Beginner Sunflower Acrylic Painting Tutorial (Video + Tips)

Before we dive into this well rounded, step-by-step acrylic sunflower tutorial, let me tell you about a restaurant in Savannah, Georgia called Treylor Park.

I stumbled across it while parking our van. From the outside it looked like a normal restaurant, the inside was actually retro silver trailer — fun, but the menu stopped me in my tracks: cheesesteak egg rolls, PB&J chicken wings, grilled apple pie sandwiches, fried Oreos, even a bologna sandwich. I thought, No way the kids will eat this. I almost walked away.

But something about it stuck. It was different, risky, outside my comfort zone — exactly what I tell my students to try in the art studio. So we went. And you know what? Out of 10 days of dining on vacation, that was the meal we all remembered most.

That’s what I hope this sunflower tutorial is for you. Not just another exercise, but something that sticks — memorable, risky in the right ways, and a turning point in your art journey.

👉 If you’re brand new, you can start at the Acrylic Hub — it’s got all the free courses and guides in one place.

👉 Watch the video, hit play on the full video, and let’s paint some unforgettable sunflowers together. Scroll down to see demonstration images, finished painting, and inspiration image used in the step-by-step guide.

Materials

Here’s what I used — but don’t overthink it.

• Surfaces: 3–4 sheets of 140lb watercolor or Bristol, 9×12"
• Paints: Ultramarine blue, titanium white, lemon yellow, Hansa yellow, cad red, alizarin crimson, burnt sienna
• Brushes: small round, medium round, large flat
• Other: drawing paper, 2B pencil, palette, water jar, rag

👉 Full kit breakdown: Scroll down below to see may full acrylic painting toolbox.

Positive + Negative Space

Sunflowers aren’t just petals and stems — they’re shapes, shadows, and the space between. Learning to see the unseen(the gaps, backgrounds, and negative shapes) will help your flowers pop.

Even though I paint loose and expressively, I’m a stickler for foundations. That’s the gateway to freedom — the ability to paint in whatever style creativity leads you. Without it, painting often feels like an uphill battle with only a few winners sprinkled in.

👉 Want more ideas? Here are a few related tutorials worth exploring:

• Expressive acrylic still life with flowers tutorial
• Warm palette flower painting with acrylics

Composition: Thumbnails + Value Studies

Start small. Make thumbnail sketches and a few value studies. Figure out where your sunflower sits on the canvas and how light/dark shapes hold it together. It’s like testing a restaurant menu before ordering the fried Oreos.

Color + Brushwork

Here’s where it gets fun. Don’t copy reality — interpret it. Push yellows warmer, lean into loose brushstrokes, let your brush suggest petals instead of outlining them.

Tinting + Shading

Use your yellows with touches of red or blue to deepen values. Build form without killing the looseness. Remember: values do the heavy lifting, color is just the garnish.

Step-by-Step Demo

The full 20-minute video walks you through from blank page to finished sunflower — background tone, sketch, values, color, and finishing touches. Watch, pause, paint along.

Wrap-Up (tie back to story)

Painting sunflowers is like trying the weirdest item on a menu — it feels risky, but it might be the most memorable thing you do all week.

Every stroke, sketch, and “oops” builds your creative muscle. Stick with it, and these sunflowers won’t just be practice — they’ll be a highlight on your journey.

And if you are ever in Savanah, GA check out the Treylor Park. Tell them the Garage Studio Artist sent ya.

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Recommended Acrylic Painting Materials

• Princeton Catalyst Brushes – Flats (#6, #12), Rounds (#4, #8), Fan (#4), Liner Brush
  Durable synthetic bristles for versatile acrylic techniques
• Liquitex Heavy Body Acrylic Paint – Essential Colors
  Cadmium Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Red Light, Ultramarine Blue, Cobalt Blue, Burnt Sienna, Titanium White
• Winsor & Newton Cotton Canvas
  Reliable stretched canvas for studio and plein air work
• Strathmore 400 Series Mixed Media Paper
  Heavyweight, acid-free paper for acrylic and mixed media
• Fabriano Artistico 140lb Cold Press Paper
  Excellent for acrylic, mixed media, and textured effects
• Blick Multi-Colored Painting Knife Set
  Variety of shapes for texture, scraping, and bold strokes
• Miscellaneous: Two pint-sized water containers, paper towels (from Home Depot or Walmart)
• Note: I use canvas or sturdy cardboard as my palette — no store-bought palettes needed.