Folk-art flowers are created by using combinations of the basic strokes. At first you may want to place a piece of clear acetate topped with tracing paper over the flowers shown here to practice. Once you feel comfortable with the process, practice painting them freehand. No two flowers will be identical, but they will look similar.

It’s always a good idea to do some sort of practice strokes on tracing paper, shiny cardboard, newspaper, or an old telephone book to loosen up before you actually begin work on an object.

Stroke Rose

Start the rose by using a number 4 round brush to make a filled-in ball. Make a right comma stroke.

Turn your work and make a left comma stroke to form a circle, and then fill in the center to create a ball. In this example, the ball is painted vermilion or red-orange. Clean the paint from the brush; make sure all the water is out of the brush by pressing it against a paper towel.

Now paint overstrokes with a deeper shade of red.

Make a series of three right comma strokes, starting from the outside right edge, with each successive stroke slightly shorter. Think of pulling these strokes from the 12 to 6 o’clock position, ending with the tails at bottom center of the ball. Clean the paint from the brush again and remove excess water.

Now turn your work so that the top of the ball is toward the 9 o’clock position. Using a thin white paint, apply a series of three comma strokes about the same size as the deeper red strokes, pulling them from 9 to 3 o’clock and ending at the same point on the ball as the first three overstrokes.

To create side petals, use the deep red to pull a series of three comma strokes to the right of the ball, each to the right of the previous stroke and slightly shorter. Adjust the position of your work and then pull three corresponding comma strokes on the left side.

Once these right and left comma strokes are dry, either change to a number 2 round brush or use a lighter pressure to pull overstrokes on the side petals with the thin white paint. Make the overstrokes slightly shorter than the original strokes. Adjust the position of your work as you pull each overstroke.

Change to a yellow or golden color for the series of comma strokes at the top center of the flower. Use either a lighter pressure or a smaller round or liner brush, adjusting the position of your work as you pull each stroke.

Use green paint and a liner brush to make the stem. Pull a slightly curved stem from the bottom center of the ball downward, using the tip of the brush and releasing pressure as you go.

Switching back to a number 4 round brush, make comma strokes with the green paint to form leaves.

Use left comma strokes for the right-side leaves and vice versa.

Reposition your work as you paint the leaves on both sides.

To finish the design, use a liner brush to make a few small right comma strokes with yellow paint at the bottom of the design.

And finally, make a squiggle up the stem with thin yellow or golden paint.

Tole Rose

This rose also begins with a ball, this time red.

To add details to the flower, use the number 5 round brush to pull three right comma strokes in medium or pinkish red from right to left across the ball. Position your work to pull the first stroke from 12 to 6 o’clock, and adjust the work slightly as you pull each of the other strokes.

Now add white paint to your brush to create a lighter shade of pink, or you could use a clean brush with the white paint alone. Pull three left comma strokes from the left to right, with the first from 9 to 3 o’clock and adjusting the position of your work for each stroke. The thin tails should end either slightly underneath or above the corresponding right comma stroke. Whichever way you choose, be consistent with all the strokes.

Decorate the top of the rose using a number 2 round brush and thin white paint. First make a small left comma stroke.

Then make a circle from several dots. Often painters start with large dots and make them gradually smaller to form the circle.

Using the liner brush with either the lighter pink or white paint, make two thin vertical comma strokes over the lighter side, positioning your work to pull these from 9 to 3 o’clock.

Changing the position of the work so that the bottom of the flower is toward you, use the number 2 liner brush with thin green paint to pull the stem of the flower curving to the left, from 12 to 6 o’clock, using light pressure on the tip of the brush.

Then with the number 5 round brush, pull two short comma strokes, one right and one left, to form an oval for each leaf with a lighter green paint.

It’s best to use an uneven number of leaves, such as three on one side of the stem and two on the other.

Once all of the ovals are formed, use the number 2 liner brush and the same thin green paint you used for the stem to create a vein and stem for each leaf. Begin the vein slightly down from the tip of each leaf, and follow through with the stroke to make the stem.

Then touch the tip of the liner brush at an angle all around the leaves to create the appearance of toothed edges.

Now with a number 2 round brush, pull a few comma strokes on each side of the stem above the oval leaves and a few to the left of the farthest left leaf stem. Adjust your work as necessary to pull these strokes properly.

Add decorative touches to the design with thin yellow paint and a number 2 liner brush, making three short comma strokes across the stem just beneath the flower.

