The Brush Does the Work: Painting Watercolor Flowers
Jenna Rainey has made a name for herself with her skillful and satisfying floral watercolors. In a conversation with her, she demonstrated the four brushstrokes she uses to create her watercolor peonies. A key aspect of the demonstration is her use of the new Princeton “Blooms” watercolor brush, made in partnership with Princeton brushes. I tried the techniques for myself and tested the materials she recommended. Here are my thoughts!
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About the Brush
Blooms, Princeton Velvetouch Series 3900
Synthetic BrushLong Handle, Size 12
Princeton Velvetouch Synthetic Brushes are perfect for watercolors, acrylics and oils. The synthetic fibers of this brush are expertly designed to hold a high volume of paint, with the perfect spring and tension to create controlled, repeatable brushstrokes. I really like this brush, and I’ll be using it not only to continue to practice floral painting but with all painting subjects.
Watch the Demo!
You’ll Also Need:
Maimeri Watercolor Paints
Jenna Rainey Colors, Set of 6 Tubes
Jenna helped curate a wonderful set of paints that are perfect for floral painting! This limited palette—Primary Yellow, Permanent Red Light, Quinacridone Red, Green Gold, Prussian Blue and Carbon Black—is nicely balanced to deliver bright, clean colors and rich neutrals. These watercolors have a high pigment concentration and are a great professional-grade option for watercolor artists.
Saunders Waterford Watercolor Blocks
This watercolor paper is a joy to work with. At 140 lbs., it’s a good, heavy weight. It holds water well, even under my heavy hand, and has no trouble withstanding multiple layers of color. When practicing Jenna’s techniques, this paper made a big difference in the work.
Give these techniques and materials a shot. Share your comments below. I’d love to hear from you and see your work! Have you worked with any of these materials? What do you think?
Meet the Artist
Scott Maier is an artist and a content contributor to artistsnetwork.com. He’s also the author of the instructional art book See, Think, Draw: An Easy Guide for Realistic Drawing and Beyond.
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