In this blog post, I'll show you how to paint tree foliage using four different techniques. Oils and acrylics are both acceptable mediums.
What to expect:
I'll go over the following topics in this blog:
Colours
Brushes
Composition
Blocking in the painting
Adding detail
Final details
4 tips for painting trees
Let's begin with the fun stuff, colour
When it comes to choosing colours for your work, the sky's the limit; nevertheless, if you're trying for a realistic tone and value to your foliage, here are some tips for selecting and mixing some gorgeous earthy tones:
Titanium White
Burnt Sienna
Yellow Oxide | Yellow Ochre)
Cadmium Yellow
Cadmium Orange
Quinacridone Crimson| Alizarin Crimson)
Ultramarine Blue
Phthalo Green
Brushes
Choosing paint brushes that suit your practise will evolve with time, just like having the freedom to choose, experiment, and develop preferences in colours for your work to suit your own artistic style. These guys, on the other hand, are uncomplicated for newbies who need a helping hand.
No.6 Flat
No.2 Flat
No.1 Round
No.0 Round
3/8 Dagger | 3/8 Angle
*Disclosure, most brands alter in their sizing. That's not to stress, if you can see a size close to the size listed below at your local art store that's totally fine too.
Pencil Sketch
Before you get into a painting we would always recommend doing some pencil sketches to plan your composition. A painting is much more likely to be a success if it has a solid foundation.
Blocking-In the Painting
’It is common among artists to lay their first layer of paint with a thing layer of Burnt Sienna. This assists with the overall colour and tone of a painting when you're wanting the work to have a more traditional feel. First sketch out your composition using your smaller brushes (No.1 Round Brush) in Burnt Sienna. Depending whether you're painting in Oils or Acrylics there are various mediums you can mix with your paint which thins it out and increases dry time.
When beginning blocking in a painting you can start by establishing your dark values and shadows first, that way you can quickly establish the tonal range in the painting. It also then makes it much easier when you come to add the areas in light as well as getting the saturation of your colour correct.
Artist Tip | Start by painting the shadows in the tree’s crown first.
Next, start blocking in the foliage of your leaves and trees. Tree foliage is generally one of the darker values in the landscape depending on the species. In general we would always keep the foliage on the darker side and this is tip number two for painting trees.
You can mix the colours for the tree foliage with a combination of Yellow Oxide and Ultramarine Blue to start with and then add Cadmium Yellow. When you are generally happy with the value of the colour I round off the mixture with cadmium orange and quinacridone crimson. You can even mix in a little Phthalo Green for a vibe.
Adding Detail
Once the block-in stage is complete allow the painting to dry. Now you can start adding details to the painting. As you apply the details to your painting for the most part the new layers added should generally be of a lighter value than the previous layers.
With a No.2 flat brush I go over the sky again and refine the clouds. I am using the same colours that I used in the block-in stage. Start adding detail to the foliage in the trees and for this you can use a 3/8 Dagger brush. These brushes are brilliant for painting foliage as you can create lots of different marks. You can use the flat end of the brush and use the tip for finer marks and so this is our third tip for painting trees.
Summary: 4 Tips For Painting Trees
Paint the tree shadows first to establish the tonal dynamic.
Remember that trees are some of the darker values in the landscape and they are generally darker than grass depending on the species. In general edge your greens on the darker side.
Using dagger brushes is ideal for painting realistic tree foliage. You can use the broad side of the brush as well as the tip for finer detail.
Save your lightest values until the end of the painting. In this case it was the glossy leaves that are reflecting the direct sun.
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