, in this step-by-step tutorial, you’ll learn:

1. The basic shapes and brushstrokes required to render the tulip.
2. How to apply the wet-on-dry technique.
3. The ideal paint-to-water ratio for optimal water control.

By the time you’re done reading, you’ll have the confidence and knowledge to paint dozens of watercolour tulips in only a matter of minutes!

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Materials You Will Need

Before you begin, make sure you have these basic watercolour supplies:

• Watercolour paints (I’m using White Nights Watercolour Paints)
• Watercolour brushes (I’m using Silver Black Velvet Brushes)
• Watercolour paper (I’m using Arches Cold-Pressed Paper)
• Mixing palette (I’m using Meeden Porcelain Mixing Palette)
• Masking tape (I’m using Pro Artist Tape)
• 2 jars of clear water
• A cloth or some tissues (optional)

Once you’ve taped your watercolour paper down, proceed to the next section to follow along with the tutorial.

Step 1: Paint the Tulips

1. Dilute your red or pink pigment with some water. Then, load up your paintbrush with the watery pigment.
2. Apply light pressure on your paintbrush and paint two oval shapes side by side using the wet-on-dry technique. They should connect at the bottom to create a rounded V shape. These strokes represent the outer petals of the tulip.

Step 2: Blend the Pigments

3. Next, rinse the pigment out of your paintbrush and then load it up with a bit of clean water. Use the tip of the brush to blend the upper half of the tulip and leave a bit of the center white. Then, add a little more of the red/pink pigment to the right side of the tulip to create some shadow.
4. Wait for the layer to dry.

Step 3: Paint the Stems

5. After the first layer has dried, load up your paintbrush with green pigment. Start at the base of the tulip and then slowly drag the tip of the paintbrush down the page. Make sure this brushstroke is evenly thin and, ideally, try to paint the stem in one long stroke. To make the tulip look more organic, make sure the stem is slightly wavy and not straight.

Step 4: Paint the Leaves

6. While this second layer is still wet, load up your paintbrush with more green pigment. Apply medium pressure on the bristles to create a long, thin leaf using the wet-on-dry technique. If your paintbrush has a pointed tip, use the tip to elongate the leaves.
7. Wait for the layer to dry.

Step 5: Add Final Details

8. Lastly, load up your brush with a little bit of dark brown pigment. You want to have a 75 to 25 percent ratio of paint to water in your brush. Holding the brush vertically, use the tip to stipple a bunch of tiny dots in the center of the tulip. Dab the dots in a subtle V shape to give the tulip more of a rounded shape.
9. Wait for the layer to dry.

Next Steps: Paint More Watercolour Flowers

Congratulaitons for learning how to paint watercolour tulips!

As you’ve learned in this mini tutorial, painting watercolour tulips is easy once you understand the basic principles.

But to enhance your watercolour florals, you’re going to need to learn how to apply more than just the wet-on-dry technique.

Fortunately for you, the Foxsy Watercolor Academy teaches you all the essential watercolour basics and techniques that’ll set your paintings up for success.

It’s a holistic resource that includes all the information beginners need to build a solid foundation in watercolour painting.

So, click the image above to learn how you can enroll today!

This article originally appeared on Foxsy.

Miranda Balogh

Artist & Online Educator

Miranda Balogh is a self-taught artist who inspires her audience to step into their power as artists so they can create beautiful artwork with confidence. Subscribe to her art channel on YouTube to enjoy more art content!