Paint this purple waterlily even as a beginner
Even a beginner can paint this beautiful waterlily in acrylics. This beautiful lily has been growing in our small pond for about 8 years. I’ve thought that it was dead several times, but finally realized that waterlilies just have a dormant period each year. The flowers and leaves disappear but the root bulb is still alive and will come back in the spring. I believe this variety is called “Tanzanite” and it is really beautiful
Colors Needed
Black, White, Chrome Oxide green or sap, lt. olive green (or any yellow green), thicket (Folk Art), Thalo Blue, Dioxazine Purple, Yellow Ochre, Cad Yellow Lt., Magenta (or Alizarin Crimson).
Prepaint & Prep
12″ x 12″ canvas, painted black.
Transfer design with graphite. Then go back and loosely paint over lines with thinned green(leaves), lt purple (flower petals), yellow ochre & magenta (center)
Background Water
Paint the background at the same time as the leaves:
Paint Black, Thalo Blue, Chrome Oxide Green
Add shine marks with yellow green & some white
Method - Leaves
Base each leaf with Thicket, then add Chrome Oxide Green & Lt. Olive green (yellow green) while wet and pull strokes from outside edge towards center.
Add center veins with Thicket, pulled toward center. Pull stems loosely down into water.
Add some touches of Burnt Sienna + Dioxizine Purple for distress marks on the leaves.
Method for Flowers
Start with outer petals: Base with Dioxazine Purple + Thalo Blue + tch White
Shade with straight DP+TB
Highlight w/ Base + tiny amount of White
Paint inner petals in same manner
Go back and accent tips of some petals with touch of white (pick up white on the very corner of your brush & add where needed)
Flower Center
Paint the mounded center with Magenta+Diox. Purple. Curving lines are DP
Place Yellow Ochre all around center, and pull stamens up with same
Go back & stroke over stamens with Magenta+DP
Water Drops
- Sketch drop with chalk or chalk pencil
- Undercoat with slightly darker shade of surface it’s on
- Add a slightly Less Bright light, opposite the light source (Reflected light, or light passing thru)
- Highlight is a strong White or (White + tiny touch of yellow) where light is striking the drop
- Place a slightly darker value of background color, under the drop for Cast shadow
Have fun with your painting!
Hope you enjoy these waterlilies and the waterdrops.
Rita