If you’re looking to create soft, flowing florals with a natural feel in Procreate, you’re in the right place. Painting florals digitally doesn’t have to mean compromising on texture or authenticity — especially when you’re using a realistic watercolour brush set designed for Procreate. In this tutorial, I’ll guide you through how to paint beautiful florals using my Watercolour Brush Set, which includes:
- Outline Brush
- Main Brush
- Blend / Wash Brush
- Subtle Bleed Brush
These four brushes are designed to mimic the delicate, layered effects of real watercolour on paper — perfect for florals, leaves, and soft botanical art.
Step 1: Sketch Your Floral Layout (Using the Outline Brush)
Before diving into colour, start with a rough sketch using the Outline Brush. This brush gives a light, textured pencil-like feel that’s easy to draw over later.
- Choose a muted grey or brown for a softer, watercolour-friendly look.
- Sketch simple flower shapes (roses, peonies, daisies, or wildflowers work beautifully).
- Keep your lines loose — watercolour looks best when it’s a little wild.
Tip: Lower the opacity of your sketch layer once you’re done, or set it to Multiply for painting beneath.
Step 2: Add Base Colour with the Main Brush
Now it’s time to paint! Select the Main Brush — this one mimics wet-on-dry watercolour with a slightly irregular texture.
- Choose your base petal colour (light pinks, peaches, yellows, or purples).
- Gently build up the petals, painting with light pressure.
- Don’t worry about perfection — the charm of watercolour is in its softness and fluidity.
Step 3: Blend and Soften with the Blend / Wash Brush
Once you’ve laid down your base colour, use the Blend / Wash Brush to soften any hard edges and create smooth transitions between tones.
- Gently brush over areas where you want colours to bleed together slightly.
- Great for petals that overlap or leaves that blend into the background.
This brush behaves like a loaded water brush — it won’t erase your work but will diffuse it like real water would.
Step 4: Add Depth with Layered Details
With watercolour, subtle layering is key. Return to the Main Brush to add deeper tones where petals overlap or where shadows would naturally fall.
- Use slightly darker shades of your base colour.
- Tap or stroke gently to build up texture without overworking the area.
Switch back to the Blend / Wash Brush if needed to smooth harsh transitions.
Step 5: Create a Watercolour Bleed Effect with the Subtle Bleed Brush
One of the best parts of watercolour is that lovely bleed effect — and that’s exactly what the Subtle Bleed Brush is made for.
- Tap it lightly around the edges of your painted areas.
- Perfect for mimicking the “bloom” or spread of real watercolour pigment on wet paper.
- Use sparingly for the most realistic result.
You can also use this brush for loose backgrounds or to soften the outer edges of leaves and petals.
Final Touches: Add Line Work or Background Washes
If you want a more illustrative style, go back to the Outline Brush and lightly trace over your flowers for a soft ink-and-watercolour look. You can also use the Blend / Wash Brush to create a loose background wash — think soft blues, greens, or beiges to frame your florals.
This brush set was carefully created to bring the beauty of traditional watercolour into your digital workflow. Each brush is pressure-sensitive, texture-rich, and ideal for floral painting, botanical illustrations, and soft landscapes.
You can use a similar technique to paint additional flowers and create a full arrangement.
I started by sketching a loose arrangement of flowers to guide the composition. I used my custom watercolour brushes to keep the textures soft and painterly. I began with the largest blooms—roses in muted pinks, peach, and mauve—building up their shapes gradually with light, layered strokes. By working from light to dark and letting each layer dry (by lifting the pencil), I was able to create that translucent watercolour effect.
Once the main flowers were in place, I added smaller elements like the yellow buds and tiny blue blossoms to bring in contrast and balance. I used lighter, quicker strokes for these to keep them delicate and let them sit back a bit in the composition. Finally, I added in loose greenery and soft shadows to pull everything together and give it a natural flow. It’s a relaxed, build-as-you-go approach, and you can use the same technique to paint more flowers or create a full arrangement.
To see the complete process, check out the timelapse/speed video below where I show how I created the full illustration.
What’s Included:
- Outline Brush – for sketching and fine details
- Main Brush – for base washes and detailed painting
- Blend / Wash Brush – for realistic blending and background washes
- Subtle Bleed Brush – to replicate pigment blooms and bleeding edges
Recap: How to Paint Florals in Procreate
- Sketch your layout with the Outline Brush
- Paint base colours with the Main Brush
- Blend softly with the Blend / Wash Brush
- Add depth and detail through layering
- Use the Subtle Bleed Brush for realistic effects
- Add final touches like outlines or background washes
Ready to Create Your Own Florals?
With the right tools and a little practice, painting florals in Procreate can be just as satisfying as traditional watercolours — without the mess!
