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How to Paint Cosmos Flowers

Its time to learn how to paint cosmos flowers one stroke at a time. This step by step painting lesson is beginner friendly.

Cosmos are a great annual flower for the cutting garden. But you can easily paint Cosmos to create DIY signs, canvas paintings and hand made gifts.

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painting of cosmos flowers with brushes, boxwood cuttings and real cosmos flowers on wood surface

Please note: The first video in this post is the fast paced overview. A real time video for you to paint along with will be posted at the end of this article.

Paint Cosmos Foliage

We will start painting our cosmos with the foliage.

Double load the #12 flat brush with Thicket and Citrus Green

Using the chisel edge of the brush lightly drag thin lines for the stems. If you prefer you may use a liner brush for the stems.

New here and need to know the Basics like double loading? Tap here.

painting comos foliage, leaves

Cosmos leaves are feathery and light. Small lines drawn with the chisel edge of your brush with smaller lines radiating out from those mimic the cosmos leaves.

Don’t worry about perfection on the leaves, they are not the focal point.

Paint Cosmos Flowers

Next load the #10 filbert brush with Magenta and a touch of Wicker White.

To load the filbert you first drag the brush through the puddle of Magenta then flip it over and drag it through the Wicker White. (if you are confused watch the video and I show you how)

Stroke on the first petals with the Magenta side down on the surface. Press, drag, lift to a point at the center of the flower.

painting cosmos petals with a filbert brush one stroke

Reload the brush as you create petals around the flower. A cosmos flower typically has 8 petals.

You may note that one petal is a little wonky. Roll with it…this is what create diversity in your paintings. Do not try to be perfect.

Trying to be perfect will suck the joy out of painting!

Paint a cosmos, petals and foliage

Paint lighter colored Cosmos

Reload the filbert paintbrush the same way you did the first time.

For the lighter colored Cosmos do the same strokes but with the Wicker White side of the brush down as you Press, drag lift.

Merely flipping the brush over will change the color dominance.

Paint lighter colored Cosmos flower

See the difference in colors? All because of how you load the filbert brush and which side is down on the surface.

Paint inner Flower details

To create some inner shading load the #12 flat brush with June Berry for the darker flower and Magenta for the lighter cosmos. Make sure you have a good chisel edge on your brush.

With the corner of the brush flick small lines radiating out from the center of the flower.

Painting details of cosmos flower

Paint Cosmos Centers

Using a small scruffy brush that comes in the multi pack tap into the Golden Rod and a bit of white on one edge.

If you don’t have the scruffy brush then tamp in the color with the corner of the #12 flat brush. Just load the Goldenrod only onto the corner and tap in a circle.

Once that has dried a bit load a liner brush with white and tap in the highlight.

Tapping in the center painting cosmos flowers

Add a few dots of Thicket along the bottom edge of the yellow center for a shadow.

Cosmos flower painting in acrylics with text overlay, How to Paint Cosmos, Pamela Groppe Art

And there you have how to paint Cosmos flower in acrylics.

Want to learn more about painting Cosmos?

The step by step workbook is available and shows you even more on painting these lovely, delicate flowers, just press here for more info!

Materials

Yield: 1

Paint Cosmos Flower in Acrylics

painting of cosmos flowers with brushes, boxwood cuttings and real cosmos flowers on wood surface

Easy step by step painting lesson for Cosmos flowers in acrylics. Paint beautiful Cosmos one stroke at a time!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Active Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Difficulty Easy

Materials

  • Plaid FolkArt Paint and/or Multi Surface Paint:
  • Thicket
  • Citrus Green
  • Magenta
  • Wicker White
  • Golden Rod (you could also use Yellow Ochre)
  • Lemon Custard
  • June Berry
  • 5 x 7 Canvas board

Tools

  • Brushes:
  • #8 Filbert Brush
  • #10 Filbert
  • 12 Flat
  • Small Scruffy Brush
  • Liner Brush

Instructions

  1. Gather your materials.
  2. Find a comfortable place and begin painting
  3. Finish your painting with a varnish to seal.

Please enjoy and share!

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