Teal hydrangeas are stunning, and painting them with watercolors can be a relaxing and deeply rewarding experience. As Kerrilyn Cheah beautifully demonstrates, capturing their soft petals and glowing hues becomes much easier with the right approach.
In this tutorial, Kerrilyn Cheah will walk you through a step-by-step process for creating these gorgeous flowers.
We’ll review the materials you need, explore how to paint light and shadows, and even cover a special tip to make your hydrangeas truly pop.
Let’s get started!
Contents
Materials and Paints Needed
Before starting the painting, the artist ensures all necessary materials are prepared.
Having the right tools helps make the process smoother and more enjoyable.
Essential Tools for Watercolor Painting
For this painting, the artist will be using:
- A container of water
- A mixing palette
- A size 6 brush with a fine tip
- Watercolor paper
Color Palette for the Painting
To create the beautiful teal shades of hydrangeas, the artist will be using these five watercolor paints:
- Naples Yellow
- Phthalo Green Light
- Sap Green
- Turquoise Blue
- Neutral Tint
Each of these colors plays an essential role in creating depth, shadows, and highlights in the painting.
Now that everything is ready, the next step is understanding the light and shadows.
Understanding Light and Shadow in the Painting
Before painting begins, it is crucial to understand how light affects the subject.
This guides where different tones should be placed to make the flowers appear realistic.
To simplify things, the painting is divided into three light sections:
Highlights: These are the brightest areas on the flowers’ top left and bottom right.
Middle tones: These areas contain moderate shading and form the focal point of our painting.
Shadows: The darkest areas appear in the bottom layers of the flowers, adding depth and contrast.
Knowing where the light hits each petal helps make the flowers look more realistic.
The petals on the top layer catch more light, while the ones underneath are darker.
Keeping this in mind will guide the placement of paints.
Painting Hydrangea Flowers: Step-by-Step Guide
Now that the light sources are understood, the artist can begin painting and build up the colors gradually.
Step 1: Painting the Highlighted Petals
The artist begins by painting the petals on the top layer—the ones catching the most light.
For this step, the artist uses Phthalo Green Light and Turquoise Blue. When mixed, these create a beautiful light teal color.
Since these are the highlight areas, extra water is added to the mix to create a very light wash.
Here is how it is applied:
- First, Turquoise Blue is painted.
- Then, Lime Green (Phthalo Green Light) is added.
- The paints are allowed to blend naturally on the paper.
For the second petal, Turquoise Blue is applied near the center and blended outward with water.
These three colors—Phthalo Green Light, Turquoise Blue, and Naples Yellow—can be used flexibly to create variation. Each petal should feel slightly different.
Painting petal by petal may be slow, but the process is calming.
This gradual approach adds visual interest, as each petal develops unique transitions.
Step 2: Painting the Middle Tones
Next, the artist creates the darker petals that form the bottom layer of the flower.
To achieve these deeper shadows, more Neutral Tint is added to the base mixture.
These shadows give the flower a grounded, three-dimensional appearance and help the lighter petals stand out.
The darks should be applied carefully—not too much, just enough to suggest depth and shadow.
Step 3: Painting the Darkest Shadows
Now, the bottom layer of petals is painted—these contain the darkest shadows.
To achieve this, additional Neutral Tint is added to the mixture, creating a deep, rich tone that enhances contrast. These shadows add volume and dimension.
The artist applies this darker shade carefully to the lowest petals, ensuring smooth blending. At this stage, the flowers begin to take shape beautifully.
Step 4: Painting the Background
To make the hydrangeas stand out, the background must be painted.
Some petals on the sides remain paper white. Instead of painting them, the background is painted around them.
To do this, the artist pre-wets the background area with clean water, then gently applies watercolor paints, allowing them to bleed outward softly.
A clean brush can be used to blend the edges for a more subtle fade, creating a dreamy background that complements the flowers.
Step 5: Adding Details to the Flower Center
Now that the petals and background are done, fine details are added to the flowers.
Using the sharp tip of the brush, the artist paints the center of each flower with Neutral Tint to define the structure.
Tiny veins are added to the petals, radiating outward from the center. These subtle details greatly enhance realism.
Step 6: Enhancing the Painting with Warm Tones
At this stage, the painting is mainly composed of cool tones. To add interest, a touch of warmth is introduced.
Naples Yellow is used—a soft, warm tone that blends well with teal shades.
Even a small amount of this color gives the painting balance and liveliness.
At this point, the painting is nearly complete. A final step will help it stand out even more.
Final Thoughts
Bringing teal hydrangeas to life with watercolor is a process of patience, layering, and attention to light and shadow.
This step-by-step guide helps make the painting process easier and more approachable.
Which technique seems most useful? The artist can try it out and see how the hydrangea painting develops.
Experimentation and enjoyment are key—every brushstroke brings the artist closer to mastering watercolor.