Fall in the Birches

Fall in the Birches

This is one of my favorite paintings! Perhaps because Fall is my favorite season with bright colors of leaves, the crisp, cool air, and brilliant blue skies! When I look at this painting, I can feel the coolness of the air and the taste of a good crisp apple! This painting is a fun and easy one to paint...even for beginners. Very little drawing skill is needed.

The trees are sketched in lightly with little detail. Masking fluid is used to cover the trees. Single line branches can be left without masking fluid as they will be painted in using a darker watercolor paint.

Now for the fun part! The background foliage and trees are painted on a very wet background. First a flat brush is used to apply paint of various "leaf colors" in random places on the painting. Blue sky can also be dropped in. Allow colors to mingle and blend. After this has dried, use a sea sponge and sponge in additional foliage with the same bright colors.

When dry, the masking is removed and the trees are painted in with light washes of burnt umber and sepia. Sponge in leaves on top of the some of the trees. Vary shades of color to indicate shadows.

My hands get messy painting this one - I really get into sponging!

Enjoy! And Happy Fall!