How to Paint One Stroke Parrot Tulips with Donna Dewberry

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

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

• 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.

• 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.

• Repeat the same petal painting process for the left back petal.
• Stroke up the left side of the petal.

• End the flower petal, painting down the right side.

• A smaller, center petal is painted next directly in front of the first flower petal; however, it is painted much shorter.

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

• 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.

• Complete the flower petal, painting the other half.

• Notice how all flower petals end at the base of the original arrow placeholder mark.

• 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.

• 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.

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

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• Begin to apply pressure and pull the stroke downward.

• Slightly curve the stroke, release pressure and end back on the chisel edge of the brush creating the tip of the leaf.

• 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.

• Again, the pressure applied will determine the width of the blade leaf.
• Continue pulling the stroke away from you.

• 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.

• 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.

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.