How to Paint Gerbera Flower in Oil

Skill Level : 2 Intermediate

Medium : Oil Painting

Subject : Flowers, Still Life

Tutor : Nolan Clark

Class Length : 2 hours 37 minutes

Avg Rating :

Silver Level or Higher Class

Class Description

Flower paintings are always popular. In this class you will learn a simple technique that will make your flower paintings stand out from the crowd and be even more popular.

During the class you will learn:

1) How to work with low contrast colours, yet still achieve depth in the painting.
2) How to work with red correctly - a notoriously difficult colour to mix variations of without the colour turning pink
3) How to create the rib effect on the petals
4) and heaps more...

Latest Reviews

Thank you for the awesome tutorial! I tried this one in Acrylic paint and posted my rendition on FB for your feedback. towards the end of the tutorial there is a portion of the painting that is left unguided for us to carry on independently, it was an unexpected twist, but I managed to sail through. I enjoyed painting this flower very much.

Cheers!


Dolly Mauji

Class Tutorial

Planning

Reinforce what you may already know about colour mixing as Nolan gives a detailed explanation of how to mix colours, especially when adding highlights and shadows to a basic mid-tone color.  Refer to your colour wheel (or Colour Buster) if you have one.  (If you don't, you really should buy one.)

Drawing

Note the importance of getting the overlapping of petals correct. To help make petals distinct, use your artistic license to extend some of the petals where the edge of one meets another.

Trace your gerbera daisies onto the canvas.  If you wish to paint a background, place a mask over the flower to protect it.

Mixing Colours for the Flowers

Prepare the paints you will need for mid-tones, highlights, and shadows.

Painting the Main Flower

Starting at the top, block in the colors to the first petal, then blend them as Nolan does to keep each petal distinct.  Continue on with each petal, being mindful of where the sun highlights each petal and also where shadows are cast.  Change brushes as the petals get smaller or need fine details.  Follow Nolan's lead as you finish painting the main flower.  Note that as you do the underside of the bottom petals, your color tone will change to a more pinkish hue.

Mixing the Greens

Prepare the color tones for the peduncle and stem.

Painting the Greens

Block in the peduncle area with green, working from dark to light. Add touches of white in reflected light areas.

Begin working on the stem by applying the lighter tones that you used above.  Cast a shadow under the peduncle

Using white paint, lightly tap on the hairlike structures along the highlighted side of the stem.

Painting the Second Flower

Follow Nolan's direction for painting the stamen areas to achieve maximum contrast. Then finish up with painting the petals, using the same painting techniques as you used for the main flower.

Nolan

About Nolan Clark


Read more about Nolan Clark

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