Learning How to Paint Abstract Watercolor Flowers

I am currently obsessed with watercolor flowers.

It all started when I purchased two of Prima Marketing's watercolor sets. I started playing with them by making shapes that I thought looked like flowers. I'm not a fine artist and I have no desire to paint a rose or a tulip but I love the idea of painting abstract flowers or at least shapes that look like flowers. I like to call them "implied flowers".

To make these flowers, I'm playing with the wet on wet technique (painting wet watercolor paint on wet watercolor paper) to create a shape that resembles a flower. Then I add more layers of watercolor paint to encourage the flower to take shape. It's a very random and organic experiment because I'm letting the water and the paint move around to create the shape. The challenge is to work with what I have.  Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

These pieces are a huge departure from my previous art journal pages but that's ok with me. In fact, I think that's it's interesting and I'm excited to see how the techniques and color palettes that I'm playing with are going to continue to develop as I follow the inspiration.

So, what do I think of the Prima watercolors? Although I am not a trained watercolor artist, I do love them. The paint dissolves beautifully in water and the colors are so vibrant even when dry. The sets are small so I can easily have both open on my desk and still have lots of room for my other supplies. If Spring ever gets here, I hope to be able to take them outside and paint in the sunshine. There are 12 colors per palette and I've heard that Prima will be releasing replacement pans. That will be great, if true.


I hope you find time this weekend to create something that makes you happy. I plan to ignore the laundry that needs folding and spend some time painting instead.


Cathie