Make three more comma strokes at the bottom of the design, below the stems and leaves, and end with a series of squiggles starting at the bottom of the stem, coming about halfway up, and going out the right side of the design.

Daisy

To make a daisy, begin by creating the flower center, using the tip of a number 5 round brush and gold oxide paint to dab a small oval.

Now load the number 5 round brush with a lighter yellow or even white to form the petals from short comma strokes. Not all will be of the same length or size, but it’s best to use an uneven number. Eleven flower petals usually works well. Decide where you want your first petal, position the brush for a comma stroke, apply pressure, and pull toward flower center.

Pull the second petal diagonally across from the first one.

Fill in with comma strokes for all the other petals. Some will be more curved, and a few others, especially at bottom center, may be somewhat straight. For variety, you can begin a few petals with the tip of the brush, then apply pressure before pulling the stroke.

Then, with a fine liner brush and a contrasting color such as red, pull fine lines from the center out about halfway onto the individual petals. Do not pull all the exact same way; vary the strokes, making some thinner and lighter and others darker and heavier. Make some shorter or longer, and one line may branch off another line.

Add random dots of several different colors, such as red, black, gold oxide and brown, around the flower center with the tip of the liner brush. Place more dots around the bottom of the flower center and fewer dots around the top.

Now use a number 2 liner brush with thin green paint to pull a slightly curved stem.

Each of the two leaves is made with three strokes, using a number 5 round brush and green paint. Begin with the center stroke of the left leaf. Touching just the tip of the round brush to the surface, slightly pull and apply pressure, and then begin to release pressure as you continue to pull this variation of the comma stroke toward the bottom of the stem.

Add an elongated right comma stroke to the right side of this stroke.

Add another elongated right comma stroke to the left side of the first stroke.

Repeat with three elongated left comma strokes on the other side of the stem to form the right leaf.

With a liner brush and a thin darker green paint, such as pine green or even Hooker’s green, make a thin vein down the center of each leaf, pulling from the outside edge toward the stem.

Then make a series of small comma strokes across each leaf vein.

Add decorative touches to the design with golden paint and a number 2 liner brush. Make a squiggle over the stem and going out the right side of the design.

Then make three short comma strokes at the bottom of the leaves.

Cosmos

Begin a five-petal flower by deciding on your center point and making five petals around it, each consisting of a short right and left comma stroke. It’s best to start your first petal slightly to the left of top center, then make another petal on either side of the first, and finish with the bottom two petals. Turn your work as you progress around the flower.

Once all five petals are completed, use a contrasting color and the tip of the number 5 round brush to dab in the flower center.

Using this same color, thin the paint and pull some strokes with a liner brush to indicate veins in the petals. Work from the center outward about two-thirds of the way, following the curve of the petals.

You may also add some dots around the flower center in both colors with the point of the liner brush.

Using thin green paint and the liner brush, pull the stem, curving it slightly.

Then place the round brush on the stem where you want to start a leaf; apply pressure, wiggling the brush as you pull and release pressure, ending on the tip of the brush. You will need to pull at least two of these strokes next to each other to form the full leaf. If you prefer a fatter leaf, or if the strokes don’t meet in the center, pull a third stroke between the first two.

Now, using a darker green and the liner brush, pull veins in the leaves from stem to tip.

You may also make some short comma strokes across the center veins.

Decorate the design with a squiggle over the stem.

Dogwood

Begin a dogwood flower by determining your flower center position and making four petals around it. Each petal consists of a right and left comma stroke, with one to three shorter strokes in between. Start with the top petal slightly to the right of top center. Using a number 5 round brush, make a short right comma stroke, then a left comma stroke. Fill in between these two comma strokes with one or more slightly shorter strokes. Next, do the petal directly opposite the one you just completed, starting with the bottom stroke. Then do the right petal and finally the left petal, making them all as close in size as possible to the first.

Using the tip of the round brush, dab in the flower center.

With a slightly darker shade of thin paint and the liner brush, outline each petal, starting from the left side of the petal where it touches the center, and pulling the stroke up and around toward the top of the petal.

As you reach the tip of the petal, apply slight pressure to the brush as you outline the indentation. Gradually release pressure as you continue pulling the stroke around the remainder of the petal. Do this for all four petals.

Use the tip of the liner brush to apply an uneven number of yellow dots around the center of the flower, starting at the base of the left petal and circling across the bases of the lower and right petals. You can begin with larger dots, gradually decreasing in size as you go around the flower center.

