How to paint a small watercolor bee
When you’re creating a flower portrait, it can be a really fun touch to include a pollinator in the composition. As well as adding visual interest to the piece, it can make your artwork extra informative and interesting from a nature perspective.
Of course, one of the most common pollinators is the Honey Bee. Worldwide, Honey Bees are responsible for 80% of pollination, and researchers believe that a single honey bee can visit up to 5,000 flowers in a day.
They live in fascinating colonies with highly organised social structures. And when they find a good food source, they perform a ‘waggle dance’ to their fellow worker bees, so the others know the direction and distance to fly so they too can find the food source.
So in this mini class, we’re going to paint a small watercolor bee to celebrate these hard working insects on whom we depend so much.
The version we’re painting here is small, so you can fit it into a bigger composition. Because it’s so little, you can paint it in a short time, and I’ll lead you through it step-by-step.
I hope this mini class has inspired you to paint a small watercolor bee and add them to some of your other compositions. In another mini class I show you how I painted the rest of the painting shown in this video.
If you’d like to paint a bigger, more detailed Honey Bee, check out this mini class where I share an overview of the process.
And if you love bees as much as I do, have a look at the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. They’re a fantastic UK-based charity that carry out loads of projects and research into helping to save bumblebees. We make regular donations to them, and you can find loads of information on their website.
Please leave a comment below if you’ve enjoyed this small watercolor bee mini class. I love to hear from you!
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Beautiful little tutorial, thanks. It always helps to see how many layers of patience goes in to give that great look that you achieve.
Thanks Neetika, glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you so much for this tutorial, I have been painting bees for awhile, but I just love your bee!
Thanks Carol!
Is there an outline for the bee?
Anna, You are simply the best.
Your gentle ways always shine through your words and your work.
My 8 year old neighbor girl and I painted the pear. Hers was so well done that she gave it to her grandmother for Christmas. That was before Covid.
Your light reaches far and true.
Thank you,
Susan Lions, 70
Aww thanks so much Susan, that’s really touching. Has really made my day to read that.
Great mini lesson of a small honey bee. Love your tutorials!
Thanks Julie!
What a wonderful tutorial! The results are beautiful, detailed and carefully executed. What an ARTIST ! Thank you. TF
Thanks Teresa!
Obrigada. Tutorial esplêndido. Adorei. Vida às abelhas e Viva as flores! Parabéns!
Anna, I havevyet yo get around to painting the pear, but this bee looks so sweet! I have your links kept safely and the time will come when I get hooked and do these. Thank you in advance
Ahh thanks Colleen – I hope you’re able to find that moment sooner than you think 🙂
Enjoyed the mini lesson on bite-sized form. And love the opp to wade in first by painting the bee, then to probe deeper and try a larger part of entire composition.
Please advise: what kind of paper/surface is best to use for this watercolor?
Thanks!
Anna, Can I enter my artwork in shows and sell?
I love, love, love the honey bee. I can’t wait to try it..
Beautiful !! Thank you!!
Thank you it is always a Pleasure to see how you paint this wonderful Natur.
Sweet!
Anna this was so enlightening thank you so very much I enjoy your demo s so very much
Regards Pat
Thanks for the beautiful tutorial Anna. You are amazing. They way you teach it’s so easy to do it. Thanks for providing these beautiful beautiful tutorials.
[…] mini classes where you can paint this larger than life honey bee, full of close-up details and a small honey bee that could fit well into most […]
Lovely! And you make it look so easy! As a colored-pencil artist, who hopes to transition to painting, I enjoyed watching and listening to your mixing method as well. Thank you for a delightful class.
Thank you for this lovely tutorial. It’s so nice to follow your tutorials – calming and educational
I LOVE all your mini classes!!! I generally just use graphite or colored pencils, but you are inspiring me to pick up my paintbrushes again!!! Thank you!!!
That’s so good to hear, Jane. Thanks for your kind words.
Wow!! Incredible and so well explained. Can’t wait to try. I had membership for 2 years and never painted- intimidated I guess. Love the way you broke down the steps.
Aww thanks Jackie. I understand feeling intimidated. Once you come to trust in the process itself (which only comes through doing), that feeling melts away and confidence replaces it x
I’ve completed the pear! Pears have a very special meaning to our family and I was very pleased with the result; thanks to your clear instruction and painting instructions.
I’m so pleased you enjoyed the class Cheryl, and that I could help you to paint something with such special personal meaning.
Omg beautiful