Teal hydrangeas are stunning, and painting them with watercolors can be a relaxing and rewarding experience.
In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through my step-by-step process for creating these beautiful flowers. We’ll review the materials, how to paint light and shadows, and even a special tip to make your painting pop.
Let’s get started!
Contents
Materials and Paints Needed
Before we start painting, let’s ensure we have everything we need.
Having the right materials will make the process smoother and more enjoyable.
Essential Tools for Watercolor Painting
For this painting, I’ll 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, I’ll 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 our painting.
Now that everything is ready, let’s discuss the light and shadows.
Understanding Light and Shadow in the Painting
Before we start painting, it’s crucial to understand how light affects our subject.
This will guide where we place different tones to make the flowers look realistic.
To simplify things, I’m dividing the painting 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 us as we lay down our paints.
Painting Hydrangea Flowers: Step-by-Step Guide
Now that we understand our light sources, let’s start painting. I’ll guide you through each step to build up the colors gradually.
Step 1: Painting the Highlighted Petals
Let’s begin by painting the petals on the top layer—the ones catching the most light.
For this step, I used Phthalo Green Light and Turquoise Blue. When you mix these two together, you get a beautiful light teal color.
Since we’re working with highlights, I added water to the mix to make a very light wash.
Here’s how I applied it:
- First, I painted with Turquoise.
- Then, I followed up with Lime Green (Phthalo Green Light).
- I let the paints naturally blend into each other on the paper.
For the second petal, I apply Turquoise Blue near the center and blend it outward with water.
Don’t hesitate to experiment with these three colors—Phthalo Green Light, Turquoise Blue, and even a touch of Naples Yellow later on. Each petal should feel a little different.
Take your time. Painting petal by petal may be slow, but it’s also calming.
This process can be very therapeutic, and the variety in each petal adds visual interest.
Step 2: Painting the Middle Tones
Next, let’s create the darkest petals that make up the bottom layer of the flower.
To achieve these deep shadows, I added more Neutral Tint to the base color mix.
These shadows give the flower a grounded, three-dimensional appearance and are key to making the lighter petals pop.
Don’t overdo the darks—just enough to suggest depth and shadow.
Step 3: Painting the Darkest Shadows
Next, it’s time to paint the bottom layer of petals, which have the darkest shadows.
To achieve this, I add more Neutral Tint to my color mixture. This creates a deep, rich tone that enhances contrast. Shadows make the petals look layered and three-dimensional.
I carefully apply this darker shade to the lowest petals, ensuring smooth blending. At this stage, the flowers are starting to take shape beautifully!
Step 4: Painting the Background
To make the hydrangeas stand out, we need to paint the background.
Some petals on the sides remain paper white. Instead of painting them, I simply paint the background around them.
To do this, I first pre-wet the background area with clean water. Then, I gently apply the watercolor paints, allowing them to bleed outward softly.
You can use a clean brush to blend the edges if you want a more subtle fade. This creates a soft, dreamy background that complements the flowers.
Step 5: Adding Details to the Flower Center
With the petals and background complete, let’s add some fine details to the flowers.
Using the sharp tip of my brush, I paint the center of each flower with Neutral Tint. This helps define the flower structure.
I also add tiny veins on the petals, radiating from the center outward. These small details make a big difference in making the painting look more realistic.
Step 6: Enhancing the Painting with Warm Tones
Right now, the painting consists mainly of cool colors. To make it more interesting, I introduce a touch of warmth.
I use Naples Yellow, a soft, warm tone that isn’t too overpowering. Even though it’s a warm color, it blends well with the teal shades.
Adding just a bit of this color gives the painting a balanced and lively feel.
At this point, the painting is nearly complete! But before we wrap up, I have one last tip to make it pop.
Final Thoughts
Bringing teal hydrangeas to life with watercolor is about patience, layering, and attention to light and shadow.
I hope this step-by-step guide has helped you feel more confident in your painting process.
Which technique did you find the most useful? Try it out for yourself and see how your hydrangea painting turns out.
Don’t forget to keep experimenting and enjoying the process—every brushstroke brings you closer to mastering watercolor!