How to Paint Dragonflies - Beginner-Friendly Loose Watercolor Tutorial

[@DianeAntoneStudio]

Download a free sketch of this painting here: dianeantone.com/product/three-dragonflies-sketch/

[@irenegoyette9086]

Suddenly, five thousand American women think...Oh, I wish I could be Diane's best friend. We love you, Diane!

[@DianeAntoneStudio]

Thanks Irene, that‘s such a comfort, believe me!

[@NoelMitchell-em5rq]

My daughter and I said the same thing!

[@rondajordan1981]

Me too You are lovely!

[@stephaniedagnese5891]

Diane, so sorry of your loss……you are connected to nature as well as people….you are a soulful woman!

[@lynnej7219]

I have realised, it is not what you put in, it is what you leave out that makes this a beautiful painting. It looks so ethereal, which dragonflies are. Cannot wait for Sunday ❤

[@mellieanne9387]

Diane, so sorry about your friend. My best friend lives across the street from me here in the US. Can't imagine not having her in my life on a regular basis. I Love the simplicity of this painting. I tend to overdo. Tks for inspiring me to paint looser ❤

[@dreamalamb4259]

You absolutely ROCK painting dragon flies ❤

[@jodirankin5901]

Your dragonflies are always great! Also, thank you for keeping it real when it comes to getting blocked, and pens and husbands!

[@saritaclarkson2091]

I love how honest you are in this video, I’m so glad I am not the only one who has painters block at times and just can’t get what’s in my head onto paper. A lovely trio of dragonflies. Am going to attempt this today.

[@juliehopkins5784]

I admire your honesty Diane, it helps us to know that life happens to all of us and you can paint your way through it. Thank you ❤

[@jessiemontgomery5838]

they turned out very nicely - i finally get how to do the "see-thru" wings.

[@melkilgore]

I’m no good at watercolor YET, but I have fun trying. I love watching your videos right before bed. It puts me in such a relaxed state of mind. Thank you!

[@christinethornton2717]

Your dragonflies are magical! I always think of iridescence when I think of these guys and you have represented what’s in my mind. That makes you magical too 😊

[@DianeAntoneStudio]

Thanks so much Christine xxx

[@cindysimons2772]

You are never boring!

[@theresaavery4670]

I just love your dragonflies and butterflies. Always perfect and just the right amount of colors and strokes. Mine often tend to look overworked. thank you again, as always. Sorry about your friend. Wish I was your neighbor, we would get along swimmingly!

[@DianeAntoneStudio]

Thanks Theresa, I wish you were my neighbour too!

[@carriesallada2970]

I always love your dragonflies! Yours are the best that I have seen.

[@melodyperdikis4119]

Thank you so much Diane for being YOU! I love your approach to your art…I so relate to the “interferences” of life that dull the mood of creativity …your tutorials are wonderful…and your art is lovely!🙏🏽💜💚💛

[@DianeAntoneStudio]

You are so welcome! And thanks so much for your support and your friendship xxx

[@vivienneadamson2307]

The transparency of your dragonflies is lovely Diane it shows their delicacy. Having that dreaded block feeling must put pressure on you when you know you have to put a video out. I’m sorry that it has knocked you off a bit today as I’m sure the news of your friend leaving France and her illness has too. I hope you can have a relaxing evening because you truly deserve too. Thankyou for all your hard work you are a truly aspiring artist. God bless have a restful weekend. Xx 🥰

[@DianeAntoneStudio]

Plus our next-door neighbour died the same day, not a good week for our friends here in France x

[@anni50ful]

💞

[@tamyranash5984]

I love your dragonflies! ❤

[@susananthony2084]

Thank you for another learning tutorial, Diane. Your dragon flies are so pretty, I never think of your renditions as insects or bugs, but more like soulful beings making earth a happy place. I can't wait for Sunday! Have a great weekend!!

[@DianeAntoneStudio]

Thanks so much Susan xxx

[@jannissen8146]

I love your dragonflies! And I’m looking forward to learning about jelli plates! Thanks

[@18eleanor]

That turned out wonderful. Painting on demand isn't easy when you're having an off day. A nap in a dark room sounds perfect. 🥱

[@DianeAntoneStudio]

At last the sun is shining. Everything will be better now!

[@ChantelleArts]

Beautiful idea❤

[@nancysteffen7902]

Love the dragonflies!!! I love everything you do!!! Thanks for letting us know that it’s normal to get blocked!!! It happens all to often to me😬 Have a great weekend, Diane ❤

[@Lily-2019]

Yes I agree. I like it all too!! :))

[@Colleen1978]

Great video! I tried the dragonflies and mine turned out more like butterflies but I will give it another try! I hope your day turned around. Husbands can be a pain some days but we sure wouldn't want to be without them.

