How to Paint an Abstract Rose: Paint This for Mom or Just for Fun

Are you looking for a quick, creative painting project that’s just as enjoyable to make as it is to give? This abstract rose is one of those feel-good pieces that you can finish in one sitting and still feel proud of. Whether you're creating a meaningful gift for Mother’s Day or just want to add a little floral beauty to your own library of art, this project is a perfect fit.

Let’s jump right in!

What You’ll Need:

• Mixed media paper
  
  
• Painter’s tape (to make a cute lil’ square frame)
  
  
• 3/4 inch flat brush
  
  
• Round brush (medium)
  
  
• ¾” Angle brush
  
  
• 3/0 Liner brush (super skinny!)
  
  
• Acrylic paints: White, Burnt Umber, Tuscan Red, Royal Fuchsia, Baby (light) Pink, Yellow, Hauser Dark Green, Eucalyptus Green, Light Turquoise Blue
  
  
• A cozy drink (optional,  but highly encouraged)

Step 1: Tone the Background

Start by taping off a small square on your paper with painter’s tape. Then use your flat brush and a bit of Burnt Umber to tone the background inside your square. This sets the mood for your piece, creates depth, and helps everything feel more polished in the end.

Step 2: Build the Rose

With a small round brush and red paint, begin in the center of your rose with a simple circular shape or “blob.” No need for perfection here — let it be loose! Build the rose by painting curved shapes around the center, almost like parentheses. As you work outward, bring in some fuchsia and light pink. Don’t worry about cleaning your brush between colors. That blending adds to the charm.

Step 3: Add the Leaves

Using your angle brush and a mix of Hauser Dark Green and Eucalyptus Green, paint a few loose leaves peeking out from around your rose. The contrast will help your flower pop.

Step 4: Highlight + Detail

Switch to your liner brush and add a few highlights using white and light pink. You can trace some of the petal edges with soft, wiggly lines to give your rose more definition and movement.

Step 5: Add a Pop of Blue

With a soft hand, brush some light blue around the rose — just be sure to leave a small space between the rose and the blue. That little gap helps the rose feel like it’s glowing against the background.

Step 6: Remove the Tape

Now for the most satisfying part — carefully remove the painter’s tape to reveal those clean, crisp edges. If you’d like, use the edge of your paintbrush to add a loose brown outline to the frame. It doesn’t need to be perfect — the hand-drawn look adds personality.

Step 7: Finishing Touches

Dip into just a bit of yellow and green and add a few scattered dots or specks around the background. It gives your piece a soft, abstract finish that brings everything together.

A Lovely Little Gift

This abstract rose makes a sweet handmade touch for Mother’s Day — whether you frame it as a gift, turn it into a card, or simply create it for yourself as a quiet moment of creativity. Watch the video here, and be sure to like and subscribe to get notified about future tutorials!

Want to keep the florals flowing?

If you’d like to learn how to paint this entire bouquet of abstract roses, you can join me inside my membership — the Artsy Moon Paint Club. That’s where you’ll find this full tutorial, along with lots of other fun, approachable projects to keep you inspired all year long.