A few things I'd like to mention before we begin. Be sure to pull your brush in the direction the flower/petal is growing. This is very important otherwise the petals will tend to look colored in rather than painted.

For those of you using a tablet and pen, use a very light touch when using the blenders and the feathering oils. In other words, not much pressure on the pen.

1. Add new layer and then add another one, so that you now have two new layers. We will be using the second one later on for the background

2. Go to your paper palette and choose smooth hand made paper.

The paper and all other palettes can be easily found by going to the tool bar, then Window, then Show Papers.

3. Now choose the pencil category from your brush tools, a sketching pencil 5, and draw out your flower and place each petal on a NEW LAYER. Refer to the sketch for guidence.

4. Go to the layer palette and UNCHECK "preserve transparency". CHECK "pick up underlying color".

We are ready to paint our flower.

I have provided a color palette for you to follow, just to make it a bit easier.

Please right click on this color palette and save it to your file.

7. Choose the oil brush category, then the medium bristle 15. Set it to about size 15.

8. Set the color to #1 from the color palette. Do this by dipping the color dropper into the color palette.

9. Add new layer and place it ABOVE layer one (first petal).

10. Paint in the petal using color #1 to base coat. Begin at the bottom of the petal and pull your brush strokes to the top.

11.Change brushes to the fine feathering 15 (oil brush catagory), size about 15.

12. Begin to add some color to the petal to help define it. Use colors #2, and #3 for highlights.

13. New layer and place it ABOVE layer 2.

14. Paint petal two just as you painted the first one, using colors number #4 for base coat and the colors #5 and #6 for highlights.

15. Another new layer and place it ABOVE layer 3.

16. Use colors #7 for base, then #8 and #9 for highlights.

17. Add a new layer for each of the remaining petals. Proceed as you did above until all the petals are painted using these colors.

18. Petal four - Base coat with #7, and highlight with #8 and #9..

19. Petal five - Base coat with #10, and highlight with #11 and #12..

20. Petal six - Base coat with #13.

21. New layer.

22. Using one of the light colors of yellow, paint a very thin line around PARTS of petals 3,4, and 5 to “lift” the petals from the canvas.

23. Now change the color to a darker shade of off black and outline a portion of petal five to define it.

24. Paint a small circle of #17 (green) in the center of the flower, and then a smaller black circle inside of that as illustrated in the image.

25. . Add a dab of paint to each side of the circle using color #15 (cream).

26. Go back to the layer palette and click off, or hide the pencil layers.

27. Double check your painted petals and make certain that they meet your approval. Add more paint if necessary.

28. Choose the blender brush catagory then use the number #5 detail blender around the outer edges of the petals for a smoother look. Remember to use a light stroke! Once this is done, you may delete the pencil layers or just leave them hidden.

29. Use the grainy blender 30, size 10 to 15 brush, and feather around the dark centers. ( Number six in the pencil illustration). Refer to finished image at top or bottom of page for guidence.

30. Reduce the size of the brush to about 5 then pull it randomly though the areas you just did.

NOTE! The trick here is NOT to over work the area. We are not really blending but trying to achieve a feathery look of a natural flower.

30. Activate the bottom layer on the layer palette. This is your
background layer. Paint it any color you like and when you are totally satisfied, go to layers, and drop all.

That’s all there is too it, I hope you enjoyed this tutorial!