plate no. 2844
Fleurs
Victor Brauner, 1955
suitable for beginners
This painting is great for learning about color mixing and creating simple, stylized forms. Students can practice layering transparent washes and controlling the flow of watercolor.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
2
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 4 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the flowers, stems, and border.
- step 02
Apply a light wash of the background color.
- step 03
Paint the flower heads with their respective colors, allowing them to bleed slightly.
- step 04
Add the stems and leaves, varying the greens and reds.
- step 05
Create the border using small dots and dashes of different colors.
- step 06
Add the vertical lines at the bottom, alternating colors.
- step 07
Let each layer dry before adding the next to prevent excessive bleeding.
- step 08
Add final details and adjust colors as needed.
color palette
primary · red · blue · green · yellow
secondary · brown · purple · orange
Mix greens by combining blues and yellows. Vary the intensity of colors by adding more water. Use browns and purples sparingly for accents.
techniques
- ·wet-on-wet blending
- ·color layering
- ·dry brush
- ·watercolor washes
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the colors and creating muddy tones
- →Using too much water and losing control of the paint
- →Making the shapes too precise and losing the spontaneity
- →Not allowing layers to dry properly
materials
surface · watercolor paper 140lb
required
- ·watercolor paints
- ·watercolor paper
- ·round brushes (various sizes)
- ·water container
- ·palette
- ·pencil
- ·eraser
optional
- ·masking fluid
- ·palette knife
- ·ruler
Use good quality watercolor paper to prevent buckling. Experiment with different brush sizes to achieve varying line widths.
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