Step Three: Start painting
It may take a few layers of colour before anything shows, so you will need to be patient – and don’t worry if the colours seem weak at first. This is why watercolour paper is so handy, as you will be able to apply colour to an area several times without any damage.
Unlike traditional watercolours, these colours won’t blend quite the same way, so make sure each layer is dry before you add new colours. The rest is up to you! As I mentioned, I painted a flower and found that purple and blue tones dried into rich greens, and the red and orange tones dried into soft pinks and purples.
I found the unforeseeable outcome of the colours somewhat freeing – after a few attempts, I realised there was no way to match the deep purple and yellow hues of the iris I was recreating – so I threw my plan out the window and focused on experimenting with colour instead.
The point is that the earth has given us an abundance of material to work with. You can paint with coffee, flowers and even spices, and the unpredictability of the tones encourages perfectionists (like myself) to relax and see where the natural pigments take me.
Try out your own combination of colours to create something beautiful and seasonal – and awe your friends when you tell them the paint was all flower based!