How to paint Poppy flowers

Poppy Flower Drawing Step-by-Step:

Table of Contents

Every spring, one of my favorite things is watching the vibrant red petals of poppies bloom across lush green hills and alongside ancient stone walls, forming stunning floral carpets. I love observing the shape of poppy petals—they are simple yet elegant, making them a great subject for beginners to learn poppy flower drawing step by step.

Their delicate, almost translucent texture reveals beautiful layers when illuminated by sunlight. In this practice, we’ll explore how to bring poppies to life with soft washes, bold brushstrokes, and simple poppy flower drawing techniques.

Let’s dive in and capture the beauty of this graceful flower together!
Hope you have fun!

Painting Tools

Watercolor Paper: Arches Cold-Pressed Watercolor Paper
Brushes: Escoda Perla #8 / Escoda Versatil #10
Watercolors: For this beginner step-by-step watercolor tutorial series, I use Schmincke Horadam 24 Half-Pan Set. You can choose any brand and find similar colors.

Colors:
Cadmium Red Light
Permanent Carmine
Sepia Brown
Permanent Green Olive

1. Stigma and Petal

Start by painting the stigma with a pale yellow. Once it dries, use Cadmium Red Light to paint the wide, vibrant petal.

To create the curve and cup-like shape of the petals, deepen certain areas while the base color is still wet.

Mix Cadmium Red Light with a touch of Permanent Carmine to darken the areas near the stigma and the edges of the petals. This helps to give the petals a glossy and curved appearance.

2. Finishing the Petals

Next, use the same technique to paint the remaining petals. Begin with a lighter orange-red base and then add depth with a slightly darker orange-red to create a sense of dimension.

Poppies typically have four petals arranged in a symmetrical, circular shape. Their petals are thin, with slightly wavy edges that give them an elegant look.

Paint the petals one at a time, allowing each to dry before starting the next.

Complete the four glossy, gently wavy petals before moving on.

3. Adding the Stamens and Stem

After finishing the petals, add more details to our poppy. The most iconic features are its bright red petals and deep black stamens, which create a striking contrast.

Finally, mix Permanent Green Olive with a bit of Sepia Brown to create a muted green-brown color for painting the stem and buds.

With these simple steps, our beautiful watercolor poppy is complete!

Do you also love poppies? Poppies, with their bold colors and delicate textures, offer a perfect opportunity to experiment with layering, wet-on-wet techniques, and creating intricate details.

Thank you so much for finding this tutorial and giving it a try. Feel free to share how your poppy flowers turned out in the comments below.

If you have any suggestions for what I should paint next, let me know—I’m just as excited as you are for the next tutorial.

Want to remember this? Save this Tutorial to your favorite Pinterest Board!