Tutorial: How to paint watercolour lavender

What you will need

• Watercolour paints
• Watercolour paper
• A paintbrush
• Water jars
• Paper towel

Colours

• Sap Green
• Dioxazine Purple
• Cobalt Blue

All the watercolour paint I use is the professional range from Winsor & Newton. Don’t worry if you don’t have these exact colours – just find the closest match in your palette.

The best lavender colours are a mix of blues and purples. Keep changing up the colours every few strokes. Add a little more blue, then a little more water for a lighter tone. Then add a little purple, then a little more water. And so on!

Paint lavender – step by step

1. Create stems in a light green colour. Curve them for a natural look and make sure they are different heights, so it doesn’t look too symmetrical.
2. Mix up a blue-purple colour and begin painting the flower buds in groups of four, right at the tip of the stem. Point the base of the buds back to the stem and allow them to touch for wet-on-wet bleeds.
3. Leave a small gap and move further down the stem for the next four buds. Constantly change the colours and value (lightness and darkness) of the paint. Continue painting the flower buds in groups of four.
4. Leave a larger gap and add a pair of flower buds towards the base of the stem.
5. Mix up a light green wash and create thin leaves that curve away from the stem to finish.