Last Updated on May 9, 2025 by Dee
Looking for a relaxing and creative watercolor project? 🌸 In this easy step-by-step tutorial, I’ll show you how to paint a beautiful watercolor iris in a teacup, even if you’re a complete beginner! This floral composition is perfect for adding a touch of elegance to your art journal, home decor, or even handmade greeting cards.
With soft washes, delicate details, and a charming teacup element, this project is both peaceful and rewarding. Plus, I’ve created a set of 23 watercolor iris templates to help you jump right in—no sketching required!
(BONUS! Grab my free watercolor templates at the end of this post!)
Table of Contents
How To Paint A Watercolor (Iris Step By Step) Full Video Tutorial 👇🏻
Watch the full Iris Watercolor Painting Tutorial in my video below.
🎥 Watch the video here 👉 Iris Watercolor Video Tutorial
What You’ll Need: Watercolor Iris Painting Supplies
This is my go-to list of recommended watercolor painting supplies that we use for all our watercolor art, junk journaling, and art journaling!
**This page may contain affiliate links to products I have used or recommend. If you purchase something from this page, I may receive a small percentage of the sale at no extra cost to you.**
- Board: If you’re using watercolor paper from a pad or sheets, you might want to tape your paper down to a board to prevent warping.
- Watercolors: Windsor & Newton is a reputable brand that offers high-quality watercolor paints. You can choose from their range of professional-grade watercolor tubes or pans, depending on your preference.
- Watercolor Paper: Look for cold-pressed, 140lb (300gsm) watercolor paper for the best results. This type of paper is durable and has a nice texture that’s ideal for watercolor painting.
- Brushes: A selection of round and flat brushes in various sizes will give you the versatility you need for different strokes and details. Sable or synthetic brushes designed for watercolor will give you the best performance.
- Palette: A mixing palette with wells for both mixing and holding your paints is essential. It can be a simple plastic one or a porcelain palette for a more luxurious feel.
- Water Container: Any clean jar or container will do, but having two for clean and dirty water can help keep your colors pure.
- Masking Fluid: This is used to cover areas of your painting that you want to keep white. Make sure to apply it with an old brush or a dedicated masking fluid brush, as it can ruin fine bristles.
- Pencils: A soft pencil, like a 2B, is great for sketching your design before painting.
- Eraser: A kneaded eraser is gentle on watercolor paper and can lift pencil lines without damaging the surface.
Paper Towels or a Rag: These are useful for blotting your brush to control the amount of water and paint.Step-by-Step Instructions
Pin this for later! 👇🏻
✍️ Step-by-Step Watercolor Iris Tutorial
Step 1: Prepare Your Template
Start by printing the iris template onto watercolor paper or trace it using a lightbox. This saves you time and ensures a beautifully proportioned composition. If you’re working digitally, simply import the PNG template into Procreate.
Step 2: Outline the Design
Using a fine liner pen, carefully outline the iris and teacup. Don’t worry about making perfect lines—adding varied line weights gives the piece a more organic and lively feel.
Step 3: Begin Your First Watercolor Wash
Start with light, transparent washes to block in your main colors. For the iris petals, I love combining shades of cerulean blue, purple lake, and touches of alizarin crimson for vibrant depth. Keep the strokes loose and allow some colors to bleed into each other naturally.
Step 4: Add Layered Details
Once the first wash is dry, add more pigment to build contrast and define the form of the petals. Use Payne’s Grey for shadows and deepen the colors around the folds and edges.
Step 5: Paint the Teacup
Use soft, muted tones like raw umber and Payne’s Grey for the teacup, leaving highlights to suggest reflections. A gentle wash of color adds charm without overpowering the floral focus.
Step 6: Final Touches
Add fine details using your white gel pen to highlight edges and create delicate light effects. Outline or refine lines with your fine liner pen to sharpen the overall design.
📥 Get the 23 Iris Templates & Digital Stamps! 👇🏻
Ready to create your own iris masterpiece? Download my exclusive set of 23 delicate iris templates and digital stamps—perfect for watercolor painting, digital art, or traditional coloring.
👉 Download them on Patreon: Artsydee’s Patreon
👉 Or pick them up on Etsy: Artsydee Creations
💡 Tips for Using the 23 Watercolor Iris Templates
✨ Watercolor Painting:
- Trace the templates directly onto watercolor paper for stress-free painting.
- Experiment with different color palettes to create unique and vibrant iris designs.
✨ Digital Art (Procreate & More):
- Import the transparent PNG templates into Procreate and explore digital watercolor brushes.
- Perfect for creating digital wall art, printable designs, or planner stickers.
✨ Traditional Coloring:
- Print the templates and enjoy mindful coloring with markers, pencils, or fine liners.
- Great for handmade cards, scrapbook pages, and creative journaling!
📚 More Watercolor Tutorials You’ll Love:
🌷 Easy Watercolor Tulip for Beginners
🌸 Watercolor Magnolia for Beginners
Download Free Watercolor Templates HERE (below)!
To access the free in-post printables for this post, you’ll just need to create a free account or log in with the Grow.me tool. Then, confirm by email and refresh the page, and ALL my free printables will automatically unlock in every post!
Love These Watercolor Templates? Get Even More Exclusive Creative Goodies on My Patreon! 🎨
If you’re enjoying these free printables, why not join my Artsydee Patreon community? As a member, you’ll gain access to exclusive Procreate tutorials, watercolor lessons, and tons of printables like this one, which are delivered to you monthly (and sometimes even twice a month!). Plus, you’ll get sneak peeks at upcoming projects and have a say in what content I create next. ✨
Join today and unlock premium resources to take your creativity to the next level!
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