With a color that’s darker or contrasts with your flower petals, pull some veins in each petal, beginning from the flower center and working outward, following the curve of the petal. Pull these veins out about three-quarters of the length of the petals.

Now make a slightly curving stem using the liner brush and green paint.

Each leaf is made from a right and left comma stroke, using green paint and a round brush.

Again, an uneven number of leaves is preferable.

Then, using thin gold oxide paint and the liner brush, pull leaf stems and veins, starting from the stem and working outward toward the leaf and into the leaf vein.

To vary your flower compositions, you could use the gold oxide for additional details on the leaf or shadow on the stems.

To give leaves the effect of turned-up edges, use the liner brush with thin gold oxide. Pull a thin comma stroke on one edge of a leaf, beginning at the tip and working back about two-thirds of the length of the leaf.

Add decorative touches to your design with the liner brush and yellow or golden paint. Make three short comma strokes on the stem near the flower.

Make three more comma strokes at the bottom end of the stem.

Paint a squiggle across the stem and going out to the right side.

Tulip

Begin the tulip by making a right and left comma stroke with the number 5 round brush, and fill in the center with the teardrop stroke. Turn your work so that you can pull the strokes properly.

To add the right-side petal, turn the work sideways so that you can pull this stroke from 9 to 3 o’clock, working from the bottom of the flower. Apply pressure at the tulip base, and as you pull the petal, gradually release the pressure on the brush as you flare outward, ending on the brush tip.

Turn the flower upside down so that you can pull the other petal from 12 to 6 o’clock. Apply pressure as you begin the stroke, and release pressure as you pull up and flare outward.

Turn your work again and use the liner brush and thin green paint to pull a slightly curving stem.

The leaves are made from a series of comma strokes of varying lengths, using the number 5 round brush. To vary the style of leaves, you could create a pointed one by beginning on the brush tip, applying pressure as you start to pull the stroke, and releasing pressure as you get to the end.

You could also highlight this pointed leaf with a contrasting color to add more interest. Apply a thin comma stroke along the upper edge of the leaf with the liner brush.

Now using a number 2 round brush, add details to the tulip with a contrasting color. Starting at the outer edge of each petal, apply pressure and pull a comma stroke down to the point where the petal and flower center meet.

Add a few more comma strokes to the right and left of the flower center.

Using white paint, make an uneven number of overstrokes in varying lengths on the tulip center.

Then, using the tip of the number 2 round brush with green paint to correspond to the stem line, add a dab of paint at the point where the stem and flower meet.

Add a few contrasting short comma strokes with the number 2 round brush to both ends of the stem. If you wish, you can add a squiggle as done for the earlier flowers.

Comma-Stroke Flower with Cross-Hatching Center

Begin this flower with a number 5 round brush and the color of your choice, making a comma stroke from 12 to 6 o’clock. Make two additional strokes to the right of the first one, each slightly shorter.

Then pull three comma strokes on the opposite side from 9 to 3 o’clock. Turn your work for each stroke as necessary.

Change to a fine liner brush and make diagonal strokes from upper right to lower left for cross-hatching.

Wait a moment for the paint to dry, and then do the second set of diagonal strokes from upper left to lower right. You can make the diagonal lines either straight or slightly curved. In the example in the photos, they are slightly curved. Clean the brush and remove any excess water. If using oils, swish the brush in turpentine or mineral spirits and blot dry on a paper towel.

Now load the fine liner brush with a contrasting color such as yellow to pull a fine stroke along the inside edges of the center comma strokes.

Turn your work to begin at the base of each stroke. Follow the inside curve, pull the stroke upward, and extend it past the end of the comma stroke, ending by flaring the fine line outward at the top. Clean the brush again.

Load the fine liner brush with green for the stem, and pull the stem downward in a slightly curved line.

This time using the number 5 round brush loaded with green, make a series of comma strokes of various lengths and thicknesses, applying more or less pressure on the brush, to form the leaves.

You can make an overstroke of a yellow comma stroke along the upper edge of one of the larger leaves to add variety.

You may also want to include some smaller comma strokes in a contrasting color as leaves, made with light pressure on your number 2 round brush or a liner brush.

Add three small comma strokes at the bottom of the stem.

With the number 4 round brush and a contrasting color such as yellow, make a series of three comma strokes above the opening at the flower’s top center.

Add a set of three comma strokes extending out from between the second and third comma strokes on each side.

Finish by using the fine liner brush to make a squiggle over the stem and going off to the right.