Painting Demonstration 1
A bit of a dull photo, but when the light hits the tree, it lights up like a Christmas tree, all bright red and green!
Painting Demonstration 2
A very light quick sketch, just a line or two in pencil, then on with the paint. I start with the brightest, lightest colors, the reds.
Painting Demonstration 3
One of the strongest darks is the tall pine tree deep in the forest. I paint it dark and dull in pthalo green, quinacridone red and cobalt blue. I want it to contrast sharply with the bright sourwood tree.
Artist Tips
A sketch is a brief moment in time, it doesn't have to cover the whole page, just briefly say what you want to say and stop painting1
Painting Demonstration 4
I add a bit of pthalo green and azo yellow while everything is still wet. I love how the green bleeds and dries in the red!
Painting Demonstration 5
I start negative painting around the bright sourwood with more dulled colors. The foreground is not as dark as the old pine tree, more of dulled golds.
Painting Demonstration 6
More golds, purples, and dulled blues in the background. Funny, but the sketch really rests more on the dull richness of the background than the bright jeweled tree in the foreground. The bright colors simply don't show up much otherwise.
Don't forget to just let colors melt into each other. This is not a stark outline. If I feel like more definition, I can always go back with a pen on a sketch!
Final Watercolor Sketch!
This is such a fun little afternoon sketch! I love playing with colors and shapes when the leaves form abstract patterns. It's all about color and light and values.
Just go sketch in the woods this fall! There are beautiful leaves, lovely dappled light and bright colors against dull backgrounds.
An hour spent sketching is a way to fix a lovely memory in your head forever. It's not just looking at an image in a photo, everytime you look at the sketch, you'll be sitting there, looking at the tall trees in their autumn finery. You'll taste apple cider and smell the wood fire. Sketching makes a memory.
When it's dark and cold this winter, I'll take out that sketch - and perhaps turn it into a real painting, perhaps just enjoy the memory!
I would love to see some of your sketches of fall!
Related Art Lessons
