This is the fourth installment in our "Level Up Your Coloring" series, and today we'll introduce how to color flowers with attention to fine detail.
Last time we finished up the face and hair, so this time we'll focus on the other star of the piece: the flowers.
Let's aim for a realistic, delicate expression that goes one step beyond beginner-level coloring.
>> Get the "Flower and Girl" line art here
Key Points for This Lesson
3 Things to Keep in Mind for Realistic Flowers
These 3 things matter most in today's coloring.
- Lines that follow the "flow" of the petals
- The "overlap" between petals
- "Dimension" created through contrast
As the number of colors increases and finer expression becomes necessary, keeping these 3 points in mind will instantly raise the finished quality.
About the Materials Used
Today we'll be using the following colored pencils.
- Holbein Artist Colored Pencils
- Mitsubishi Uni Colored Pencils (slightly harder)
Having a slightly harder colored pencil is very handy for drawing fine details.
It makes it easier to express delicate lines and the veins of the petals.
Basic Coloring Method
Color the petals "as if drawing lines"
First, color the base of the petals.
- Color over the line art
- Color back and forth, from top to bottom and bottom to top
- Deliberately leave lines to create "veins"
At this stage, it's important to think in terms of layering lines rather than a solid fill.
This is a similar mindset to coloring hair.
How to Layer Colors
Create a natural gradient with varied pressure
Next, layer on some light colors.
- Use light blue or light purple
- Layer so as to fill in the areas left white
- Color with varying pressure
Rather than coloring everything uniformly, using varied pressure creates natural color variation.
Tips for Creating Depth
Add dark color "beneath the overlap"
How you add shadow is key to creating dimension.
- Use navy or deep purple
- Apply it where petals overlap
- Color the petals further back more loosely
This instantly creates a sense of perspective and depth.
Adding Highlights
Use an eraser and white
Use an eraser to express brightness.
- Lightly erase areas that got too much color
- A thin stick eraser is recommended
- Blend the surrounding area after erasing
- Layer on white as needed
The key is not to leave it just erased, but to tidy it up before finishing.
Creating Flower Variations
How to change the impression using the same colors
Even using the same colors, the way you color can change the impression.
- Change the order in which you layer colors
- Change the coloring method (lines, "swirl stroke")
- Randomly layer in red-purple or blue-purple
This produces flowers with a natural, rich color.
Blending in the White of the Paper
Once color has been added throughout,
- Apply a light color over the whole area
- Tone down the white of the paper
Keeping the white from standing out takes the finished quality up a notch.
Finishing Touches for Extra Depth
Finally, add a hint of black on top.
- Increases the overall sense of depth
- Further emphasizes the dimension
That said, it's important to look at the overall balance.
If only the flowers are darkened it will look unnatural, so make adjustments to other areas like the hair too.
Coloring Leaves and Fine Details
- If the black lines are too strong, trace over them with white
- Layer green over that
- Draw the leaf veins with yellow-green
This creates a soft, natural impression.
Summary
Details Create Realism
To sum up today's key points:
- Color following the flow of the petals
- Add shadow beneath overlaps
- Vary pressure to create color variation
- Use highlights to create a sense of openness
Keeping these in mind,
each individual petal gains its own presence, leading to a truly realistic expression.
Next Time
Next time, we'll finally complete the artwork by covering these 4 points.
- Clothing
- Accessories
- Background
- Finishing touches
Thank you for reading.