Oil Painting tutorial - How to Paint Flowers

In this oil painting tutorial, Alex Tzavaras shows you how to paint flowers. Painting flowers is very challenging but extremely valuable still life painting exercise.
This is another video on the essentials of mixing colours for oil painting. In Alex's previous tutorials on how to mix colour, he used a variety of limited palettes. A temperature palette, consisting of just transparent ovide ead and ultramarine, then a palette consisting of the three primary colours. For this demonstration, Alex shows you his full extended palette, consisting of:
Titanium White, Lemon Yellow, Cadmium Yellow, Naples yellow, Yellow ochre, Cadmium Red Light, Alizarin Crimson, Transparent Oxide Red, Raw Umber, Terre Vert, Viridian, Cobalt Blue, Ultramarine Blue and Ivory Black
To see Alex's other videos on how to mix oil paint colours:
Colour temperature
• Oil Painting Tutorial ...
Colour Intensity and Saturation
• Oil Painting Tutorial ...
Alex Tzavaras is a contemporary realist artist offering portrait painting and alla prima oil painting tutorials. Alex teaches the traditional painting techniques artists used to draw and paint from life up until the start of the 20th century.
For Alex's course on the fundamentals of oil painting visit:
/ simplifydrawingandpain...
Or connect with Alex:
/ alex_tzavaras
/ simplifydrawingandpain...
/ alextzavaras
alextzavaras.com

[@nealjonmurphy]

You have an incredible gift for explaining various topics well. Your videos are very helpful!

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Haha, maybe. I don't think it's a gift. Writing the commentary actually takes me ages, it's the longest part of making each video. I put a lot of thought into the language. I have to do several drafts before I can condense it down to the most relevant info, and re write it so that it make more sense. And I have to play it back to myself, so I often end up re editing. It's why I only put up a new video every 1 or 2 months and not more often.

[@kudreterkent3927]

Good job Alex! I look forward to your next demo.

[@babypause3611]

Beautiful, elegant and classy!!! 🌹

[@byronprimrose4435]

Clear and concise demo, thank you!

[@benchristo4322]

Thank you again Alex!

[@mojopiment4836]

Brilliant lesson, thank you Alex

[@kksilvestri5007]

Great demo. Thank you!

[@AndreeaARTschoolLifestyle]

Amazing work in every video! They are really helpful, very rich in information. I love your channel!

[@enigmaartista2981]

I am a digital artist but i take inspiration from most traditional artist, thanks for this tutorial, i enjoyed it.

[@mikedimples]

I'm obsessed with the appealing value shapes you create. So sleek/geometric, hopefully I'll be able to abstract values like you some day.

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Start with really simple still lives under a strong light source, where the shapes are much easier to see. Like the exercise in this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZ6cmXZ9jpuebM0 It's how my "mass drawing" course is designed. From these we move on to casts in monochrome, which are a little more difficult to simplify.

[@ChristopherJones-cjphoto]

Brilliant! Alex is so good at explaining complicated stuff.

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thanks Christopher!

[@tzuyuhuang785]

Thank you for sharing the tutorial! Really learned a lot. Also, I love how you use the stick of the brush to lay notes!

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you very much!

[@yatrikbodhe8364]

Love how you choose your words as carefully as your colours-such good explanations of the techniques and thought behind it. Many thanks for sharing your knowledge. Would love to join one of your classes in London once this quarantine is over. Stay safe

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank very much. I hope you do, after this is all over. Likewise, stay safe and well!

[@caspar3152]

Excellent demonstration! Thank you for sharing!

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thanks Caspar.

[@ionlyemergeafterdark]

Thanks. Excellent demo.

[@tammychriscoe2726]

Beautiful. Not many left handed artist for me to watch and learn. Thank you for sharing your true talents❤

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you Tammy!

[@lcarolc03]

Excellent demo. I’m planning to spend Spring and Summer painting flowers. Thank you very much.

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thanks Carol. Now is the time for flowers, particularly if you're going to paint them outside in the wild. Which is more challenging with the wind and changing light, but I reckon they make for more interesting compositions than flowers in a vase.

[@janetlehain9402]

This is brilliant! I am in awe. I have just done my first ever oil painting today, and now I think I will be inspired to keep practicing.

