Sometimes all you need is your favorite brush, some messy watercolors, and a whole lot of not overthinking it. I was actually inspired by a Facebook memory that popped up from six years ago of a floral art journal page and I thought, “Let’s bring her back, but make it fresh.” Funny how art from the past can spark something totally new! Let’s create this bright in bloom floral art journal page together.
Prep your art journal page by taping off the edges with painter’s tape. Mist your watercolor palette with water to activate the colors.
We’re just starting with loose, layered circles. Use a Sharpie pen to sketch out about six flower shapes. Start small and work your way outward with petal-like motions. I made mine a little uneven and added a few extra petal swoops for fun. Leave white space between flowers if you want, or let them overlap slightly.
Once your flowers are sketched, add in a few quick leaves and curly vines to frame your blooms. Nothing detailed, just simple leafy shapes and little vine loops. Keep it loose and organic.
Wet your watercolor palette (I used the Classics set here) and start dropping color into those petals. Work one flower at a time – wet the petal area with clean water first, then drop in color at the center and pull it outward using a round brush (mine was a size 6). You’ll get that soft fade from intense color to delicate wash. Let colors blend where they want.
I used a mix of blues, purples, reds, and pinks for the petals – some with lighter centers, others with darker edges. Drop in some yellow or orange in the flower centers to keep things bright and cheerful. Tilt your journal to guide the flow if you like. Use bright green for your leaves and vines. You’ll notice the colors behave differently depending on how wet your paper is, and that’s the fun part! Dry with a heat tool.
Once dry, grab a permanent black pen again and add all the fun scribbly detail. Try “eyelashes” around your petals, heartbeat-style marks in the center, or swirly lines outlining each flower. There’s no wrong move here – just respond to where the paint dried and let the pen bring out the personality of each flower.
If you’ve got an Aquarellable pencil handy, use it to add subtle shading to the flower centers or around petals. It’s water-activated! If you plan to seal your page later, skip this part unless you’re working in watercolor only.
You can leave the background clean, or come in with a loose border or a few extra hearts and flourishes if the page feels like it needs more. I couldn’t resist a heart or two. Once dry, remove your painter’s tape for that satisfying crisp border.
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Supply List:
- Indigo 5.5 X 8.5 Watercolor Journal
- Painter’s Tape
- Watercolors: The Classics
- Brushes: Tracy Weinzapfel Set 2
- Pencil: Aqurellable
Check out Tracy’s Art Journal Starter Kit!
Tracy’s Resources Page and visit Tracy’s Shop