Cath Kidston Forget Me Not
Get Arty With Cath Kidston: How To Paint Forget Me Not
In full bloom right now, forget-me-nots represent the age-old adage that distance makes the heart grow fonder. (And we all know what that feels like, don’t we). Hand-drawn by our print designer Emma, with trailing, fresh green foliage and a cheerful, optimistic palette, this sweet, sentimental floral can be seen across accessories, homeware, kids and fashion this season.
But instead of just admiring the print from afar, Sophie is taking us through the painting process, step by step how to draw, so you can get some easy tips on how to paint the blooming foliage yourself. With the summer holidays stretching out in front of us, we’re also using this as an opportunity to teach the kids how to draw some of their favourite things. And flowers are always a good place to start...
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
• Cartridge paper
• Pencil
• Rubber
•Variety of small pointed end paint brushes including a very fine one for the detail
• Gouache paints Water for rinsing brushes
•Tissue or old cloth for drying brushes
• A palette
(or an old plate will do the job)
STEP ONE
Start by sketching out the design in pencil. You may want to use a rubber to gently go over the drawing to soften the pencil colour ready for applying the paint colours.
STEP TWO
Mix up all your paint colours, testing out shades on tissue paper until you’re happy with them.
STEP THREE
Starting with the leaves first, use the palest green colour to paint in block colour, before painting in the yellowish-green followed by the mid-green to add detail into the leaves. The darkest green colour will be added later. Don’t worry about keeping it too neat – there’s beauty in imperfection.
STEP FOUR
Now for the fun part – painting the flowers! Again, start with the palest blue colour and paint the flower shapes as neatly as possible (a steady hand is needed here), leaving the centres white so you can add in the yellow spots later on. Paint the lilac toned flowers followed by the darkest blue. You’ll need to use a fine brush for this step to carefully add in the delicate detail.
STEP FIVE
Now use a round-ended brush to add dots of yellow to the centre of the flowers and the little buds.
STEP SIX
Using the darkest green, and a very small paintbrush, add the details on the leaves and in the centre of the flowers.
STEP SEVEN
Now, for the final step, use the lightest blue to add detail to the flatter looking mid-blue flowers.
Your masterpiece is complete. You can always use the rubber to get rid of any visible traces of pencil if you like, then all that’s left to do is find somewhere to hang it. The trailing forget-me-not is a lovely wall art idea for a corner of your home that could do with cheering up. If you've had a go at this easy how to draw art class, make sure to share it with us on social media using #GetArtywithCathKidston.
