Details of water lilies
In this sheet the water lilies design sits at the center of the scene, surrounded by open blossoms, round floating pads, a dragonfly and circles on the water. In the water lilies design, every element has a firm, even outline, so open blossoms stands out clearly from the background. The inner spaces of round floating pads in the water lilies design are wide enough for thick markers, while the details of a dragonfly are perfect for fine-tip pencils. The composition of the water lilies design lets the drawing breathe: around circles on the water there are free areas for shadows, textures or a background of your own invention. That is why the water lilies design works for a calm afternoon of coloring as well as for more careful shading work.
Recommended age for water lilies
This water lilies sheet is designed for ages 8 to 10, although teens and adults looking for a creative break enjoy it too. Beginners can fill open blossoms in the water lilies design with a single color, while more advanced colorists can blend tones in round floating pads and a dragonfly. The difficulty is medium, so the water lilies design can be finished in a short session or split across several afternoons. Coloring circles on the water in the water lilies design helps train steady hands, patience and color choice. If you color together as a family, each person can take care of a different part of the water lilies design.
How to print water lilies
To print the water lilies design, open the PDF and choose A4 or Letter depending on your paper. Select 100 percent scale or actual size so open blossoms is not cut off at the edges. For the water lilies design, standard 80 gram paper is enough for colored pencils and crayons; for markers or watercolors on round floating pads, a 150 to 200 gram paper works better. If you like the water lilies sheet, print several copies and test different palettes on a dragonfly and circles on the water. The water lilies files are free and you can use them at home or in the classroom.
Color ideas for water lilies
A palette that works very well for the water lilies design is light pink, emerald green and water blue. Start with open blossoms of the water lilies design in light pink, and leave round floating pads for emerald green once the first color is dry. For a dragonfly in the water lilies design, try a soft gradient: press lightly at the start and add pressure toward the edge. If you want a livelier finish on circles on the water of the water lilies design, combine water blue with a thin layer of a darker tone. Remember there are no wrong colors; the water lilies design also looks lovely with an invented palette, and you can decorate the background with dots, lines or stars.
A fun fact about water lilies
Water lilies inspired Claude Monet, who painted more than two hundred canvases of his pond at Giverny. That curiosity makes the water lilies design a good excuse to chat while coloring. You can ask what each person remembers about open blossoms or invent a short story about round floating pads. Writing down the names of the colors you used on the water lilies sheet is another way to turn the activity into a small vocabulary and observation exercise.