[@DianeAntoneStudio]

Thanks Colleen, second one will definitely be better!

[@debbieekes5718]

The simple, low volume paintings are my favorite, as any more complexity seems to defeat me before I even start. Thank you for your generosity. I will give this one a try.

[@Mothasuperior1]

I absolutely love the commentary. So real and authentic and made me feel better about life. Thanks for the great video, I’ll definitely be checking out more!

[@DianeAntoneStudio]

Hi and welcome to the channel! Hope you have fun with the dragonflies and enjoy loads more videos!

[@ms_chigger]

They are beautiful.

[@lindakuck5981]

Always love it when you paint dragonflies 😊

[@andreak770]

Would love to see charcoal pencils and watercolor giving a similar effect! Liking it and want to learn more.

[@louisebacon-ogden5032]

Love the barn swallows! I am a birder. , too,I love graphite and pen and ink. However, I enjoy learning to watercolor like you (fast and loose).

[@posiesutton2009]

The bodies really do turn out better with the sound effects!!😄. And….I so wish I lived there by you. What delicious fun….and you make great coffee! XOXO❤️❤️❤️

[@DianeAntoneStudio]

Boop boop a doop! Glad you’re feeling better!

[@posiesutton2009]

@@DianeAntoneStudio ….and my morning coffee with your inspiring lessons and your sense of humor and easy way have helped me so much. You’ve had your times with health challenges to know. Sometimes it’s hard to pull out of. I am grateful for you my friend@1XOXOX❤️❤️❤️

[@melkilgore]

I bought the book “Soul Color” It’s beautiful! Thank you for the recommendation

[@Galbereth]

That was Fab, Diane! I just love listening to you chatting away as you paint. Was sorry to hear about your friend though and the slow demise of your neighbours... I do hope there's not something in the water round your way!! - sorry, dead pan humour.... Anyway, your dragonflies are utterly Gorgeous and I'm going to give them a try asap! Thank you as always for your lovely tutorial. You are helping us so much with our watercolour journeys, Diane. You are a treasure! Love, Mel in Devon xx 🍰🌻🫖

[@DianeAntoneStudio]

So glad you enjoyed that one Mel, your humour is just the same as mine, I’ve worried about the water since my dog turned pink after swimming in a local river…. So glad the videos are helping!

[@moppeliini6614]

Thank you Beautiful.! I guess that I gonna splash my paint now and pray!🙃 😃See you In Sunday. Gel printing Is a thing that I have been thinking to try. Very interesting' Can't wait.

[@LindaLoganLDLCreationsLLC]

Love…love everything you do. Thank you for guiding us along on our art journey. God bless!

[@maryannknox7158]

So pretty

[@coletteg.4548]

♥️ So pretty!!

[@SerendipitySoulFluidArt]

I love this so much - I tried it and posted it on my FB and IG art pages - but the wings are overworked and I did not achieve that ethereal gossamer shimmer that true dragonfly wings have. I will be watching today and can't wait to attempt this again! And thank you for your templates, I use them as reference photos when I sketch out my composition. Absolutely ADORE your channel and I am so thankful I found you along my art journey!! My best XX ~ Jan

[@DianeAntoneStudio]

Hi Jan and thanks so much for your kind words! It’s great that you found us and are enjoying the videos! I’m sure your next attempt will be great!

[@anniefaint6373]

Another lovely tutorial, loved the dragonfly,,, xxxx ❤

[@windust4503]

These are beautiful!!! :)

[@cindysimons2772]

So sorry about your friend. Prayers for her and you.

[@Lily-2019]

Diane... I would jump at being a friend of yours if I could!! Your personality is perfect friend material. 🤗❣ But Canada has my name on it. Its been a tad lonely since my hubby passed. 7 years flew by me without me noticing. Seems like yesterday. Oh well. I'm ok. Love the dragonflies!! And I enjoyed your birds that you painted recently too! Toodles ....for now. 💃

[@DianeAntoneStudio]

Hi Lily, lovely to read your message, very sweet! Sorry about your loss and how fast time flies by but so glad you enjoy the videos!

[@ralphherrick596]

Is the Canson xl different than the light blue Canson paper??? Was the cover just changed??

[@DianeAntoneStudio]

No, it’s different. This is mixed media 140lb paper. They are very confusing with their covers, you have to check the weight, because they have a black one that is only 90lb, as well as the blue ones which are just a much lighter paper altogether.

[@ralphherrick596]

@@DianeAntoneStudio thank you so much...

