Blossom Up
A painterly take on flowering trees
Growing up in Switzerland, Easter always marked the beginning of Spring for me. Finally an end to the short and grey winter days. Now that I live in Sydney, and compared to the Swiss climate, it’s always feels like spring or summer 😊
So, this week let’s be creatively playful and paint the graceful lines and delicate blooms of flowering trees — think cherry blossoms, plum, or wattle — through expressive marks and minimal detail.
The goal isn’t realism, but rhythm, contrast, and play. This is a great way to practice composition across multiple pieces.
Exercise
Step 1: Paint Calligraphic Branches
Use a long-hair or calligraphy-style brush to paint angular, gestural branches. Focus on:
Varied pressure to taper ends
Keeping the lines sharp and slightly unpredictable — let them zig, zag, and fork
Aim for asymmetry and a strong sense of direction in your composition (e.g., one main branch, some offshoots). Let this layer fully dry.
Step 2: Dot & Bloom the Blossoms
Switch to a soft round brush if you like. Load it with juicy paint and create abstract blossom clusters using dots, dabs, and soft circular strokes. Then:
Add splatters with a flicked brush or tapping gesture to introduce organic texture
Play with layering values or pinks, reds, and subtle blues
Try a wet-in-wet background wash if you want atmosphere behind your subject — think of it as painting air
Create 2–3 variations where you experiment with:
Composition (cropped branches, diagonals, etc.)
Colour palette (monochrome, complementary, high contrast)
Scale (small, delicate studies vs bold, oversized blossoms)
Examples
For the cherry blossoms I’ve used Quinacridone Rose and dropped in a bit of Ultramarine blue.
On the left I first painted the branches, on the right I started with the blossoms and then connected them with the lines of the branches.
For my Australian friends, here’s an example with wattle. I know, it’s not botanically correct, but still pretty 🤩. A mix of Ultramarine and lemon yellow for the greens, and pure yellow for the blossoms. The leaves are painted with a single brush stroke through varied pressure.
Why?
Simplify complexity. Blossoms can be overwhelming to paint in detail, but focusing on marks helps you suggest form without fuss.
Sharpen your composition skills. Working with stark lines and soft clusters lets you balance contrast, flow, and space with minimal elements.
Reconnect with play. By letting go of outlines and leaning into texture, you’re painting mood, not just flowers — and that’s where the magic lives.
To blossoms and Easter chocolate
Patrick
Want to Take It Further?
Paid subscribers get:
A full video demo of the branch & blossom exercises above
Two artist references to guide your exploration
A link to a free image resource to keep the inspiration flowing
