‘Tis the season to get creative! Join Ambassador Jeannie Dickson for a step-by-step tutorial on how to paint a winter watercolor wreath with poinsettia and olive branches. She will show you how to layer watercolor and compose a cohesive wreath with multiple elements.

Materials You will Need:

• Princeton Lauren round size 0, and Select Round size 3/0 brush, and Heritage round size 8 brush
• Arches Aquarelle Cold Press Block
• MaimeriBlu Watercolors: Cadmium Red, Magenta, Yellow Ochre, Sap Green, Sepia, Alizarin Crimson, Ultramarine Blue, Hooker’s green
• Maimeri white gouache
• Graphite paper to transfer your sketch

Watch the Full Tutorial Here

Follow Along with the Instructions to Create Your Own Winter Watercolor Wreath

1. Create a sketch of the wreath with poinsettia and olive branches.
2. Transfer your sketch to your watercolor paper using graphite paper.
3. Select your colors and swatch each one in at least three different consistencies/values. Paint one dark, one medium, and one light value. The light values will have more water than paint.
4. Begin with clean water and a medium round brush.
5. Start by painting the petals with a wet in wet technique. Use a small round size 0 brush and a thick consistency of cadmium red to drop color in the petals. Blend the paint out.
6. Drop in magenta to create darker values. Then with a clean damp brush lift paint to create highlights.
7. Optional: use a heat tool to dry the petals
8. Using a thick consistency, paint the main veins using cadmium red. Blend it out before it dries with a clean, damp brush.
9. Paint the thin veins with a smaller brush and a light consistency of Cadmium red.
10. Paint the centers with a small round brush. Use a combination of yellow ochre and sap green.
11. Add texture to the petals with a light mixture of magenta and a Round size 8 brush.
12. Paint all the petals the same way using steps 4-7.
13. Paint the first layer of the olive branch leaf with a light mixture of sap green and sepia.
14. Use the round size 0 brush and sepia to paint the thin stems of the olive branch.
15. Once the first layer is dry, paint the second layer of the olive leaf with a darker mixture of sap green and sepia.
16. Paint the pine leaves using a dark mixture of sap green and sepia.
17. Use a thick mixture of sepia for the branch of the pine needles.
18. Paint the edges of the olives with a thick mixture of violet. A combination of Alizarin Crimson and Ultramarine blue make a great violet.
19. Blend out the olive with a clean, damp brush.
20. Add stems to the olives using sepia.
21. Paint the leaves of the Poinsettia with a mixture of sap green and hookers green.
22. Paint any additional leaves or details you like!
23. Make sure everything is completely dry before doing this step. Use white gouache to create “snow.” A toothbrush works well for this. Create splatters on your piece by running your finger over toothbrush.

We hope you enjoyed this tutorial for making a beautiful winter watercolor wreath! If you paint it, please tag us on Facebook and Instagram @princetonbrush so we can see your work! You can find more from Jeannie on her Instagram @jeanniedicksondesigns.