How to paint loose autumn trees in watercolour

What you need

• Watercolour paper (cold press, around 300 gsm)
• Round watercolour brush, medium to large
• Water pot and cloth
• Autumn colours: yellow ochre, burnt sienna, orange, a red and a dark brown
• Reference photo of autumn trees (optional)

Steps

1. Tape your paper to a board or table so it stays flat. Mix a pale wash of yellow ochre and water for the sky and distant background.

2. Wet the top area of the paper with clean water, then drop in soft yellow and pale orange. Tilt the paper gently so the colours blend.

3. Let the sky dry until it is only slightly damp. Load your brush with burnt sienna and orange and paint loose tree shapes with quick, irregular strokes.

4. Add a few darker brown and red marks on one side of each tree to suggest shadow and depth. Keep the strokes varied in size.

5. Paint a soft ground line under the trees with a light wash of yellow and green. Leave gaps so the paper shows through.

6. Drop in small dabs of red and orange around the tree bases to suggest fallen leaves. Do not overwork them.

7. Let everything dry fully, then add a few crisp dark twigs and trunk lines with a smaller brush and stronger paint.

8. Step back and check the balance. Soften any hard edges with a clean damp brush and leave the painting to dry flat.

Tips and common mistakes

Questions

What colours do I need for autumn trees?

Yellow ochre, burnt sienna, orange and a dark brown cover most autumn foliage. Add a red for extra warmth.

Can I do this on cheap watercolour paper?

Thin paper buckles when wet. Use cold press paper around 300 gsm, or stretch thinner paper first.

How do I stop the painting looking muddy?

Use clean water, don't scrub the paper, and let layers dry before adding more paint.

This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.