How to Paint Atmospheric Watercolor Trees (Easy Forest Tutorial)
Avoiding Patterns
Trees are organic. They don’t grow like fence posts.
Branches twist in every direction. Trunks lean. Some trees crowd together while others stand alone. Nature rarely creates perfectly spaced objects, which is why one of the biggest mistakes watercolor painters make is creating patterns where they shouldn’t exist.
When I paint trees, I actively try to avoid repetition. If every trunk is the same width, every branch grows at the same angle, or every tree is evenly spaced apart, the painting immediately starts looking artificial.
Creating Organic Foliage
One of the easiest ways to create believable foliage is to let watercolor do some of the work for you. Spatter color into wet washes to create texture, but be careful not to create a pattern. Nature loves randomness. Painters love patterns. Unfortunately, the two don’t always get along.
Using Salt for Texture
Another trick I frequently use is salt. Sprinkle a little salt into a damp wash and wait. The salt absorbs moisture and pigment, creating beautiful organic textures that resemble leaves, bark, moss, and other natural elements. Sometimes the paint creates effects that are far more interesting than anything I could have planned myself.
Adding Tree Trunks and Branches
Once you’ve established a loose, atmospheric canopy, it’s time to add the tree trunks and branches.
Again, avoid patterns.
Allow some trunks to disappear behind foliage. Let branches overlap one another. Some branches should be darker, some lighter. Some should command attention while others quietly fade into the background. This creates visual hierarchy and helps the viewer understand which elements are closest and which are farther away.
Finally, add a few carefully placed shadows. Shadows help anchor the trees to the ground and instantly create depth. A simple cast shadow can transform a collection of shapes into a believable three-dimensional landscape.
Before you know it, you’ve turned an imagined collection of paint splatters and washes into an atmospheric forest scene. Atmospheric perspective is one of the easiest ways to create depth in watercolor. Trees in the distance should be lighter, cooler, and softer. Trees in the foreground should have stronger contrast and sharper edges. By gradually increasing contrast as objects move toward the viewer, you can create the illusion of miles of distance on a flat sheet of paper.
Easy peasy.
Materials used in this painting demonstration:
Richeson Silver Velvet #6
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Richeson Silver Velvet #2
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Harmony Squirrel Mop #6 Brush:
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Harmony Squirrel Mop #2 Brush:
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I also use a #4 Rigger brush to get details:
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And a tiny spot toner 2/0 for itty bitty details:
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Arches 140 lb Cold Press 11×14 Block
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Winsor Newton Burnt Sienna
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Winsor Newton Sap Green
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Winsor Newton Cobalt Blue
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Winsor Newton Ultramarine Blue
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Daniel Smith Rose of Ultramarine
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Daniel Smith Imperial Purple
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See exactly how I created this painting in the complete video tutorial.
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Ryan Fox AWS, NWS, TWSA
Ryan Fox Painting
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