[@Piper-m2g]

I've even struggling all day...and all of yesterday... really really struggling and trying to paint different things, sitting down and I had all of these ideas of what I wanted to work on today (I even fell asleep watching your sheep painting video last night and thought I'd give that a go today too but it was a major flop), but anyway the sun has set and I've bounced all over the place between pads and sketchbooks and finally decided to just paint a boring dragonfly with you since it looked simple enough. I didn't want to, because I really wanted to create a master landscape or bouquet or something really gorgeous, but I sat down defeated to paint these dragonflies in a corner of a piece of scrap paper, because I felt my sketchbook shouldn't even be subjected to my inadequate brushstrokes... my two dragonflies did come out a bit wonky, but that's not the point... the point is that while listening to you talk about it not always being easy, I was able to let myself just paint a little bit. Just a little bit of painting, because I don't want to skip days of painting, but I did paint along with you and your words are comforting... so thank you. Also just because I only painted two and you said you had been practicing them all morning... I wonder how many you actually make before you feel satisfied?

[@DianeAntoneStudio]

Hi and thanks so much for your heartfelt comment. I have so many days when I feel like that, and I really don’t know why it happens. Tamsin says its because the painting doesn’t come from inside us, it comes THROUGH us, and some days we are blocked and need to allow something to open so things can flow again. This blocking thing is the reason I have been doing so many doodle-covered blobby paintings recently. I think a blob is better than nothing. Only I don’t want to honour my blobs with the title “abstract” or “intuitive” or any other name, because really they are just stepping stones through life. I sometimes think if only I could get properly organised it would all be fine. Paper here, paint there, brushes tidy and a clear desk….But something stops me - and has stopped me for 60 years or more from achieving that. Recently I’ve had a touch of depression and anxiety but I’m not giving in to it, and having the channel waiting every day for more content is my guiding light. And so are you. With your support and the support of all our viewers we can make it through. Sending love and a new sheet of paper xxxDiane xxx

[@loveandlife4222]

Diane ~ buy some 100% cotton 140 lb. Paper. Something good like arches or fabriano artistico. Then try your dragon flies (or anything you paint) and see how much easier it is. The paint will flow and mingle together better and it reacts nicely. The paper is costly but 100% cotton paper really makes a difference. 🙂 I love your dragon flies’!

[@DianeAntoneStudio]

Thanks, yes, I know and I have plenty, but I like to show people who can’t afford that luxury that you don’t absolutely have to have expensive paper :) Here’s one of my earliest videos where I do a similar painting on Arches. How to Paint a Five Minute Watercolour Dragonfly | Natural World Painting Tutorial with Diane Antone kzbin.info/www/bejne/b4fLhoptpMtpppY

[@deirdrelewis1454]

While it’s true that colouring books are less demanding because the line work is done for you, I still find choosing and blending colour pencils can be quite stressful. Especially when I see the incredible effects many people achieve, while mine are pretty mediocre! I persist because I find messing with pens, pencils and paint therapeutic.

[@DianeAntoneStudio]

I know what you mean Deirdre. Some folks are amazing at what they do with a colouring book!

[@kathyedmondson9183]

💞

[@bettybrugman843]

😍

[@joanpringle-canning2834]

🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗

[@beejayem42]

🐨👍

[@koalabathnbody4748]

Hi Dianne, check out on point TV and quilting with Nancy, she is working with a designer who uses a gelli plate prints to design her fabric line. I believe your designs would make great printed blocks. Ensure that you have copy right in place if decide to commit your designs to fabric. look forward to seeing what you come up with. cheers bronwyn

[@DianeAntoneStudio]

Thanks Bronwyn, I’ll check her out!

[@hollysnow5290]

I’m new at this and I have a request. When you do your pencil sketch, it is so faint that it’s hard to follow along. If you did one heavily, it would be easier to follow along. Thanks

[@DianeAntoneStudio]

I almost always put the sketch up on our website for you to look at after the video is up. I know it’s hard to see, but my sketches are usually very sketchy and not as useful as the ones I put on the website.

[@anni50ful]

I've been invited to exhibit in an art exhibition in a church, the woman that organises these exhibitions sent us all a message yesterday ' Please remember you are exhibiting your art in a CHURCH,please make sure your paintings are appropriate ' ? I can only assume someone is going who paints inappropriate paintings, I can't wait myself, I'm dying to see the Priest blush, it's also a flower / exhibition so it may be the blushing Woman's institute ? Unbelievable really, I thought I could paint a few Dragon Flies and flowers ,can you get thrown out of a church ? Watch this space 🙄 ☺

[@DianeAntoneStudio]

I wouldn’t have imagined you to be likely to paint nudes! But you know what men are like! Are there any men in your group? I would definitely stick to the dragonflies if I were you!

[@ms_chigger]

They are beautiful.