Can You Guess How I Made This Forest Glow?
(…and yes, you can absolutely steal these techniques for your own paintings.)
There are paintings you create with careful planning, measured brushstrokes, and classical technique.
And then there are paintings like this one—where you look at the final result, step back, and think:
“Did I just… pull that off?”
Welcome to my Forest Glow Watercolor Tutorial, where trees become luminous, sunlight pours through the canopy, and watercolor behaves just well enough to convince you it was your idea all along.
This entire glowing forest effect was created using a handful of unconventional watercolor techniques—part glazing, part layering, part intentional chaos—and few tiny detail brushes (because who has time for that in a forest this big?).
The Inspiration: Walking Into a Wall of Light
If you’ve ever walked through the woods at sunrise, you know the moment I’m talking about.
The forest suddenly becomes a cathedral of light—shafts of gold cutting through the trees, mist shimmering like it was painted in by a helpful special effects intern, and every leaf glowing with a color your paint tubes swear they can replicate (they can’t, but we try anyway).
This painting isn’t based on one specific place. It’s the combination of a thousand hikes, road trips, and “pull over the car, the light is perfect!” moments—translated into watercolor, layers, splatters, and a lot of deep breathing.
Watch this forest landscape come alive using these techniques:
Why This Method Works
Because watercolor thrives on transparency and layered light.
You’re not painting the forest—you’re painting the atmosphere inside the forest.
This approach lets watercolor do what it wants to do naturally:
✨ Glow
✨ Layer
✨ Diffuse
✨ Surprise you in both good and alarming ways
🌲 Try This Yourself (Seriously—You Can Do It)
Whether you’re a seasoned painter or just thinking about buying your first brush, this is one of the easiest big-impact scenes you can try.
It’s fast.
It’s loose.
It’s forgiving.
And it teaches you more about watercolor in 20 minutes than some paintings do in 2 hours.
Supplies used in this painting demonstration:
Arches 140 lb Cold Press 11×14 Block
https://amzn.to/3ZSLu27
Richeson Silver Velvet #6
https://amzn.to/47zKi6e
Richeson Silver Velvet #2
https://amzn.to/4etFrFR
Harmony Squirrel Mop #6 Brush:
https://amzn.to/4exVN0k
Harmony Squirrel Mop #2 Brush:
https://amzn.to/3BoRkhV
I also use a #4 Rigger brush to get details:
https://amzn.to/3BoRkhV
And a tiny spot toner 2/0 for itty bitty details:
https://amzn.to/4dkefZ4
Daniel Smith Imperial Purple
https://amzn.to/4edldQP
Winsor Newton Burnt Sienna
https://amzn.to/3XRai9R
Winsor Newton Winsor Yellow
https://amzn.to/3TEyhqa
Winsor Newton Sap Green
Winsor Newton Cobalt Blue
https://amzn.to/3XTdvG6
Incredible Nib:
Pebeo Masking Fluid (big bottle)
Pebeo Masking Fluid (small bottle)
Disclaimer: This page contains affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase after clicking a link, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!
Ryan Fox AWS, NWS, TWSA
Ryan Fox Painting
(919) 645-8345