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Well done Janet! Definitely keep it up.

[@colourmequaint9690]

The bit about using a transparent green for the leaves to prevent mixing is really useful to me! Thank you!

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you for watching! Glad it was helpful.

[@zilabonomo3987]

Me encanta esta mistura de cores! Amor é arte❤

[@chaitralib9523]

This is so good..thank u so much, Alex!! Grateful you r sharing ur knowledge 🙏

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you very much! Glad you like it.

[@coyoteugly8446]

Awesome 💜

[@lastbutnottheleast1643]

I really love all your videos. Very inspiring

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you!

[@janehop]

Beautiful, love the style of your roses.

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you Jane!

[@DoctorwithaCanvas]

Love it!

[@angelavassiliades8334]

wonderful!!!

[@jcepri]

I could watch this all day.

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thanks Jeff!

[@dailypaintingsDebbie]

Hi. Your tutorial video is helpful for many people just starting out with painting. In particular, I also upload the process of painting every day, which is especially helpful for me. Thanks a lot!

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Well done! Keep up the god work.

[@joseluisderivera465]

Thank you again for sharing your knowledge! Greetings from Mexico!!

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank very much José

[@DarrylOates]

Great job. I'm detailed realistic orientated and been painting for decades and was never was satisfied with my flower painting because I had not recognized that zen of stepping back and being loose with flowers and the color intelligence.Thanks to him and other artist for sharing there beautifully work and techniques

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you Darryl. Flowers are a great exercise and can be really difficult to paint. But you don't need to copy them exactly ad try to paint every small petal that you see. They move anyway, If you come back to them the following day their petals will be in a different position.

[@DarrylOates]

@@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting good advice practicing at this moment. Have a wonderful day 😊

[@dreamygirl2999]

Thank you sooo much! I just started painting and letting out my creativity! I followed every step and it still looks crazy bad 😂 This is my 10th time going for this look because I love it so much and Im not giving up! 💪😍 and btw I have never seen such a talented and unique artist! Your paintings look like they are from renaissance era!!!

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you very much. Glad you've found this helpful. Keep trying, you'll get there!

[@spaghettisheepdog]

don't stop practicing, don't give up, paint what makes you happy, and paint because you enjoy it (not because you want to be the best painter). Have fun!

[@anima6035]

Love to see the dedication!! Hope your art studies are going well! ❤🎨

[@JohnDuccher]

really nice, thanks!

[@hermanklump8983]

Thanks for this amazing video. More than I learned in school.

[@magalysuarez3233]

Beautiful 🥰

[@user-me3op3wg7v]

I adore your flowers- I wish you would sell a course on how to paint them step by step from beginner to advanced !

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you! There is a full length flower painting demo, filmed entirely in real time, available to watch on my Patreon channel.

[@PatMcDonald41]

Brilliant ...

[@artgeometrix6346]

This is wonderful. Very, very good job here.

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you very much!

[@evangeliagianniloi7477]

Thanks a lot!

[@noecapistrangarcia3628]

Thanks very much.beautiful

[@longhorngal9498]

Beautiful!

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you!

[@karla9705]

love it

[@yolandalobban289]

Thank you!

[@azimegultekin1408]

Thank's a lot 🙏🙏🙏

[@zannek9342]

Excellent and beautifull. Merci !!

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you! Glad you liked it.

[@RuthCPinturaArtesana.]

Gracias👌💯 desde España🌹

[@alenkabagirrra]

2:37 😮 на палитре розовая розочка получилась! 👍🏼 и размер, и цвет, и поворот в ту же сторону

[@sammydyab7014]

What to say Mr Alex .. Thanks a lot .. My teacher .. You are the best.

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thanks Sammy

[@angelajsacaartistaffiliatedwpl]

Thanks so very much appreciate you .

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you Angela!

[@jeonginjeongin1239]

Wow

[@milkbread5036]

Thank you for the tutorial :D I cannot afford art school so this is very helpful!

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you! Glad it was helpful.

[@sduncanfoto]

fantastic

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you!

[@justsaying9483]

I'm never going to paint a flower, but here I am at 5 am watching this. Modern life

[@user-zf6to6fq1s]

Gretengs from greece !

