Paint an Autumn Tree
From Scratch 🍂

Using your pencil, lightly draw a curved ground line near the bottom of the canvas. In the center, draw a thick tree trunk rising from the ground and splitting into 3–4 thick branches spreading upward and outward. Draw a large oval shape around the branches to mark the canopy area. Keep all lines simple and loose.

Load your large flat brush with Lemon Yellow and paint the top half of the canvas with smooth horizontal strokes. Without cleaning your brush, pick up Orange and paint from the bottom upward, overlapping the yellow area while it's still wet. Use gentle horizontal strokes where the two colors meet to blend them into a warm gradient from yellow at the top to orange at the bottom. Work quickly while both colors are still wet.

Using your flat brush and Hooker's Green, paint a flat band of dark green grass along the bottom of the canvas. Apply with horizontal strokes for a clean, simple ground. The dark green creates a strong contrast against the warm orange background.

Load your medium brush with Burnt Umber and paint the tree trunk from the bottom upward with confident, upward strokes. The trunk should be thickest at the base and taper as it rises. At about one-third of the way up, let the trunk split into 3–4 thick branches that spread outward and upward. Each branch should taper toward its tip. Keep the shapes bold and simple.

Load your round brush with Orange and dab large, rounded blobs of color across the canopy area. Press the brush straight down and lift — don't drag. Cover most of the canopy with overlapping orange blobs. Then switch to Scarlet Red and dab it in clusters throughout the canopy, mixing and overlapping with the orange. Alternate between the two colors to create a rich, varied autumn effect.

Step back and look at your painting. Dab a few touches of Lemon Yellow at the very top of the canopy to add bright highlights and make the tree glow in the autumn light. Check that the trunk and branches are visible through the canopy — if needed, repaint any covered areas with Burnt Umber. Your autumn tree is complete! 🍂