How To Paint A Sunflower

Alexia Young 05/09/2023

4 5 minutes read

Table of Contents

Step-by-Step Guide to Painting a Sunflower

step-by-step guide

Learn the art of painting a bright and cheerful sunflower! This beginner-friendly acrylic painting tutorial will guide you through each step, ensuring a beautiful outcome.

Painting sunflowers can be challenging, but with the right techniques, you can achieve stunning results. It’s all about layering colors and using different stroke techniques to create depth and texture.

For instance, the center of the sunflower is created using stippling, while the petals are painted using the double loading technique. By loading two different shades of yellow, brown, and white on the brush, you can achieve a realistic and vibrant look.

If you want to delve deeper into these techniques, you can download a PDF tutorial from my shop for just $5. It offers an ad-free experience, bonus-sized traceables, and the ability to download the video for reference.

tutorial available

This painting tutorial is demonstrated on an 11″ x 14″ canvas, but you can adapt it to fit any size you prefer. The versatility of the design allows for enlarging it on a larger canvas, which can create a stunning visual impact.

While I chose an ultramarine blue background to make the yellow pop, feel free to choose a different background color that suits your taste. You can even omit the spirals if you want a clean and minimalist look. A white background is also an excellent choice as it accentuates the sunflower’s vibrancy.

sunflower painting

To add an extra touch of dimension to your sunflower painting, consider painting the sides of the canvas. This technique creates a beautiful 3D effect, with the petals extending around the edges. It adds a professional and artistic touch to your artwork.

Now, it’s time to let your creativity shine! Follow the step-by-step pictures and instructions below to create your own vibrant sunflower masterpiece:

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Trace a 6″ circle on the lower left area of your canvas.

To get the perfect circle shape, you can use a 6″ diameter plate or any circular object of a similar size. Trace the circle lightly using a pencil, adjusting its size according to your canvas dimensions.

trace a circle

2. Paint the circle with burnt umber.

Using a brush of your choice (a filbert brush works well), paint the entire circle with a solid coat of burnt umber. Stroke direction doesn’t matter here; it’s just an under layer color.

paint burnt umber circle

3. Draw the petals using cadmium yellow hue and a #8 round brush.

For the petals, use a #8 round brush and the color cadmium yellow hue. Start each petal at the base where the circle is and overlap it slightly over the circle. Extend the tip of each petal almost to the edge of the canvas.

draw petals

4. Paint the lower parts of the petals with cadmium yellow hue double loaded with a tiny bit of burnt umber.

Double load your #8 round brush with cadmium yellow hue and a small amount of burnt umber. Paint the bottom part of each petal, following the direction of the petal. The strokes should resemble the natural shape of the petals.

paint lower parts

5. Paint the rest of the petals with cadmium yellow hue double loaded with primary yellow.

Using a filbert brush, double load it with cadmium yellow hue and primary yellow (approximately equal amounts). Paint the remaining parts of the petals, again following the direction of the petals. The two yellows will blend, creating a rich and textured look.

paint remaining petals

6. Paint the back petals with burnt umber mixed with cadmium yellow hue.

Mix burnt umber and cadmium yellow hue on your palette (approximately 2 parts burnt umber to 4 parts cadmium yellow hue). Use a #8 round brush to draw and fill in the back petals. These petals should appear golden yellow, darker than the front petals.

paint back petals

7. Paint a top layer on the front petals with primary yellow and white using a filbert brush.

Clean your filbert brush thoroughly and load it with primary yellow and titanium white (approximately equal amounts). Paint a layer on the front petals with gentle strokes, allowing the white to blend with the yellow, creating soft texture.

paint top layer

8. Create a stippled black center using a #8 round brush.

Switch to a clean #8 round brush and add carbon black to your palette. Use the tip of the brush to dot a dense circle in the center of the sunflower. The diameter of this circle should be about 3″.

stippled black center

9. Add a white ring around the black circle using titanium white.

After completing the black center, rinse your brush and load it with titanium white. Stipple a dense ring around the black circle. The white will naturally blend with the black, creating variation and depth. Allow the color to be inconsistent, adding to the realism.

add white ring

10. Add burnt umber, black, and orange to the gray ring.

Rinse your brush completely and add burnt umber, black, and orange to it. Continue stippling the outer part of the gray ring, working your way towards the edge of the circle. Leave space for the orange dots that will be added in the next step.

add burnt umber, black, and orange

11. Stipple orange dots on the outer parts of the circle using cadmium orange.

Using the same brush, add cadmium orange medium to create small dots on the outer parts of the circle. Allow the dots to overlap the bottom of some petals, as this adds a natural and realistic touch. Blend the colors seamlessly to enhance the dimensionality of the middle circle.

stipple orange dots

12. Add pure titanium white sparingly to the center and around the circle.

Rinse your brush completely and add pure titanium white to it. Create small, bright white dots in the center of the circle, the ring, and sparingly around the outer parts. This adds highlights and further enhances the color dimension of the sunflower.

add titanium white dots

13. Paint the background with ultramarine blue using a 1/4″ flat brush.

Using a 1/4″ flat brush, paint the background with solid coats of ultramarine blue. Apply two coats if necessary. The blue background enhances the vibrancy of the sunflower and creates a visually appealing contrast. Use a smaller brush for tight corners and edges.

paint ultramarine blue background

14. Paint the sides of the canvas.

For a professional finish, paint the sides of the canvas to match the adjacent colors. Use cadmium yellow hue for the petals on the sides and solid blue for the rest. This technique creates a cohesive and visually appealing art piece.

paint canvas sides

15. Optional: Paint white spiral designs using titanium white.

Once the ultramarine blue background is completely dry, you can add some extra visual interest by painting white spiral designs. Begin with petal tips and progress to painting spirals throughout the background. Have fun with this step and let your creativity flow!

white spiral designs

Now, take a step back and admire your vibrant masterpiece! You’ve successfully painted a beautiful sunflower with a stunning background. Feel free to share your artwork with us and inspire others!

Share Your Art – Spread the Inspiration

share the post

Don’t forget to share this post with fellow art enthusiasts who would love to paint a sunflower themselves! Happy painting!

Note: This post may contain affiliate links.

Materials You’ll Need

For this sunflower painting tutorial, make sure you have the following materials:

Color Palette:

Cadmium yellow hue
Primary yellow
Burnt umber
Cadmium orange medium
Carbon black
Titanium white
Ultramarine blue

Traceable (optional)

Sunflower Traceable

The traceable is optional for this painting, as the tutorial guides you through painting the petals. However, if you prefer having the flower predrawn, you can download the PNG traceable from the image above.