Gerbera by Sandra Wilms
You will need a small round brush , deer foot / scruffy brush and a stylus . If you don ' t have a stylus , use the end of a brush which is small and rounded . Greaseproof paper and kitchen roll . Paints used on this sample were red , dark red , dark brown , pink and yellow , but do experiment with colours of your choice .
Trace on the design using tracing paper and black carbon paper . Using the round brush , load the brush with the red paint . Start with the tip of the brush at the middle point of the petal furthest from you , slightly push the bristles down and making the top and back of a " C " bring the brush back to the centre of the flower , coming back up on the bristles . The more the brush is pushed down the wider the stoke will be so ensure to make the base of your petal narrower . Repeat from the petal tip centre , following the top of a " D ". If you have a white patch in he middle of the petal , paint from petal tip to centre flower . Do paint just inside the centre circle and any paint ridges on the edges and the length of the petals form part of the texture , so no need to brush them out . Paint all the red petals , turning your surface round as you go .
No need to rinse your brush unless it is becoming a bit clogged . Pick up the red and then the dark red then draw the brush through the paint on some greaseproof paper to ensure the brush is loaded but fairly dry , don ' t mix the colours but have two paints on the brush . Starting just outside the circle centre stroke the edges of the petals and some lines through the petals by drawing the tip of the brush along then lifting to give a soft finish . I find this stroke easier to paint away from me and also slightly curve some of the lines to give the petals some shape , not just flat . Wipe off the brush on kitchen roll .
Pick up a little of the red paint ad the pink paint , and lightly mix the colours by drawing the brush through the paint on some greaseproof paper . The brush does need to be fairly dry as you want a wispy effect not a hard line . Starting just outside the circle centre stroke the petal along most of its length using the tip of the brush and lifting the brush to finish the stroke , to give some highlights and texture and again curving some lines to give a curve to the petal .