With every new season comes new inspiration! Nature’s color palette never ceases to amaze us here in Minnesota. Artists everywhere strive to capture her beauty but we all know how tough it can be to do. As you sit in front of your canvas this fall, you might find it challenging to get the foliage just right.
Using Color To Paint Realistic Fall Scenes
As with any season, there are three basic art elements you should be paying careful attention to - value, chroma, and temperature. In fall especially, it can be easy to get too bright and too warm because our eyes mistake oranges and yellows for being brighter than they actually are. It is important to incorporate a balance of cooler tones to help make the autumn colors pop.
For a suggested color palette, we encourage you to take your cue from the legendary Bob Ross. This episode walks you through the colors he uses as well as his techniques for blending and balancing fall colors. Follow along and paint with the master!
Using Watercolor to paint Fall Foliage
If you’re using watercolor to express your fall feelings, consider following this process from Kay Barnes to gain some practice. She stresses the importance of preparing your surface, as the even moisture distribution is key to success. Again, you’ll see her use of warm and cool tones balance out to create the perfect fall foliage.
Using Oils to paint Fall Foliage
If you’re a beginner using oil paints, check out this video from Wilson Bickford for some great tree painting tips as well as how to overcome some common stumbling blocks. He uses a simple 1” foliage brush to do most of the work, and a handy “sandwich” technique you’ll definitely remember!
No matter what medium you’re using, come paint with us during any of our Fall classes and begin capturing the splendor of fall foliage! We’ll have plenty more tips and ideas to help you create your masterpiece.
