how to paint a pansy

How To Paint a Pansy: 16 Beautiful Tutorials (Acrylic, Watercolor, etc)

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Last Updated on April 18, 2024 by Masha Eretnova

​Pansies are beautiful flowers that come in many different colors. They can add color to any garden or even a pot on a porch or patio. Learning how to make a painting of pansy is a great way to enjoy its beauty.

In this blog post, I have compiled different tutorials to show you how to make a painting of pansies, so you’ll be able to create your masterpiece in no time.

The best way to paint a pansy is to paint its petals individually. To make your painting look realistic, you will have to use different shades of the same color or colors for each petal.

Next, paint the stem and leaves of the pansy flower. Finally, add details to your painting, such as shadows, highlights, and texture.

My Easy Painting of Pansy

how to paint a pansy

Easy painting of purple pansy step-by-step with gouache (or acrylics, or watercolor). You need two round brushes (small and bigger), and your sketchbook.

Total Time: 25 minutes

Step 1 – Sketch a circle and mark 2 dots

painting of pansy step 1

A pansy roughly fits in a circle, but there is a trick to it. Draw a circle, and find the center. But then, mark a dot slightly below the center – it will be the actual center of the flower where the lower petals meet.

Step 2 – Sketch the lower petals

From the dot, we marked make two arches on both sides and one large arch under it. Those are future petals.

Step 3 – Sketch the upper petals

painting of pansy step 3

Finish the lower petals by drawing the petal shape: the sides ones look a little bit like a butterfly wing, and the large lower one looks like a soft heart.
The upper petals are two large arches: they can be both, or only one of them a little bit heart-shaped. You see my right large upper petal has soft heart-shaped edges.
Sketch the stem.

Step 4 – Color the edges of the petals

painting of pansy step 4

Pansies are colorful in nature. They can be monochromatic like blue or purple, or combine a few colors like purple and yellow, and even orange, red, and pink. I chose a purple color for my pansy.
Take a small round brush, dip it in the water, and take a little bit of paint. Edges of petals are normally darker, as well as the center.
I use light strokes to imitate the real texture of flowers.

Step 5 –

The same darker purple will lay in the center. The very center will be yellow.
Now the body of the petals is usually lighter, so I take the bigger round brush, dip it in the water and slightly pull the purple from the edges.

Step 6 – Adding the highlights

Once the petals are done, I take the smaller brush again, and using white color, add highlights, and make accents on petals to define the shape.

Step 7 – Adding details

Using the small brush and black paint I add texture to the petals – painting very thin lines coming from the center.

Step 8 – Paint the stem

painting of pansy step 8

Finally, paint the stem and some leaves. Let the painting of the pansy dry and it’s done!

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Painting of Pansy how to paint a pansy

Here are some more beautiful pansy paintings and tutorials you can follow from talented painters.

How to Paint a Pansy in Acrylic

If painting a beautiful, vibrant pansy has been on your bucket list, painting in acrylic paints is a perfect way. With just a few simple supplies and some practice, you’ll be painting pansies like a pro.

Medium: Acrylic

Level: Easy

Create a blue pansy painting using the one-stroke technique shown in this tutorial. Here, it would be best if you had a flat brush and a range of blues and purples to create the painting. Paint the leaves and some details to finish the painting.

Tutorial

Main supplies:

  • Acrylic paint
  • Paintbrush
  • Toned paper

Dark Purple Pansy Painting

painting of pansy

Medium: Acrylic

Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Painting a dark purple pansy is a great way to capture the beauty of nature in your painting. Here, you will use shades of purple, violet, and dark blue to create the painting.

The painting can be done with various techniques, depending on your level of painting experience.

Main supplies:

  • Acrylic paint
  • Paintbrush
  • Canvas

Tutorial

Yellow Pansy Painting

Medium: Acrylic

Level: Easy

Another common color painting involves painting a yellow pansy. This painting can be done in either oils or acrylics and is suitable for any skill level. As always, the artist started painting the petals, each with a light yellow color, then painted the inner parts of the petals.

Once these were completed, the artist painted the darker parts light brown. Lastly, the center detail was added using yellow.

Tutorial

Main supplies:

  • Acrylic paint
  • Paintbrush
  • Canvas

One Stroke Pansies

Medium: Acrylic

Level: Easy

Using white paint to create an outline is a great way to know where to paint the one-stroke leaves and petals of the pansy flower. Brush strokes are essential to painting this wonderful painting of pansy.

To make painting easier, use a flat brush and load it with two complementary colors. Start painting the pansy’s petals with a curved line, wriggling the brush from the center and moving outwards.

This line should be curved and a bit pointy to give the painting a more realistic look. Don’t forget the leaves and add some final details to complete your painting.

Main supplies:

  • Acrylic paint
  • Paintbrush
  • Canvas

Three-Pansy Painting

This simple and versatile painting of pansies can be completed in just a few steps. The process is simple and easy to follow, and the results are stunning. Feel free to change the colors of the pansies and experiment with different painting techniques to recreate this painting.

Main supplies:

  • Acrylic paint
  • Paintbrush
  • Canvas

How to Paint Realistic Pansies in Acrylic

Medium: Acrylic

Level: Intermediate or Advanced

This still-life painting tutorial will show you how to paint realistic pansies in acrylic. The main color here is purple, but you can use your palette.

