Valentine’s Day is coming up, but more importantly, everyone can draw simple shapes. Taking a heart shape and building from that shape to create a flower? Amazing!

Some hearts are subtle, but love is always there. Not sure how the heart shape came to be but I like painting hearts. It is the thrill of starting from a simple shape to see what I can come up with. I imagine someone looking at my flowers, feeling my peace, and casually noticing the heart shapes.

How can you paint hearts? Doodle ideas and see what you can come up with. Try a new tool?

Here is a little step-by-step to get you started

• Grab a sheet of copy paper and doodle hearts. Create various sizes, widths, and lengths of hearts
• Combine shapes to create flowers. Use my red doodles for exploration
• Keep going and see what you can come up with. There is only make.
• Then use markers or pens to add color and details to your doodles
• Or maybe skip the step altogether and get out your paints, or better yet, try a new tool

The big question is, what tools can you use that you can modify to stamp with or paint hearts with for making flowers?

Ideas for stamping with hearts: sponges, your hand, candle lids, textured fabric, bubble wrap, erasers, crumbled paper, and ornaments.

These are my ideas, and you’ll have your creative way to paint flowers using heart shapes. I’ll sketch a few to see what else I can come up with.

The idea is creative exploration. This is great because you will get good ideas. If you want to create decor for your space, doodles for stationery, or create surface pattern designs, you will have ideas. You just have to start.

If you try doodling flowers with hearts, please let me know. You can tag me on my social media with @apaintedgarden.com. I’d love to see your ideas!