How to paint a rose

Start by sketching out your rose *thanks to Amanda Kingsley for her fantastic guide on drawing a rose*

Next block in your sections with a basic pink color, keep this light.

Alright so this is my fav technique for shading with watercolors, you start with a concentrated line where you want your shadows to be...

Then, taking a much less concentrated version of the color blend it out mid way

Then use water to finish blending into the middle

Do that to the petals at the top

Okay so here I'm mixing that pink color with some purple

It's always a good idea to test the color out on scratch paper first

Go along the more profound edges with a concentrated solution.

Blend

After blending heavily it's a good idea to blot up excess water

Again.

After taking away water

Continue to blend the edges out

Finalize your shading, adding where you see fit

So I skipped a step, but I took a really concentrated color and took it real thin along true edges. Begin your stem thing

Again, use that method of shading

Blend

Block in the stem

Shade using the line technique

Add a yellow background

Remove excess water and dry (I find it easiest to blow dry) and you're DONE

Your final product