Pink Lilies in Bloom – A Watercolor Story of Quiet Strength

There's something comforting about painting flowers. I love watching the colors come together, layering one wash over another, and slowly seeing the painting take shape. This piece, Pink Lilies in Bloom, is a watercolor painting on 15" × 10.2" paper. I spent hours building up the soft pinks of the petals against a deep green background, trying to bring out the beauty of these flowers while keeping the composition natural.

I included both fully opened lilies and unopened buds. I like how they look together — some already in full bloom, others still waiting for their turn. Pink lilies are often associated with admiration, compassion, and femininity, but to me, they also bring to mind a kind of quiet strength. It's the kind we see in people who care deeply, give generously, and continue showing up for others without needing recognition.

Not all strength has to be loud or obvious. Sometimes, it's found in the little things people do every day, in the kindness they offer, or simply in their willingness to keep going. And sometimes, it's something we need to remind ourselves of, too. I think there's something beautiful about that kind of strength — gentle, but never weak.

I hope this painting brings a little softness and calm to whoever sees it. Whether you enjoy it simply as a floral painting or find your own meaning in the flowers, I'm happy to share a little piece of my creative journey with you. Thank you for being here and following along as I continue to explore watercolor and create more art. It means a lot to be able to share my work with you. 💛

If you'd like to see more of my artwork and creative process, you can follow me on Instagram and Facebook.

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Painting from My Own Nature Photograph: A Watercolor Study

I've been wanting to practice more watercolor, so I decided to revisit one of my old nature photographs from 2010. I took this photo years ago, back when I was more active in nature photography, and I thought it would be a good subject for another painting exercise. This time, I wanted to try a wide format, something different from the usual paper sizes I work with. The painting measures 38 × 13 cm, on 300gsm cold press watercolor paper.

One of the challenges I encountered was painting the flowers in the background. They're blurred in the original photograph, and I had to figure out how to recreate that softness in watercolor without making them look out of place. It's interesting how something that looks simple in a photograph can become a little tricky when you try to paint it yourself!

One of my favorite parts of this painting, though, was the busy little bee on the branch. At first, I almost left it out because I thought the flowers should be the main focus. But as I worked on the painting, I found myself enjoying the process of adding that tiny detail. I'm glad I kept it in. It adds another point of interest to the composition, and I think it gives the painting a little more life.

Working on this piece also made me revisit my old photographs, and I found myself missing those days when I spent more time doing nature photography. Looking through those photos brought back memories of the things I used to enjoy capturing, and it reminded me that photographs can hold more than just an image of a subject. There's a reason we take a particular shot, why we choose a certain angle, or why something catches our attention in the first place.

I think painting from your own photographs hits differently because you already have a connection to the subject. You remember what caught your eye, even if it was years ago. You're not simply choosing a pretty reference photo from the internet; you're revisiting something you personally noticed and wanted to preserve.

This was a practice piece, and I learned a few things along the way, especially about working in a wide format and painting blurred details. But more than that, it reminded me how my different creative interests can come together. Photography lets me capture a moment as I see it, while watercolor gives me another way to interpret that same moment.

I hope I can spend more time painting and taking photographs again. For now, I'm happy to revisit these old photos, pick up my brushes, and see where they take me.

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Painting a Sunflower Wreath in Watercolor

It's been a while since I tried something new with watercolor, so I decided to challenge myself with a sunflower wreath! It's 2021, we're still in the middle of a pandemic, and I'm pregnant. I've been spending some of my time painting, and I thought it would be fun to work on something different from what I usually do.

I searched online for a sunflower wreath reference photo that I could recreate. For this project, I wanted to follow the reference as closely as possible because my main goal was to practice my watercolor techniques. I wanted to learn how to paint what I see in the photo, from the shape of each petal to the different shades of yellow and green, and all the little details that make the flowers look realistic.

This painting took me quite a while to finish. I think I painted one flower a day! I don't really like rushing my artwork. I'd rather take my time and work on each little detail until I'm happy with it. It's funny because I notice that I do this quite often when I'm painting. I can spend hours working on something, but I don't mind as long as I'm enjoying the process.

While working on this sunflower wreath, I also realized that I'm not really into loose watercolor painting. You know, the kind where you use a few expressive brushstrokes and let the colors flow freely? I find myself enjoying the more detailed approach. I like layering colors, adding shadows, and taking the time to paint each petal. But at the same time, I still want my paintings to look like paintings, not photographs. I want the watercolor texture and brushwork to show through.

I also made a little mockup to see how the sunflower wreath might look as a piece of framed wall art. I love how the warm wooden frame complements the golden yellows and greens of the painting. I think it would look lovely displayed in a cozy corner at home, adding a little touch of sunshine to the space.

This project has taught me a few things. First, there's nothing wrong with using reference photos, especially when you're still learning. Sometimes, following a reference closely is exactly what you need to practice a technique and understand how to paint a particular subject. You don't have to come up with an original composition every single time.

I'm also beginning to understand what I enjoy most about painting. Maybe finding your art style isn't something you can force or figure out overnight. Maybe it's something that happens naturally as you keep painting, trying new things, and discovering what you like along the way.

So, if you're also trying to find your own style, don't be afraid to experiment. Keep painting, take your time, and enjoy the process. You might discover something about yourself with every artwork you make. I'm still learning, too, and I'm excited to see where this watercolor journey takes me!

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Cherry Blossoms in Watercolor: Making Time for Art Again

A week ago, I decided to dedicate my Sunday afternoons to watercolor painting. I've always wanted to have a routine that I could stick with, and I thought this would be a good way to make more time for something I've been wanting to do for a long time. I already had the supplies I needed — watercolor paints, brushes, and paper. The funny thing is, my art supplies had been sitting on my bookshelf for more than a year! Some of my inexpensive watercolor papers had even gone bad from being stored for so long.

For this painting, I decided to use the textured Old Mill 250gsm paper I still had from a previous project. It's a good reminder to make do with what you already have instead of waiting until you have all the things you think you need.

Note to self: Make do with what you have.

This Sunday afternoon, I painted cherry blossoms, also known as sakura. Visiting Japan and seeing cherry blossoms in person has always been a dream of mine. I imagine how lovely it must be to see the trees covered in delicate pink and white flowers. Hopefully, someday, I'll get to experience it for myself when it's safe to travel again. For now, I'll be content with browsing Pinterest, admiring these beautiful flowers, and trying to capture some of that beauty in my own painting.

There's something nice about being able to enjoy a place or a subject through art, even when you can't be there in person.

Here's the full photo of my painting this afternoon. Ta-da!

Of course, I made mistakes along the way. I'm still learning, and not everything turns out exactly as I imagine it. But that's okay. What matters is that I sat down, picked up my brushes, and actually painted something. And you know what? I feel great about it. It's such a nice feeling to finish a painting and already feel excited about making another one. I hope I can keep this Sunday afternoon routine going and give myself more opportunities to learn, experiment, and simply enjoy painting. One painting at a time.

A Little Support

I also set up a Ko-fi page where you can send a small donation to support my art journey. My current goal is to raise enough money to buy new watercolor papers so I can continue creating more paintings.

If you'd like to support my work, you can find me here: ☕ ko-fi.com/glaizalegaspiart

Thank you so much for your support! Every little bit helps. ♡

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