Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Are you looking for flowers to paint in watercolor? The red slipper orchid is easy. Complex petals or confusing light effects do not feature on this flower. The main challenge is its voluminous, slipper-like shape. Follow the step-by-step process in this tutorial, and the 3D effect will become a breeze
Orchids have a huge fan base worldwide for the sheer variety that exists. And, of course, the exquisite beauty of this family of flowers. I photographed the velvet-red orchid in Kyoto Botanical Gardens.
Let’s get started.
Step 1: Drawing the orchid
Make a loose drawing of the orchid.
Trace the outline onto watercolor paper. I used a LED light tracing pad.
If you prefer to use my outline, you can access it in the Membership tab on One Tree Art Club| Creative. It is on the Buy Me a Coffee platform.
The One Tree Art Club library has lots of free line art that go with tutorials on this blog.
Step 2: Mix the right colors before you start painting
Perhaps you think, what are you talking about- it’s just red! No, it isn’t. Our free color palette generator for artists will tell you a different story. I was surprised at the brown in the middle shadow.
My watercolor punnets do not have the right kind of red. So I had to mix it.
Step 3: Watercolor the red and ochre base
Red paints perfectly well on top of ochre. To make things easy, we watercolor the whole flower ochre first.
When the ochre is dry, paint the flower red. While the red is still wet, use a sponge or some moist tissue paper to soak up some red watercolor. The ochre will shine through.
Step 4: Paint the dots, lines, and other details
Make sure you have a deep red watercolor and paint the dots and lines on the petals.
Paint the red details in the center of the flower, and the sides of the “slipper”.
Paint the shadow in the center of the “slipper” with terracotta brown. Notice how it springs to life in full 3D.
Step 5: Tidy up the outline
Red watercolor has bled outside the flower, and it looks messy. Sometimes bleeds add charm to a painting, but not here. First, outline with a sharp, dark brown (sepia) colored pencil. Then paint over the messy red with opaque, white gouache.
Step 6: Refine the details with colored pencils
To make the watercolor more realistic, continue with colored pencils. Enhance colors. Draw with white and ochre for highlights and deeper red for shadows. I added some more red watercolor too. Use your creativity. There are no exact steps for the finishing touches.
The red orchid is done.
Here are two more orchid flowers to paint in watercolor:
Find more watercolor tutorials:
On my Guide to Art Supplies, you can find the art materials needed for this tutorial.