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Γειά σου!

[@melcryarfineart]

You are SOOOOOOO good and a really good, clear concise teacher. The term "simplify" is the perfect name. I am loving all the videos. What brush are you using for this tutorial? I am having problems with my brushes just scraping paint off rather than placing the paint in.

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you Mel. The first thing is you're probably not using enough paint. You need a loaded brush, in order fro it to leave paint on the surface. If there isn't enough paint on the brush the hairs will just scrape away the paint underneath. Then, you could also try using some softer haired brushes, synthetic or animal hair to apply the top layers of paint onto the wet paint underneath? You also need to try and be careful and deliberate with your brushstrokes, the more you go over an area the more likely things will get mixed in together. I made a video on brushes and how I use them here, hope it helps: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nnWxmqF8lrV0aZI

[@marymary5494]

👌💕

[@aandtkitchen2470]

👌👌👌👌

[@resatbora]

Thank you very much for your videos:) i wanna ask that why did you not use any medium for your paintings in your videos here. you dont paint in layers? Am I right?

[@nasera5836]

Nice

[@sgbibby]

pacing the floor waiting for Zorn ;-)

[@Raeburnsart]

The way you painted this made me think maybe i can really tackle another rose painting lol... i think one of the hardest things about flowers especially petal filled ones like roses is that you see them and they are just a cascade of folding fabric! (tonnes of it, all bundled up) and it's just overwhelming.. how will i paint EACH and EVERY petal.. well to be honest.. i dont think we need to paint EACH and every FOLD or petal.. but rather look for the most form building petals and really draw the abstracts until you have something resembling the rose.. lovely tutorial.

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

First of all, you need to think of the Rose as a ball and just establish the larger forms. the main shadow and the lights. At this stage only thinking about colours. Then add the larger petals, you don't necessarily need to draw them accurately, because no one is going to see the original flower and compare them. Also the petals will move while you are painting them, but you do need to get the edge quality of the petals right. Where are the edges hard and where are they soft. Then as you add the tiny petals, you must avoid trying to paint every single petal that you see. You only need a couple of the most prominent petals. It's difficult but you will learn a lot about simplifying small details. I've also got another rose painting demo that I did here, which you might find helpful: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Zpe2aHZnibF9ldE

[@startreker8591]

So many colors y this

[@ILuvCaroline]

Love how it’s called SIMPLIFY yes he proceeds with 15 colors lol 😂. Using a more simple palette forces you to be more creative and is less overwhelming

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Yes indeed, in lots of my other videos I use a variety of limited palettes.

[@fredasidaravicius232]

Beautiful, you make it look so easy. What was the tissue purpose on the canvas please?

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you Freda! I started this painting by placing a coloured ground on the canvas, made with paint diluted in solvent. I use the paper towel to dry the ground before painting on it. If the ground is too wet, then when I start painting on it everything starts slipping around and it becomes much harder to control.

[@guadalupebarrera6338]

Hi Alex! thanks for your tutorials. I don't get how you paint the background.. is it oil painting with water ? thanks again

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

The background is oil paint diluted in turpentine.

[@guadalupebarrera6338]

@@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting thank you

[@aleksandrpushkarev5076]

Hi, Alex! Love your channel! What do you use for grey background? Is it gesso or oil with medium?

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you. I use oil primed lined which I make myself. At some point in the future I'll do some videos on materials and one on building supports. As far as the colour of the ground goes, it's a turpentine wash. I did a video on the subject here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bHTZi6JjqZlmrLM

[@kanchangupta2038]

V nice 👌 # Dr.Kanchans desk

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you!

[@autumnreaper3888]

Ugh wish I had an art school here

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Whereabouts are you?

[@autumnreaper3888]

@@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting in South Africa

[@adnangulener9740]

very good. acrylic or oil paint ?

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you Adnan! This painting was done with oils

[@jackdaly4258]

I use Mark Carders limited pallete of permanent alizorin crimson, cad yellow light, titanium white, french ultramarine and burnt umber. I was shocked at the amount of colours u can mix and how easy it is to adjust colours for a noob like me.

