5 Easy Steps to Painting Beautiful Roses for Beginners

Written by Daisie Team

Published on 11 July 2023 5 min read

Art is a universal language that brings joy and serenity, and painting roses is a great way to start your artistic journey. The charm of a rose lies in its intricate details, making it a perfect subject for a beginner artist. In this blog, we will guide you through five easy steps to painting beautiful roses, even if you're a complete novice. Let's make the process of easy painting roses a relaxing and rewarding experience for you.

1. Get Your Materials Ready

Before embarking on your journey to painting beautiful roses, let's start by gathering your essentials. The right materials can make the difference between a frustrating experience and an enjoyable one.

Choose Your Paints

Paints are your main tools, so choosing the right ones is important. For easy painting roses, acrylic paints are a good choice. They dry quickly, are easy to work with, and are available in a range of vibrant colors. You'll need a variety of reds, greens, and whites for your roses. Consider brands like Liquitex or Golden for their high-quality pigments.

Pick the Right Brushes

Brushes are just as important as paints. For painting roses, you'll need a variety of sizes. A larger brush (like a size 10 or 12 flat brush) is great for background and base layers, while a smaller brush (like a size 2 round brush) helps in adding details and delicate strokes. Remember, Winsor & Newton provide a great range of brushes suitable for beginners.

Prepare Your Canvas

Now, let's talk about your canvas. You can choose between a traditional stretched canvas or canvas board. Make sure your canvas is primed with gesso to prevent the paint from soaking into the fabric. If it's not pre-primed, don't worry! Applying a layer of gesso is easy: just use a wide brush to evenly distribute it across the canvas, and let it dry before you start painting.

With your materials ready, you're one step closer to creating your masterpiece. Let's move on to the next step: sketching your roses.

2. Sketch Your Roses

Once you have your materials ready, it's time to start sketching. Don't be intimidated; sketching is not as difficult as it may seem. We're going to take it step by step.

Study Real Roses

When sketching roses, it's important to observe real ones. Every rose is unique, and the more you observe, the more you'll understand their structure. Pay attention to the way the petals fold and overlap. How does the rosebud form? How do petals widen as they bloom? Notice the little details; they will make your painting look more realistic.

Practice on Paper First

Before you sketch directly on your canvas, practice on paper. Draw a few roses, experiment with different shapes and sizes. Remember, the more you practice, the better you'll get. Don’t worry about making it perfect. This is just an exercise to get you comfortable with drawing roses.

Draw with Light Strokes

Now that you've practiced a bit, it's time to sketch your roses on the canvas. Use a soft pencil and draw with light strokes. The goal here is to barely see the sketch on the canvas, so you can paint over it later without the sketch lines showing through. Remember, it's okay if the sketch isn't perfect. The beauty of painting lies in its imperfections.

Great job! Now that you have your sketch ready, you're well on your way to painting beautiful roses. Let's move on to the next step: painting the background.

3. Start with the Background

With your sketch ready, it's time to start painting. But wait! Before we jump into the roses, let's set the stage with a perfect backdrop. A well-painted background can enhance the beauty of your roses and make your painting more appealing. So, let's dive right in!

Choose Your Background Color

First things first, decide on a color for your background. The color choice largely depends on the mood you want to set. For a cheerful painting, go for light shades like sky blue or pale yellow. If you're going for a more dramatic effect, dark colors like deep blue or rich burgundy can do wonders. Remember, the background color should complement the colors of your roses. So, if you're painting red roses, a green or blue background would look splendid.

Apply the Paint Evenly

Now, let's get down to painting. Dip your brush in the chosen paint and start applying it on the canvas. Don't rush. Take your time and make sure the paint is evenly spread across the canvas. Don't worry about covering up the sketch; it's supposed to guide you, not dictate your painting. By the time you're done, your canvas should be completely covered with the background color, creating a perfect canvas for your roses.

That's it for the background! Give yourself a pat on the back. You're doing fantastic. Now, let's move on to the most exciting part - painting the roses.

4. Paint the Roses

Here we are, the moment you've been waiting for—painting the roses. Remember, roses are not just a single shade of color. They have a variety of hues and tones that give them their depth and beauty. So let's dive into the process of easy painting roses.

Start with the Base Color

Begin with the base color of your roses. This is the primary color you see when you look at a rose. Be it classic red, pretty pink, or even an unconventional blue, choose a color that makes your rose stand out. Apply this color to the entire sketched area of each rose. This is just the first layer, so don't stress about the details yet!

Add Shadows and Highlights

Now, this is where the magic happens. Adding shadows and highlights will bring your roses to life. Choose a darker shade of your base color for the shadows, and a lighter shade for the highlights. Apply the darker shade to the areas of the rose that are away from the light source, and the lighter shade to the areas that are closer to the light. This will give your roses a realistic, three-dimensional look.

Look at that! You've painted your roses, and they look absolutely stunning. But wait, we're not done yet. Let's move on to the final touches to make your painting truly extraordinary.

5. Add the Final Touches

Well, we're nearly there. Your roses are looking beautiful. But, just as a great song needs a perfect ending, our roses need some final touches. Let's add those details that will make your easy painting roses come to life.

Add Details to the Petals

Take a look at a rose petal. Notice the delicate lines and curves? That's what we're going to replicate. Using a fine brush and a slightly darker shade of your base color, gently add these lines to your petals. Remember, less is more. A few well-placed strokes can convey detail without overwhelming the viewer.

Paint the Stems and Leaves

Now, let's not forget about the stems and leaves. They provide a crucial balance to the vibrant roses. Choose a fresh, bright green for the leaves and a deeper, earthy green for the stems. Paint them with careful attention to their shape and structure. The veins on the leaves, the thorns on the stem—these small details can make a big difference.

And there you have it! Your roses are not just roses now; they're a work of art. By following these steps, you've created something truly beautiful. So, why not try again? After all, practice makes perfect, and each new painting is a new opportunity to improve. Happy painting!

If you're looking to further develop your painting skills after learning the basics of painting roses, we recommend checking out the workshop titled 'Improve Your Acrylic Painting Skills' by Rachel Christopoulos. This workshop will help you enhance your acrylic painting techniques and provide you with the guidance needed to create even more stunning art pieces.