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How to Paint One Stroke Parrot Tulips with Donna Dewberry

How to Paint Parrot Tulips

Parrot Tulips are one of the most exotic varieties of tulips. With their heavily frilled, scalloped, and ruffled petals, parrot tulips are loved by many. Outstanding in a garden or cut in a vase, their petals are so colorful! Keep reading to learn how to paint parrot tulips using the One Stroke method developed by artist and teacher Donna Dewberry. Use the links below to jump to the supply list as well as the individual parts of how to paint a parrot tulip. 

Video | Supplies | Blooms | Buds | Stem | Leaves

How to Paint a Parrot Tulip Bloom

How to Paint Parrot Tulip Blooms
  • Begin by double loading a ¾" flat brush with Magenta and Wicker White. Add a touch of Moon Yellow to the Wicker White side of the brush for additional color.
  • While holding the brush vertically upright so that the handle is pointing to the ceiling, lightly touch the surface with the chisel edge of the brush.
  • Using light pressure, begin to pull the stroke towards you to create a downward arrow.
  • This arrow is a placeholder for the petal strokes to come.
 

How to Paint Parrot Tulip Blooms
  • While holding the brush upright, begin painting the left half of the first back petal.
  • Keeping the lighter side of the brush towards the outside, touch the surface on the chisel edge, apply pressure and begin to scrub the surface while moving the brush away from you.
  • Begin to release pressure when nearing the end of the arrow or tip of the tulip petal.
  • If smaller petals are desired, use a No. 10 or 12 flat brush.
 

How to Paint Parrot Tulip Blooms
  • While releasing pressing, end the stroke on the chisel edge of the brush. Notice the chisel edge is aligned with the body of the arrow.
 

How to Paint Parrot Tulip Blooms
  • Still using the same loaded brush, paint the right side of the flower petal.
  • Begin on the chisel edge of the brush keeping Magenta to the middle of the petal.
  • Apply pressure, and again scrub the brush working towards you.
  • Complete the flower petal by releasing pressure and ending on the chisel edge at the right side of the arrow placeholder.
 

How to Paint Parrot Tulip Blooms
  • Next, using the chisel edge of the brush, paint additional placeholder marks to indicate the placement of additional petals as shown.
 

How to Paint Parrot Tulip Blooms
  • Working on the right-side back petal, repeat the same steps as used to paint the first flower petal.
  • Remember to keep the Magenta side of the brush to the inside of the petal.
  • Also note that the beginning of the petal slightly overlaps the first petal at the base.
  • Begin and end the stroke on the chisel edge of the brush.
 

How to Paint Parrot Tulip Blooms
  • The second half or right-side of the petal is painted next, beginning at the flower tip on the chisel edge.
  • End the stroke at the base of the petal.
 

How to Paint Parrot Tulip Blooms
  • Repeat the same petal painting process for the left back petal.
  • Stroke up the left side of the petal.
 

How to Paint Parrot Tulip Blooms
  • End the flower petal, painting down the right side.
 

How to Paint Parrot Tulip Blooms
  • A smaller, center petal is painted next directly in front of the first flower petal; however, it is painted much shorter.
 

How to Paint Parrot Tulip Blooms
  • After completing the center parrot tulip petal, you can now begin to see how ruffled the flower petals are!
 

How to Paint Parrot Tulip Blooms
  • Continue painting two more flower petals to the left and right of the center petal.
  • In this photo, the left petal has already been painted.
  • Paint the outside edge of this petal first.
 

How to Paint Parrot Tulip Blooms
  • Complete the flower petal, painting the other half.
 

How to Paint Parrot Tulip Blooms
  • Notice how all flower petals end at the base of the original arrow placeholder mark.
 

How to Paint Parrot Tulip Blooms
  • To create a fallen tulip petal, repeat the same stroke as all previous flower petals. Begin on the chisel edge, apply pressure, scrub the brush painting a wiggle and end back on the chisel edge of the brush at the tip of the flower petal.
 

How to Paint Parrot Tulip Blooms
  • Reverse paint the process to paint the second half of the petal.
  • If desired, paint a flipped edge by leaning the brush into the petal.
 

How to Paint Parrot Tulip Blooms
  • Release pressure to end back on the chisel edge once again pulling the stroke into the center of the flower base.
 

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How to Paint a Parrot Tulip Bud

How to Paint Parrot Tulip Buds
  • The process of painting a tulip bud is basically the same as the flower; however, with only three petals.
  • Double-load the flat brush in the same manner.
  • Paint the center petal first.
  • Accent the center petal with two side petals allowing them to slightly overlap the first petal.
 