Aside from painting pansies, you’ll also learn how to paint stone texture, included in this painting’s background. The results are beautiful, and you’ll get different pansy flowers painted in different ways.

Main supplies:

  • Acrylic paint
  • Paintbrush
  • Canvas

How to Paint Impressionist Pansies in Acrylic

Medium: Acrylic

Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Impressionism is a painting style that breaks down an object into its basic shapes to create a painting filled with light and movement. This tutorial will show you the techniques for painting pansies in this style.

It’s the perfect painting style for pansies, which have a multitude of petals and layers. The colors the artist used are vibrant and make the petals of the pansies stand out.

Main supplies:

  • Acrylic paint
  • Paintbrush
  • Canvas or acrylic paper

Read also: How to Use Acrylic Paint: 3 Easy Steps To Paint With Acrylics On Canvas

Painting Pansies in Watercolor

The painting process for watercolor is unique in that the painting can often come together quite quickly, and the outcome is often quite unpredictable. Here are some tutorials on how to paint pansies using watercolor.

Easy Watercolor Pansies

Medium: Watercolor

Level: Easy

Before painting a bouquet of pansies using watercolor, why not practice painting the different colors of pansies first? Here’s a tutorial to help you create watercolor pansies in different colors – yellow, purple, and violet.

You’ll get to practice painting the pansy’s petals and leaves, which can also serve as a helpful guide for painting other flowers.

Main supplies:

Painting Detailed Pansies in Watercolor

Medium: Watercolor

Level: Easy

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to paint a big pansy flower painting that includes its fine details on the petals. First, sketch the outline, paint the petals, and add the details carefully.

You can use a reference photo, as the artist did here, to capture the accurate shape and details of your pansy flower.

Main supplies:

How to Paint a Watercolor Pansy Bouquet

Medium: Watercolor

Level: Easy

A floral painting makes a lovely piece of art. Pansies are cheerful and colorful, with their vibrant purple petals, and this painting captures a playful bouquet of them. You can recreate the flowers easily, and for the leaves, you can place them wherever you want to create a unique painting of your own.

Main supplies:

How to Paint Loose Pansies

Medium: Watercolor

Level: Easy

This loose pansy painting uses a warm color palette to recreate the pansies’ cheerful beauty. After painting the various pansy flowers and petals, you can finish the bouquet painting by adding the stem and leaf details.

Main supplies:

How to Paint a Pansy on a Rock

Medium: Acrylic

Level: Easy

After practicing painting pansy flowers on paper and canvas, why not try painting a pansy on an unusual surface? Make sure to choose a rock that has a flat surface and ample space for painting.

If your rock is small, we recommend using nail art brushes so that you can paint the details needed to make your painting look realistic.

Main supplies:

  • Acrylic paint
  • Paintbrush
  • Nail art brushes
  • Rock

Easy Pansy Drawing

Medium: Ink

Level: Easy

Drawing a pansy flower is essential in creating painting outlines. To make a perfect painting, first, draw a sketch of the pansy flower. Here, the artist shows an easy pansy flower drawing using pencils and markers — even kids can do it.

Main supplies:

  • Markers
  • Pencil
  • White paper

How to Draw and Shade a Pansy

Medium: Pencils

Level: Easy

Painting a pansy can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience for painting beginners. This beautiful pansy drawing captures the details of the petals using shading.

Learn how to draw and shade a pansy with the easy step-by-step painting tutorial below.

Main supplies:

  • Pencil
  • Tissue paper
  • Erase
  • Coarse paper

How to Draw a Pansy in Colored Pencils

Medium: Colored pencils

Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Take a break from paint and try to create a beautiful painting of a pansy with colored pencils. You’ll notice how the artist slowly blends the colors by creating circular motions and layering them over each other.

The key to making this pansy drawing look realistic is taking it slow when coloring it. If the color isn’t building up yet, be patient and continue adding layers of color until you get the desired result. Then, add the details to make a realistic painting of pansy flower.

Tutorial

Main supplies:

Painting Pansy FAQ

What colors are pansies?

Pansies are typically vibrant shades of purple, blue, yellow, orange, and white. They can also have a mix of colors, such as a rainbow or multi-colored varieties.

How do you paint pansies in acrylic?

To paint pansies in acrylics, start by sketching out the basic shape of your pansy with a pencil. Once you’re happy with the outline, start to fill it in with acrylic paints.

Use a combination of lighter and darker shades of color to create depth in your painting, and mix colors where necessary. Finally, use small brushes for details such as petal veins or stamens to complete your artwork.

How do you draw a beginner pansy?

Beginners can easily draw a pansy with a few simple steps. Start by sketching the basic outline of the flower’s petals and center, then fill in the details.

Finally, use shading to give your drawing texture and dimension.

Wrap Up

Now that you know how to paint pansies, it’s time to start practicing. Get some canvas boards and acrylic paints, find a picture of a pansy online, and get to work

 Don’t worry if your first few attempts don’t look perfect – with practice, you’ll be able to achieve the level of realism you desire.

And who knows? Once you’ve mastered painting flowers, you might decide to branch out into other subjects.