Painting autumn trees can be both a joyful and rewarding process, especially when working with acrylics. Here’s a step-by-step guide to painting fall trees that even beginners can follow.
Choose Your Tree Style
Start by deciding what kind of tree you want to paint. Is it a red maple? A golden oak? Knowing the type of tree can guide your color choices and texture techniques. If you’re new to painting trees, try simpler trees first, like birch trees, before moving on to more complex ones like oak or maple trees.
Sketch the Basic Shape
Use a light pencil or a watered-down brush with acrylics to sketch the basic outline of your tree. This helps establish the structure and will keep you on track as you move forward with layers. For beginners, it’s important to keep your sketch simple and not too detailed. Think of your tree as a series of simple shapes—like an umbrella shape for the crown and lines for the trunk.
Start with the Background
When painting fall trees, always start with the background. Lay down the colors of the sky or distant landscapes before you start on the tree itself. You can use easy step-by-step blending techniques to fade from a bright autumn sky into the horizon.
Add the Tree Trunk and Branches
Now that your background is complete, focus on painting the tree’s trunk and branches. Using a thin, pointed brush, apply darker colors for the trunk and main branches. Add a few lighter tones along the edges to create depth. For beginners, focusing on clean brush strokes and steady hands can be the key to mastering the structure of the tree.
Finish with Leaves
Leaves are what bring autumn trees to life. Using a fan brush or even dabbing with a sponge, create clusters of fall-colored leaves. Apply red, orange, and yellow acrylics in layers, adding highlights and shadows to give the leaves more dimension. A tip here is to not overthink the placement of the leaves—random placement can often give your tree a more natural, authentic look.