Create a white rose painting with acrylics

Learn how to blend and create the form of a White Rose

Step 1: Preparing the Canvas

Prepare the Canvas by giving it an even coat of Gesso with the Gesso Brush and allow it to dry. Then onto your Palette, squeeze out 1 part Lemon Yellow to 1 part Naples Yellow and paint a thin layer over the canvas with the 75mm Taklon Brush. You can paint the background any colour you like.

Step 2: Drawing the Rose

Draw the Rose with an 8B Pencil, include the shadow lines as well. Refer to the image on the last page of this PDF for guidance.

Step 3: Mixing the Paint

To paint the rose you will need to create six different shades. On the palette draw a right angle with 5 horizontal lines emitting from the vertical axis. Now measure 150 mm along from the top line and draw an angled line to the end of the bottom line. Squeeze out Titanium White along each horizontal line up to where it intersects the diagonal line. Then add 2 spots of Lamp Black to line 1, 1 spot to line 2, half a spot to lines 3, 4 and 5. Then lay a spot of Phthalo Blue on lines 1 5 and mix all these colours with the palette knife.

Step 4: Adding Tones

A paint by numbers guide for your reference has been provided on the last page of this PDF. Paint the rose petal by petal, using the Taklon Angle Brush and remember to blend one tone at a time, so that you can get a smooth transition before the paint dries.

Step 5: Adding Greens

Paint in the stem and sepals in Sap Green. Then add Phthalo Blue to the Sap Green and paint that into the areas of shadow.

Step 6: Applying a Glaze

Create a mix of 3 parts Lemon Yellow, 1 part Brilliant Red and 5 parts Gloss Medium. Apply this mixture over the Yellow background with the 75 mm Taklon Brush.

Step 7: Adding Water Droplets

To paint a water droplet, mix a Mid Grey from Titanium White and Lamp Black. Then using your Taklon Liner Brush paint a small circle. Feather the inside of the circle so it fades in the middle. Shade the top and bottom of the circle with a darker Grey and highlight the top with White.