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How to Paint a Parrot Tulip Stem

How to Paint a Parrot Tulip Stem
  • Double load a No. 12 Flat Brush with Sap Green and Lime Green.
  • While holding the brush vertically upright so that the handle is pointing to the ceiling, lightly touch the surface with the chisel edge of the brush.
  • Lead with Sap Green and paint three small, straight daisy strokes at the base of the flower.
 

How to Paint a Parrot Tulip Stem
  • Continue using light pressure and pull a stem downwards from the flower.
  • Repeat these steps to paint a stem for the tulip bud as well.
 

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How to Paint Parrot Tulip Leaves

How to Paint Parrot Tulip Leaves
  • Still working with the same double loaded brush, hold the brush at the base of the stem on the chisel edge.
  • Lead with Lime Green and begin to stroke upwards while applying pressure on the brush.
 

How to Paint Parrot Tulip Leaves
  • The more pressure on the brush, the wider the leaf blade.
  • Create a bend in the leaf by painting a small "U" at the top of the leaf.
  • Release pressure, end on the chisel and lift the brush from the surface.
 

How to Paint Parrot Tulip Leaves
  • To complete the "flip" in the leaf blade, touch the surface using the chisel edge of the brush as shown in this photo.
  • Be sure to keep the Sap Green to the outside of the stroke.
 

How to Paint Parrot Tulip Leaves
  • Begin to apply pressure and pull the stroke downward.
 

How to Paint Parrot Tulip Leaves
  • Slightly curve the stroke, release pressure and end back on the chisel edge of the brush creating the tip of the leaf.
 

How to Paint Parrot Tulip Leaves
  • To paint a long, tulip blade leaf, use the same double loaded brush, (Sap Green and Lime Green).
  • At the base of the flower stem, touch the surface using the chisel edge of the brush.
  • Lead with Lime Green and begin to apply pressure to the brush while stroking away from you.
 

How to Paint Parrot Tulip Leaves
  • Again, the pressure applied will determine the width of the blade leaf.
  • Continue pulling the stroke away from you.
 

How to Paint Parrot Tulip Leaves
  • Once the leaf is painted to the desired height, begin releasing pressure and end on the chisel edge of the brush to create the fine tip of the leaf.
 

How to Paint Parrot Tulip Leaves
  • Once the leaf is painted to the desired height, begin releasing pressure and end on the chisel edge of the brush to create the fine tip of the leaf.
 

How to Paint Parrot Tulips

Your finished One Stroke parrot tulip should look similar to those shown here.

If desired, these flowers can be painted in any combination of colors; the white parrot tulip shown here is painted using Wicker White and Lime Green. Try playing with color combinations to achieve the look you want.

 

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Watch Donna Dewberry Paint Parrot Tulips

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How to Paint One Stroke Parrot Tulips with Donna Dewberry

Purchase Supplies Needed to Paint Parrot Tulips Using the One Stroke Method by Donna Dewberry

In addition to the Plaid supplies listed below, make sure you have a brush basin or container for water as well as paper towels on hand.

New!
FolkArt ® Multi-Surface Satin Acrylic Paints - Sap Green, 2 oz. - 2985

FolkArt ® Multi-Surface Satin Acrylic Paints - Sap Green, 2 oz. - 2985

$1.99
New!
FolkArt ® Mediums - Floating Medium, 2 oz. - 868

FolkArt ® Mediums - Floating Medium, 2 oz. - 868

$2.99
New!
FolkArt ® Multi-Surface Satin Acrylic Paints - Moon Yellow, 2 oz. - 2911

FolkArt ® Multi-Surface Satin Acrylic Paints - Moon Yellow, 2 oz. - 2911

$1.99
New!
Folkart ® Brush Sets - Artist Variety Set, 10 pc. - 50536

Folkart ® Brush Sets - Artist Variety Set, 10 pc. - 50536

$8.99
New!
FolkArt ® Multi-Surface Satin Acrylic Paints - Wicker White, 2 oz. - 2894

FolkArt ® Multi-Surface Satin Acrylic Paints - Wicker White, 2 oz. - 2894

$1.99
New!
FolkArt ® Multi-Surface Satin Acrylic Paints - Lime Green, 2 oz. - 2914

FolkArt ® Multi-Surface Satin Acrylic Paints - Lime Green, 2 oz. - 2914

$1.99
New!
FolkArt ® Multi-Surface Satin Acrylic Paints - Magenta, 2 oz. - 2898

FolkArt ® Multi-Surface Satin Acrylic Paints - Magenta, 2 oz. - 2898

$1.99
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