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Yes Indeed. Have you seen my previous demo, on colour saturation? kzbin.info/www/bejne/b6DdlHegdsxkl8k I use a very similar limited palette with lemon yellow instead of cad (its cheaper) and no brown. Using the brown makes sense because it much easier to mix neutral colours. You can get neutrals by mixing the three primaries together but it takes longer. I agree, a limited palette is a very good to learn how colour mixing works and from there its quite easy to add more pigments to your palette.

[@jess65963]

Could one not get pretty much the same results with half the colours?

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Most definitely.

[@savecharlie]

Are you using real alizerin crimson or alizerin crimson permanent?

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

I'm using Alizarin Crimson by a UK manufacturer called Michael Harding

[@savecharlie]

@@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting I'm using alizerin crimson as my cool red and I love it. It's beautiful and great for learning color mixing, but I've read that it badly fades. That's fine for my studies, but I'm concerned your art will fade.

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

@@savecharlie I've heard that too. Tho Michael harding claims his doesn't fade, even tho he doesn't call it permanent.

[@marylouniebrugge9174]

what kind of glass palette is that.

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

It's a cheap ready made picture frame, the kind you'd find in a home furnishing store like IKEA. I paid about £10 for it.

[@user-fm5sb2dn1d]

can one apply for private lessons? Thanks.

[@user-ll9mh1rg1e]

Какая прелесть! Так жалко, что не на русском!

[@hhhjhffghbn]

Hi sir, i am a beginner i have a doubt....do i need so many colors for a painting or a limited palette ?

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

I would recommend you start with a limited palette with different versions of the three primaries. You could try something like this, made up of different versions of the three primary colours, red, yellow, blue and white: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b6DdlHegdsxkl8k

[@hhhjhffghbn]

@@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting i studied to mix accurate colours with three primary colours but i dont know to extend the colours like in this yours painting ....any tips?

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

@@hhhjhffghbn Once you've learned to mix colour with a limited colour, it shouldn't hard to just start experimenting with more colours. You need to think of colours as different variations of the three primaries. They will behave the same way. For instance viridian green will behave in a similar way to a blue, when you mix it with yellow or red, it will neutralise them. So you can use viridian to neutralise flesh colours in just the same way you would a Ivory black or blue. The reason you choose a particular colours is because they make it easier to match the colours in your subject. Like in this demo, it was much easier to match the pink flower with cooler Alizarin Crimson. Cadmium red would have been too warm and orange. Does that make sense? You'll also notice that I didn't touch many of the colours I placed on my palette for this demo. So you could say this was mainly a limited palette of titanium white, yellow ochre, alizarin crimson and viridian. I also used Raw Umber in the leaves and Raw Umber and Ultramarine for the background. But my main advise, is to just start experimenting with more colours.

[@joseluisbenitobenito7388]

Where can I find the referente photo?

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

There isn't one, I was working from life. Why don't you try painting a real rose?

[@joseluisbenitobenito7388]

@@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting Pity.. yeah, i should jajaj

[@wakeupuk3860]

Very good compared to most Tutors on here but shame (I know it takes longer and people now don't have the patience to watch real time) you did not include 'real time' amd maybe a close up, because it is to me the watching, timing, hand control, stroke etc which is what I believe teaches us. I am a long term teacher and trainer.

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

Thank you. Real time videos also take much longer to make and edit. I find it hard to talk and paint at the same time so I write my commentary afterwards, my explanation are much clearer that way. However, I have made a real time video for KZbin, which you find in the link below. Also all the videos on my Patreon channel are in real time: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gKCmhJSEgKmshMk

[@isabellefoubert785]

magnifique mais beaucoup trop rapide on n a pas le temps de comprendre

[@ksandralemus5024]

Too fast

[@SIMPLIFYDrawingandPainting]

That's unfortunate. You should check out my Patreon channel. There is a flower demo on there that is filmed in real time. I also did a master copy on this channel that's been filmed in real time, which might interest you? kzbin.info/www/bejne/gKCmhJSEgKmshMk

[@ILuvCaroline]

Half the colors he didn’t even use. I’m confused 😐

[@yematosan8837]

Your explanation is good but don't make video time lapse .