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How to Paint One Stroke Hydrangeas with Donna Dewberry

How to Paint Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas with their showy flower heads bloom from late spring through early fall. These round clusters of flowers grow on the ends of stems. Hydrangeas bloom in many different colors, from pale pink and green to brilliant blue and purple. Keep reading to learn how to paint hydrangeas 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 hydrangea. 

Video | Supplies | Wiggle Leaf | Slider Leaves | Fern | Hydrangea Blooms | Curlicues

How to Paint a Wiggle Leaf

How to Paint a Wiggle Leaf
  • Begin by double loading a ¾" 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.
  • Using light pressure, begin to pull the stroke towards you leading with Sap Green to create three separate lines in the form of a "Y."
 

How to Paint a Wiggle Leaf
  • Still using the same double loaded brush and keeping Lime Green to the outside, paint one half of the wiggle leaf. The key here is having enough paint in the brush and applying pressure while wiggling the stroke.
  • Begin to release pressure and pivot the ¾" brush when stroking towards the tail of the "Y" placeholder mark.
 

How to Paint a Wiggle Leaf
  • End the stroke on the chisel edge of the brush.
  • Slightly pull the stroke to create the tip of the wiggle leaf.
 

How to Paint a Wiggle Leaf
  • Repeat the same strokes, in reverse, on the second half of the wiggle leaf.
  • Again end on the chisel edge of the brush joining the leaf tip.
 

How to Paint a Wiggle Leaf
  • Still using the chisel edge of the double loaded ¾" flat brush, lead with Sap Green and pull a stem into the leaf. Stop approximately one-half to three-quarters into the body of the leaf.
 

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How to Paint a Slider Leaf

How to Paint a Slider Leaf
  • Continue working with the 3/4" Flat brush double loaded with Sap Green and Lime Green.
  • Touch the surface and apply pressure while pulling the brush towards you. If the paint "skips," your brush is not fully loaded with paint. Stop and reload the brush with additional paint!
 

How to Paint a Slider Leaf
  • At the end of the leaf, release pressure and lift to the chisel edge of the brush creating the leaf tip.
  • Repeat for as many slider leaves as desired.
 

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How to Paint a Fern

How to Paint a Fern
  • For added interest, we'll add a fern stalk to the Hydrangea bouquet.
  • Load a No. 10 or 12 Flat brush with Lime Green.
  • Using the chisel edge of the brush, pull a slightly curved line as the stem of the fern.
 

How to Paint a Fern
  • Begin at the tip of the stem. Paint a short One Stroke leaf. (Touch, apply pressure, pull the brush slightly then release pressure and lift to the chisel edge.)
 

How to Paint a Fern
  • Continue painting short One Stroke leaves beginning the leaf at the stem and stroking outwards away from the stem.
 

How to Paint a Fern
  • Paint as many fern leaves to the stem as desired.
 

How to Paint a Fern
  • Create a second fern stalk. If desired, add just a touch of Perfect Purple to the Lime Green loaded brush. Notice how the small amount of Perfect Purple acts as a colorful accent to the leaf grouping.
 

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How to Paint a Hydrangea

How to Paint a Hydrangea
  • Load a No. 10 or 12 Flat brush with Perfect Purple.
  • Paint an imperfect circle as the base of the hydrangea flower head.
 

How to Paint a Hydrangea
  • Individual flower petals are painted next. Double load the same brush with Ink Spot and Wicker White.
  • Paint flower petals similar to the "five petal flower" while keeping Wicker White to the outside edge of each flower petal. Begin on the chisel edge of the brush, apply pressure in the middle of the flower petal, then release pressure and end on the chisel edge of the brush.
  • Paint the individual petals on the outer edge of the Perfect Purple flower base as shown.
 

How to Paint a Hydrangea
  • To create added depth, some flower petals are painted with the same brush but double loaded with Perfect Purple and Wicker White.
  • Layer each flower petal over previously painted ones to create depth.
 

How to Paint a Hydrangea
  • As the flower head is created, the petals to the top can be painted in a cluster to represent a small four or five petal flower.
 

How to Paint a Hydrangea
  • Paint flower centers Lime Green using a No. 2 Script Liner.
  • The centers are simply small dots painted in a group of four to five dots.
 

How to Paint a Hydrangea
  • Double-load a No. 10 or 12 Flat brush with Perfect Purple and Wicker White.
  • Create a small trail of blossoms leading to the hydrangea flower head.
  • Begin painting a few daisy petal strokes leading with Perfect Purple and stroke towards the flower head.
 

How to Paint a Hydrangea
  • Still using the same double loaded brush, add a few more flower petals. This time add a few of the same petals as painted on the hydrangea flower head.
 

How to Paint a Hydrangea
  • Finish with a few additional daisy petal strokes closer to the flower head.
 

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How to Paint Curlicues

How to Paint Curlicues
  • Load a No. 2 Script liner brush with Lime Green that has been thinned with water or Floating Medium to an inky consistency.
  • Touch the surface close to the hydrangea flower head. Keep the brush upright and allow only the tip of the brush to touch.
  • Using light pressure, begin to pull the brush towards you.
 

How to Paint Curlicues
  • Continue moving the brush in a fluid, flowing motion painting circles and wiggles.
  • To maintain light pressure, rest the weight of your hand on your little finger.
  • Lift the brush to end the curlicue stroke.
 

How to Paint Hydrangeas

Your completed One Stroke Hydrangea, complete with wiggle leaf, slider leaves and ferns enhanced with curlicues should look similar to the one shown here.

 

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Watch Donna Dewberry Paint Hydrangeas

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How to Paint One Stroke Hydrangeas with Donna Dewberry

Purchase Supplies Needed to Paint Hydrangeas 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 ® Mediums - Floating Medium, 2 oz. - 868

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

$2.99
New!
FolkArt ® Acrylic Colors - Ink Spot, 2 oz. - 2623

FolkArt ® Acrylic Colors - Ink Spot, 2 oz. - 2623

$1.69
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 ® 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 - Sap Green, 2 oz. - 2985

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

$1.99
New!
FolkArt ® Multi-Surface Satin Acrylic Paints - Perfect Purple, 2 oz. - 2929

FolkArt ® Multi-Surface Satin Acrylic Paints - Perfect Purple, 2 oz. - 2929

$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
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