If you’re just getting started with textured florals and your petals aren’t quite looking how you imagined, don’t give up just yet! 🌸

A few small changes to how you load your palette knife, how much paste you use and how you lay down your petals can make a HUGE difference.

Here are four things I’d check first.

1. Load your palette knife NEATLY!

You may have seen photos or videos showing what a loaded palette knife should look like, but there’s one little detail I really want you to pay attention to:

Those edges need to be neat!

Take the extra few seconds to smooth out your paste so you don’t have random bits hanging over the sides.

Why? Because whatever is hanging over the edge of your knife can end up becoming the edge of your petal.

Have a look at the edges of the paste in the photo above. You want them nice and smooth, without little bits spilling over the sides.

Use your palette to help clean and shape the paste before you make your stroke. And if there’s one stubborn bit that won’t behave? Honestly, smooth it with your finger if you need to!

It’s a tiny detail that can make a big difference to your finished petals.

2. Use more paste than you think!

If your thick, flicked petals keep turning out flat, you might simply not be using enough paste.

It’s really common when you’re starting out to be a little cautious with how much you load onto your knife. But if there isn’t enough paste there to begin with, there’s only so much height you can leave behind.

For my thicker petals, I use a really generous amount.

So if yours are looking a little sad and flat…

Load that baby up! 😂

Try using more than you normally would and compare the difference. You might be surprised by how much paste you actually need!

3. Don’t add too much acrylic paint

Adding acrylic paint is an easy way to colour your paste, but start with a small amount!

One of the most common reasons texture paste becomes too runny is simply adding too much acrylic paint.

Start small, mix it through really well and check both the colour and the consistency before adding any more.

Another little tip: choose an acrylic paint that’s darker than the final colour you want.

Your white texture paste will lighten it as you mix, so starting with a stronger or darker colour helps you get the shade you want without needing to add as much paint.

Remember, your paste still needs to be thick enough to hold those beautiful raised petals.

So don’t just ask:

“Is this the colour I want?”

Also check:

“Is my paste still holding its shape?”

4. Your angle AND pressure matter

Okay, this one is a biggie.

You can have the right paste and a perfectly loaded palette knife, but the way you move your knife is what actually creates the petal.

For my flicked petals, I use more pressure at the front and less pressure towards the back.

And rather than simply dragging your knife backwards, think:

UP and BACK.

As you move through the petal, reduce the pressure while pulling the knife upwards and backwards. This helps create that thick beginning with a thinner, flicked end.

This part takes a little practice, but it makes SUCH a difference.

It’s also one of those techniques that makes so much more sense when you actually see it in action.

Want to see exactly how I do it?

That’s exactly why I created The Floral Class 🌸

Inside my online video tutorials, I show you these techniques up close, including an entire lesson dedicated to loading your palette knife, pressure, angles and creating that flicked petal movement.

We also cover paste options, modifying your paste, different petals and flowers, common mistakes, backgrounds, drying, cracking and finishing.

Then you can put it all together with complete floral designs that I take you through step by step from start to finish.

Watch in your own time, pause while you practise and rewatch the lessons as many times as you need.

So if you’re thinking…

“Okay, now I need to actually SEE you do it!”

Come and join me inside The Floral Class 🌸