How to Paint a Tree

Trees are a combination of colors melded together to create the shape and form of the bark. You'll learn the art of creating texture when you paint this tree and its leaves in these simple steps. This is a foreground tree which shows more of the bark and has a bolder color than trees that would be in the background.

Things You'll Need

• #12 Flat oil brush
• #20 Scruffy oil brush
• Oil paint (Ultramarine Blue, Cadmium Yellow, Burnt Sienna, Sap Green, Titanium White)
• Palette
• Paper towels or a rag
• Canvas
• Pencil

Instructions

1. 

   Draw the shape of the tree trunk onto the canvas. It can be crooked or straight; the choice is yours.

2. 

   Use the #12 flat brush to mix a small amount of the Burnt Sienna with a larger amount of the Ultramarine Blue. This will be the darkest value for the shadowed side of the tree. Apply this color to one side of the tree. Wipe the brush clean.

3. 

   Apply Burnt Sienna vertically to the center of the tree. Add a small amount of Cadmium Yellow over that and then brush a small amount of Sap Green to the lower part of the Tree trunk over the Burnt Sienna and Cadmium Yellow. Do not clean the brush.

4. 

   Pick up Titanium White on the dirty brush and apply the paint to the right side of the tree where there is no paint. Clean the brush and softly pat blend the colors moving from the lightest to the darkest colors, wiping the brush often. While the brush is dirty, pick up a little of the darkest value mixture of Burnt Sienna and Ultramarine Blue and stroke in some branches. To create texture in the bark, stand the brush upright and tap the tips of the hairs along the bark.

5. 

   Wipe the brush clean and mix some of the Cadmium Yellow with the Sap Green to make a lighter value of green. Scoop some of this lighter value aside and add more Cadmium Yellow to it for an even lighter value of green. Clean the brush.

6. 

   Use the scruffy brush to tap in the darkest value of green first. Leave background spaces so the leaves have a lacy affect. Wipe the brush and add the middle value of green and finish the leaves by tapping on the lightest value without cleaning the brush. Add more of the lightest value, clean the brush first and then add the color. Allow the branches to peek through the leaves.

Tips & Warnings

• Use an old paint brush with splayed hairs for more texture on the bark or in the leaves. This technique can be used with acrylics or watercolors also.

• Oil paint is toxic and should be used in a well-ventilated area.