How to Paint Daisies in Watercolor (Easy Step-by-Step for Beginners)
Daisies are the flower we all drew as children, and they are just as joyful to paint as a grown-up. A daisy is a ring of simple white petals around a sunny yellow middle, and the clever part is that you barely paint the petals at all - you leave them as white paper. Learning how to paint daisies in watercolor is a bright, cheerful fifteen-minute project that always makes people smile.
You do not need to draw well. A slightly wonky daisy just looks fresh-picked, so this is one of the friendliest subjects a beginner can start with.
A watercolor daisy is three easy moves: leave the white petals as bare paper and tint the background, add soft grey shadows and green stems, then paint the sunny yellow centres. The white paper does the hard work.
What you'll need to paint daisies in watercolor
- Watercolors - a soft grey or pale blue for petal shadows, a warm yellow and a little brown for the centres, and two greens for the stems. A few colours is plenty.
- A water-brush or a soft round brush - it holds its own water, so there is nothing to knock over and gentle control for the petals.
- Thick paper - 300gsm so it will not buckle. Not sure what to buy? Here is the best watercolor paper for beginners.
- A pencil - for a light outline, if you are not using a guided page.
- A paper towel - to lift colour and soften edges.
Everything you see here comes ready-to-go in the Breathly Creative Escape Kit - the colours, the mess-free water-brush and guided pages - so there is nothing to shop for and nothing to clean up after. Browse the full range of watercolor kits whenever you like.
Step-by-step: how to paint daisies in watercolor
Step 1 - Outline and tint the background
Lightly sketch a few daisies - a circle centre with petals radiating out. Now the key move: instead of painting the petals, wash a soft colour around them so the white petals pop out against the background. Leave the flowers themselves as bare paper. Let it dry.
The petals are white paper, not white paint. Painting the background around them is what makes daisies look crisp and bright. It feels backwards at first, but it is the whole trick.
Step 2 - Shadow the petals and paint the stems
Give the petals shape with the faintest grey or pale blue, just where one petal tucks behind another and along the shaded side. Keep it whisper-light. Then paint the green stems and leaves below. Those soft shadows are what turn flat white shapes into rounded, overlapping petals.
Step 3 - Paint the sunny centres
Fill each centre with a warm yellow, then, while it is damp, touch a little brown or orange into the lower half so it looks round and textured. A ring of tiny dots gives it that classic daisy pollen look. Suddenly your flowers come alive.
"I painted a jar of daisies for my kitchen and it makes me happy every single morning. Not bad for fifteen minutes and a wet brush."
Step 4 - The finishing touches
Add a few more leaves, a soft shadow beneath the bunch, and maybe one little daisy turned sideways for variety. Then stop - the fresh, simple look is the whole charm.
Turn it into a fresh flower series
Daisies are a lovely start to a cheerful flower series - sunflowers, poppies, a whole wildflower meadow. Framed together they brighten any wall. Try simple flowers in watercolor next, or browse more easy watercolor ideas for beginners.
Why this is such a calming thing to paint
There is a reason so many of my students reach for a brush when they have had a heavy week. The slow, soft layering is almost meditative, a little like slow breathing, and because there is nothing to "get wrong," your mind finally stops bracing. Research suggests that short bursts of creative activity like this can help lower stress and leave you feeling calmer. It is not a substitute for professional support if you are truly struggling, but as a gentle twenty-minute way to unwind, few things beat it. If that side of painting speaks to you, I have written more about watercolor painting for stress relief.
Frequently asked questions
How do I paint daisies in watercolor if I've never painted before?
Leave the white petals as bare paper and wash colour around them, add faint shadows and green stems, then paint the yellow centres. It is easier than it sounds - most beginners finish in about fifteen minutes.
How do I paint white daisy petals?
Do not paint them at all - leave them as white paper and paint the background and soft shadows around them. That is what makes white flowers look bright and crisp in watercolor.
What colors do I need to paint daisies?
A soft grey or pale blue for shadows, a warm yellow and a little brown for the centres, and two greens for the stems. If mixing is new to you, see watercolor color mixing for beginners.
Your fifteen cheerful minutes with a bunch of daisies
You do not need talent or a free afternoon - you need a brush, a few colours, and about fifteen minutes. If you would like everything in one box, the Breathly Creative Escape Kit gives you the guided pages, gentle watercolours and mess-free water-brush to paint your daisies today. Browse the full range of watercolor kits whenever you are ready for your next bloom.
Margaret teaches watercolor in North Carolina and came to painting in her late forties, after a burnout pushed her to find a gentler way to spend her evenings. She now helps thousands of beginners - most of them over 50 - discover that you don't need talent to feel the calm of a brush in your hand. Her rule: finish something small, and let that little win change your whole evening.