Easy Fall Paintings: 5 Simple Ideas for Beginners

Written by Daisie Team

Published on 11 July 2023 6 min read

When the leaves start to change and the air grows crisp, it's the perfect time to break out your paintbrushes and create some easy fall paintings. This guide will walk you through five simple ideas for beginners, which will be as enjoyable to make as they are beautiful to look at. So, let's dive into our first step: gathering your painting supplies.

1. Gather Your Painting Supplies

Before you start creating your easy fall paintings, it's important to gather all the necessary supplies. Having everything at hand will make the painting process smoother and more enjoyable. Let's go over what you'll need in more detail.

Selecting Brushes

Choosing the right brushes can make a big difference in your painting. For beginners, a set of basic brushes is a good start. This should include a flat brush for larger areas, a round brush for general painting, and a fine tip brush for details. Remember, the quality of your brushes matters. Look for ones with sturdy handles and soft bristles, like those made by Winsor & Newton or Blick.

Choosing Paints

Next up is paint. Acrylic paints are a great choice for beginners due to their ease of use and fast drying times. They're also ideal for easy fall paintings as they can beautifully capture the vibrant colors of the season. Brands such as Liquitex and Golden offer a wide range of colors suitable for your fall palette.

Preparing Your Canvas

Finally, you'll need a canvas. Pre-stretched canvases are a convenient choice, as they come ready to paint on. If you're feeling adventurous, you can opt to stretch your own canvas. Either way, start by applying a coat of white gesso to the canvas to create a smooth, receptive surface. This step helps the colors of your easy fall paintings really pop.

Now that you have your painting supplies ready, you're set to explore some basic painting techniques. This will give you the foundation you need to bring your easy fall paintings to life.

2. Learn Basic Painting Techniques

Even the most complex paintings start with basic techniques. Understanding these will give you the tools to create your own easy fall paintings. Here's what you need to know.

Mastering Strokes

Each brush stroke gives texture and depth to your painting. For starters, try the three basic strokes: the wash, the glaze, and the dry brush. The wash involves a lot of water and paint, giving a light, airy feel to the strokes — perfect for painting a sky. The glaze involves a thin, transparent layer of paint, great for creating shadows and depth. The dry brush, with little to no water, gives a strong, textured stroke — ideal for painting tree barks or fallen leaves.

Mixing Colors

Color is the life of the painting, especially when creating the vibrant hues of fall. Start with the basics: red, blue, and yellow. By combining these primary colors, you can create a range of secondary colors. For example, mixing red and yellow will give you orange, a perfect fall color. Experiment with different combinations, adding white to lighten or black to darken until you get your desired shade.

Applying Layers

Layering is the secret to bringing depth and dimension to your easy fall paintings. Start with a base layer, which sets the tone for your painting. Once that's dry, add more layers, allowing each one to dry before adding the next. This technique, called underpainting, will give your painting a rich complexity that's hard to achieve in a single layer.

With these basic techniques under your belt, you're ready to create a fall-inspired palette. This will be your color guide as you create your easy fall paintings.

3. Create a Fall-Inspired Palette

Color is the language of art, and the fall season speaks in rich, warm tones. Let's create a palette that captures the essence of the season for our easy fall paintings.

Selecting Fall Colors

When you think of fall, what colors come to mind? You might think of fiery reds, warm oranges, golden yellows, and deep browns. These are the colors that will bring your fall painting to life. Select paints in these shades, but don't be afraid to add a splash of unexpected color — a bit of purple for shadow or green for lingering summer leaves can add interest and depth.

Arranging Your Palette

Organization can be a painter's best friend. When arranging your palette, place similar colors next to each other. This will make it easier to blend and create transitions. For instance, place your yellows next to your oranges and your oranges next to your reds.

Using Color Theory

Color theory is a tool that helps us understand how colors interact, complement, and contrast with each other. For example, colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel, like red and green, are complementary. When placed next to each other, they make each other appear more vibrant — a useful trick when you want to make those red autumn leaves pop against a green background.

Now that you have your palette ready, it's time to plan your fall scene. This is where your painting starts to take shape. Let's get started.

4. Plan Your Fall Scene

Once you've mastered your palette, the next step is to plan your fall scene. This step is where your creative vision comes to life. With your fall colors at the ready, let's dive into the process.

Sketching Your Scene

Before breaking out the paints, let's start with a sketch. This initial drawing acts as your guide when you start painting. You could sketch a landscape with trees shedding leaves, a cozy cabin beside a fall-colored forest, or a still life with pumpkins and fall fruits. Remember, this is your artwork, so choose a scene that resonates with you.

Incorporating Fall Elements

What makes a painting scream "fall"? It's the incorporation of fall elements. You could include pumpkins, apples, haystacks, or cornucopias. Or, you might focus on the natural elements: fallen leaves, bare trees, or migrating birds. Whichever elements you choose, make sure they help to capture the essence of fall in your painting.

Setting the Scene

The setting of your scene plays a vital role in your fall painting. A beautiful sunset could cast warm, golden light on your landscape, while a cloudy day could give a cool, muted look. You could also set your scene in the morning with dew still on the leaves, or in the afternoon with long shadows stretching out. Each setting will give your painting a unique mood and feel.

With your scene planned, you're ready to bring your vision to life through paint. Let's grab those brushes and transform your sketch into an easy fall painting masterpiece.

5. Paint Your Fall Scene

You've gathered your supplies, learned some basic techniques, created your fall-inspired palette, and planned your scene. Now, it's time to bring it all together and paint your fall scene. Let's dive in!

Applying Base Coat

Start with applying a base coat to your canvas. This might be a light wash of color, such as a soft blue for the sky or a pale yellow for a field. The base coat is not meant to be detailed — it's just a starting point to establish the overall color scheme of your painting. This step is a bit like laying down the foundation for a house. It's not the most glamorous part, but it's essential for a sturdy and well-built painting.

Adding Detail Elements

Now, here comes the fun part! With your base coat laid down, you can start adding in the details. This includes the fall elements you decided on earlier, like leaves on trees, pumpkins on porches, and birds in the sky. Remember to use the techniques you've learned, like mixing colors and applying layers, to give your details depth and realism.

Finalizing Your Painting

After you've added all the elements, it's time to finalize your painting. This might involve adding a few finishing touches, like the glint of sunlight on an apple or the texture of bark on a tree. Or, it might involve stepping back and realizing that your painting is already complete. Either way, this is the moment you've been working towards — the moment your easy fall painting comes to life.

And there you have it! You've just created your own easy fall painting. Remember, the most important part of this process is to enjoy it. Happy painting!

If you enjoyed our blog post on easy fall paintings and are looking for more inspiration to continue your artistic journey, don't miss Noah Ennis's workshop on 'Creating Abstract Paintings Using Common Household Items'. This workshop will teach you innovative techniques and unconventional ways to create stunning abstract art using everyday items. Dive in and let your creativity flourish!