How to Paint a Rose and Butterfly

Painting The Rose and Butterfly  is a tutorial which explains the techniques for glazing color wet-on-wet in acrylic.

CALLIA ARTIST BRUSHES

• 10/0 Short Liner
• #2 Filbert
• #4 Filbert
• #4 Chisel Blender
• #6 Chisel Blender
• 1/4″ Moa Mop

DecoArt Americana

• Black
• Yellow Light
• Titanium White
• Raw sienna
• Napthol Red
• Raw Sienna
• Burnt Umber
• Magenta
• Alizarin Crimson
• Ultramarine Blue

Mediums

Americana extender or FolkArt Blending Gel

OTHER SUPPLIES

• Paper Towel
• Small foam roller for basecoat
• Grey Transfer Paper
• Container for water
• Mixed Media Artboard Surface
• Palette or palette paper

Paint the Design

Wet-on-Wet Glazing

To paint wet-on-wet, a layer of Blending Get or Extender is applied. When loading the brush to apply color, ‘dress’ the brush in Blending Gel first, then pick up color and apply to the wet Blending Gel on the surface.

General instructions

Glazing and Floating the Rose and Butterfly

Glazing:  Use the filberts to paint the initial layers. Apply a thin layer of Gel or Extender to one petal at a time. Apply the color indicated by dressing or loading the brush in gel and then picking up the suggested color. Apply the shading and / or highlight color indicated and gently pat blend it into the basecoat.  If necessary, mop to soften.

Floating:  The previous layers must be dry. Use the angle shader to float layers of shading and highlights.

Palette

Use the colors indicated in the general supply tab.

Pre-mix the following colors:
Soft Pink: Napthol Crimson + Alizarin Crimson + Titanium White (1:1:1).
Dark Soft Pink: Soft Pink + touch Magenta.

Time to paint

1. Basecoat the surface with Titanium White using a foam roller. Let dry.
2. Transfer the design using grey transfer paper. Ensure you transfer it very lightly.

Rose Petals

1. Coat one petal at a time with a glaze of equal parts Soft Pink + Gel. Let dry.
2. Add a second layer of Soft Pink + Gel to the innermost petals. Let dry.
3. Apply a thin layer of Gel and re-basecoat the petal you are working on with Soft Pink.
4. While wet, ‘dress’ the brush with Blending Gel and load with Dark Pink. Apply to the shadow areas of each petal. Wipe the brush and gently pat-blend the shading into the Gel. As you’re blending, allow the shading to carry into the middle of the petal.
5. Wipe the brush and glaze the highlights in the center of the large petals with Titanium White. Wipe the brush and pat around the highlight to soften. Let dry.
6. Float soft shadows near the center of the flower with Dark Pink, then a touch of Alizarin Crimson.
7. Using a liner and thinned Titanium White + a touch of Magenta add a few bright highlights where one petal overlaps another. Let dry.
8. Apply final highlights with thinned Titanium White on the petal flips and some of the sharper edges.
9. Use the liner and thinned Magenta + Alizarin Crimson (1:1) to add final touches of shading in the darkest corners. Let dry.
10. Glaze accents with Brilliant Ultramarine + Titanium White (1:1) in some areas and Yellow Light in others.

Butterfly

1. Apply a thin layer of Gel and apply Soft Pink to the edges of the upper wings and Raw Sienna near the body. Wipe the brush and blend with the chisel edge.
2. Apply a thin layer of Blending Gel and place Raw Sienna under the upper wings; wipe the brush and chisel-blend. Let dry.
3. Further shade with a soft float of Burnt Sienna.
4. Base the body with Burnt Sienna. While wet, use the liner to tap a touch of Raw Sienna and then a touch of Titanium White to the body center.
5. Use the liner and thinned Burnt Sienna to add the antennae, dots and edge the wings. Use Burnt Sienna to add a few lines near the body on the hind wing. Thin Titanium White for the dots on the upper wings and to add glints to the antennae.

Thank You!

PinkRoseTutorial