How to Paint a Rose with Acrylics

Roses, and flowers in general, are a common subject in painting, ideal for decorating an interior or giving a lasting gift. When painting them, many factors come into play, from theoretical aspects to symbolic aspects, and of course, the choice of material. Indeed, a flower painted in oil, with its grandeur, is very different from one painted in watercolor, which is much more ethereal.

Today, I welcome you to join me in discovering how to use the power of acrylics to paint a striking rose.

Materials for acrylic painting

Before you start, make sure you have all the necessary materials. This way, you can work without distractions or interruptions. Gather your set of paints, a palette for mixing, brushes of various sizes and shapes, pencils for sketching, heavy-weight paper, and masking tape to secure your surface.

Observe and understand the structure of a rose

Roses have a complex structure, so we will dedicate a part of our work to observing them carefully. Keep the following elements in mind:

The petals are soft layers that slightly crinkle and intertwine. Each petal starts in the middle of the previous one and folds back towards its edge.
The closer we get to the center, the smaller and more curled the petals become.

Therefore, use the most dynamic lines for the outer petals.
Even though the rose appears mostly red, its texture and coloring contain several shades of that same palette. You will find pinkish tones, purples and other variations that will add more realism to your painting.

Today, we are going to paint, so it is useful to draw inspiration from some reference works. This helps to better understand how to convey expression and texture.

Painting a rose with acrylics step by step

To start, choose a well-lit area, like a table or a drawing board. Next, secure your paper with masking tape or, if you're working on a canvas, make sure it is stable to prevent it from moving or shaking. Keep your paints and brushes close by, but at a sufficient distance to avoid accidents. It is also useful to have a container of water to clean your brushes and thin the paint.

Using your observations and/or a real model, create a sketch. Think about the composition, the elements present, and clearly define the shape of your rose.

We will now start applying the paint beginning with the background. Don't forget that acrylic dries quickly: if you want to cover the entire surface fairly evenly, add a little water.

Apply the first coats of paint to the rose

We are now going to paint our rose. From here, it’s a good idea to add tonal variation, so use different shades of red.

Take your darkest red; if you only have one, darken it with its complementary color, which is green. Identify the deepest areas and paint them. The idea is that this layer serves as a base and that from there you add brighter tones of the same color.

Then, add mid-tones. Use multiple shades of red with a similar light intensity and apply them to different areas across the entire rose.

We will now move towards the lighter areas. Use pinkish tones that go with the shades already applied and paint the remaining areas. Take advantage of these hues to add some highlights in the darker parts.

Add texture

Use a lighter pink to gradually illuminate the brightest areas, especially the folds of the petals and the large curved surfaces. To simulate texture, paint small separate lines slightly apart that will give the impression of the delicate crinkling that we can see in the petals.

We will now move on to the stem and leaves. Take your darkest green and, if that's not enough, don't forget to use its complementary color, which is red. Apply one or more layers until the shapes are well defined.

At this stage, we'll apply the same approach as for the petals, so we add progressively lighter layers until we achieve the desired volume and texture. A little extra tip: if you want more contrast, make sure to let one layer dry completely before adding the next one; otherwise, they will blend.

Finish your painting

Finally, check the last details. Step back a bit to look at your work as a whole and ensure everything is in order. Then, remove the tape by always pulling it outward. And there you are, finally looking at your finished rose.

This tutorial is now complete!

As usual, it's time to move on to practice, so grab your brushes and turn what you have learnt into a stunning artwork. Before you start, carefully analyze your references and seek inspiration from existing works.

Enjoy this medium: painting offers unique possibilities. Paint in layers, going from darkest to lightest, to create deep volumes. And finally, use wet paint to blend the colors, then let it dry to enhance the contrasts.

Writer and illustrator: Bryam