Angular, sweeping or drooping branches
When you paint bare trees, note how the branches form as they leave the trunk: some shoot straight out, while others, such as thorn trees, are extremely angular. Others change direction dramatically or flow downwards in a graceful curve, like larch branches.
Painting winter trees with David Bellamy
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Painting winter trees with David Bellamy
Cadmium yellow pale
Winter to me is the most exciting of the seasons, and the most varied, with snow completely transforming the landscape. Gone are all those greens: we can see more of the features no longer hidden behind foliage, and although daylight hours are fewer, the low-angled sunshine creates evocative cast shadows to highlight features in a more dramatic way. Fields take on a greater range of colours and textures; tree trunks and branches display interesting and surprising colours. When seen as a mass, the branches of birch trees, for example, can take on a striking wine colour, especially useful if you wish to bring warmth into a cold snow scene. Dead leaves in trees and hedgerows and littered on the ground can be included even if they are not present, as their reds and oranges enliven the landscape and break up the masses of twigs and branches.
Bare branches and trunks
Winter trees and bushes have a charm and attraction that can enhance any landscape painting, and it is worth spending some time studying their characteristics. Tree trunks can be full of exciting and unexpected colours: reds, pinks, yellows, greens and blues, as well as the more common greys. The closer the tree stands, the more scope you have for including colour. Note, too, how branches hang, droop, curve or entwine themselves into amazing contortions. Here we look at a few examples.
Negative tree trunks
An effective method with winter trees and bushes is to create a mass of branches and vegetation, apply negative painting into it to suggest trunks, then bring out the massed branchwork at the top. In this example, I started with a small wash of yellow ochre heightened with a touch of cadmium yellow pale, and immediately dropped in some weak Indian red above this, then a little burnt umber and French ultramarine above that, using the side of a no. 6 brush to suggest a mass of branches and letting all the washes intermingle. This gradual change of colour is a simple but effective technique. When the combined wash had dried, I described more branches with a rigger, over the upper burnt umber and French ultramarine wash. This gave a sense of depth to the branch structure. Finally I painted in the negative shapes between the trunks with a darker version of the French ultramarine and burnt umber mix.
Angular, sweeping or drooping branches
When you paint bare trees, note how the branches form as they leave the trunk: some shoot straight out, while others, such as thorn trees, are extremely angular. Others change direction dramatically or flow downwards in a graceful curve, like larch branches.
Choosing those special trees
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Tree shapes make a fascinating study, and it is of great value to identify really good specimens and sketch and photograph them to keep as a reference for when you need that special tree. Sometimes the sub-branches leave the main branch in one direction only, as is mainly the case on the far left-hand trunk shown.
Painting light trees against dark skies and backgrounds
Light-coloured trees set against a dark, angry sky or sombre mountain can conjure up real drama, but they are not easy to paint in watercolour. You may be able to see every single branch strongly etched against the darkness, but try to avoid any attempt at putting them all in. Negative painting techniques are almost impossible to render convincingly if you try to emulate a great mass of branches. In these examples I show how masking fluid can work well for this effect.
Light tree against a dark sky
In this example I have resorted to masking fluid for the main branches, applied with a size 0 rigger with most of the masking fluid removed from the brush, so that a fine line was achieved for the outer branches. You have to waste some masking fluid on scrap paper first to check that it is fine enough for your needs. After the dark sky was painted over the light trees, I removed the masking fluid, then scrubbed the top mass of branches with a small, damp, flat brush. This suggests the mass of light twigs and branches. It also leaves a pleasing fuzzy edge to the extremities. I laid a weak glaze of French ultramarine and cadmium red over the righthand (shadow) side of the tree, and this also helped to prevent it looking like a cut-out.
Light trees against a mountainside
In this example, I again used masking fluid for the trunks and main branches, but this time I painted the mass of twigs and smaller branches with white gouache, using a size 0 rigger.
How to Paint a Tree in a Winter Scene with Colourful Snowflakes and Cracked Snow
Are you a beginner looking for tips, technique or a lesson on how to paint a tree or how to paint a winter scene ? Maybe you are an intermediate, looking for ways to spice a painting with more colour and texture?
In today’s lesson, you will learn not only how to paint a tree in a winter scene, but how to incorporate texture using crackle medium and splashes of colour for snowflakes for contrast. When I was learning how to draw and paint a tree the internet wasn’t available to the public yet (now you have an idea on how old I am) and I had to go outside to learn… yes outside! Mother Nature is the best teacher around. Looking at shapes, colour and texture can teach you a lot. One thing Mother Nature can’t teach on you about how to paint a tree or how to paint a winter scene is when you sit down to paint, maybe a few minutes into it, the Perfectionist angel hovers on your shoulder and starts to whisper things like:
Before I forget… in the video, I do not edit out any mistakes because I want you to see how I fix them or work around them. Mistakes is how you learn, so just go with the flow and learn as much as you can.
- that branch isn’t straight
- that’s the wrong green
- that trunk looks crooked
and that my dear is the worst thing that can happen to you, especially if you are learning. Self doubt and self criticism are extremely destructive to the creative process and there are two things to remember as you are learning.
- you are learning a technique… the mechanics on how to paint a tree and the mechanics on how to paint a winter scene. The brush, the paint, the stroke and how to hold a palette knife.
- you are learning composition…visually what makes something pleasing to “you”.
Personally, I feel that #1 is a left brain activity and #2 is a right brain activity and that’s where they collide. You simply want to learn right? So here are some tips to make it super simple for you along with a video lesson on how to paint a tree in a winter scene using a whole bunch of texture which will force the painting “not to be perfect”.
Tall Trees of Winter – An Acrylic Painting Lesson on DVD
Want to get loose when you paint? Want to create a painting that has a lot of detail without sweating the detail? Then this lesson is for you. This lesson is a fun layering approach to a winter forest scene. I’ll take you through creating loose brushstrokes and layering your paint to create this cool snowy landscape. If you ever feel like you’re a little too structured and want to create a painting where you use a lot of quick brushstrokes then you’ll want to try this one out!
Length: 1.5 hours
Canvas Size: 20 X 10 (any tall canvas will work)
Medium: Acrylic
Colors Needed: Ultramarine Blue, Ultramarine Violet, Alizarin Crimson, Raw Umber, Raw Sienna, Zinc White, Titanium White
To purchase this lesson, click Add to Cart, then click Checkout, and follow the onscreen instructions. Once you’ve completed the order, you’ll be able to instantly access the lesson by clicking the blue button labeled with your display name in the upper-right and then selecting My Painting Lessons.
Note: DVD orders are shipped via First Class mail and should arrive within 5 to 7 business days.
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- Immediate access – just purchase and begin painting
- Start to finish instruction – no cutouts – you’ll see every brushstroke of every painting
- Easy-to-learn techniques – develop skills to promote consistency in your style for a more professional look
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Tim Gagnon is the creator of online and DVD-based instructional art lessons for over 17,500 students in over 30 countries. In 2012, he was voted as one of the Top 50 Emerging Artists by Art Business News. His easy-to-learn instruction and unique, modern style has propelled him to one of the most followed artists in the United States.
