Loose Fall Landscape Watercolor Painting Tutorial

Updated at: 01/06/2025

Watercolor painting offers a unique opportunity to capture the fleeting beauty of a landscape, and achieving a loose, expressive style can unlock a whole new level of artistic freedom. This technique, characterized by its spontaneous brushstrokes and emphasis on capturing the essence of the scene rather than minute details, allows for a vibrant and evocative portrayal of nature. Forget tight precision; embrace the happy accidents and the unpredictable flow of color as you build layers of washes and textures. This loose approach lends itself particularly well to landscapes, where the vastness and ever-shifting light create a perfect backdrop for fluid brushwork.

This tutorial will guide you through a step-by-step process of creating a loose fall landscape watercolor painting, perfect for beginners and experienced artists alike. Whether you're aiming to paint the fiery hues of autumn leaves, the misty ambiance of a woodland scene, or the golden light of a harvest field, you'll discover techniques to achieve a truly captivating and expressive portrayal of the season's beauty. Let's begin!

Preparation and Safety Guidelines

Tools Needed
  • Winsor Newton professional watercolors
  • Princeton snap brushes (size 12 and size 6)
  • Watercolor paper
  • Painter's tape
  • Board (optional)
  • Water paper towel
  • Dr. Ph. Martin's Bleed Proof White Ink (optional)
Safety Guidelines
  • Always work in a well-ventilated area. Watercolor paints and mediums can contain chemicals that are harmful if inhaled.
  • Protect your work surface. Watercolor can stain, so use a waterproof surface or cover it with a protective layer like plastic sheeting or newspaper.
  • Clean your brushes thoroughly after each use. Dried paint can damage the bristles and make them harder to clean later.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Prepare the Canvas

    • Tape watercolor paper to a board (or table).
    Prepare your workspace: Tape watercolor paper to a board (or table).
    Prepare the Canvas

  2. Paint the Background Wash

    • Use a large brush and a diluted Payne's Gray (or any blue/gray) to create a light wash across the paper. Leave a lighter area for the trees.
    • Add slightly more gray at the top to suggest clouds and a horizon line.
    Create a horizon line and sky variation: Add slightly more gray at the top to suggest clouds and a horizon line.Create a horizon line and sky variation: Add slightly more gray at the top to suggest clouds and a horizon line.
    Paint the Background Wash

  3. Establish Background Trees

    • Using a mix of dark green and possibly black, create a horizontal line of trees in the background, leaving space for yellow trees.
    • Use Cadmium Yellow and Cadmium Red (or orangey red) to add lighter yellow and orange trees to the background, keeping them loose and slightly faded.
    • Wash and dry your brush to clean up edges and smooth out the colors.
    Clean up and refine the background: Wash and dry your brush to clean up edges and smooth out the colors.Clean up and refine the background: Wash and dry your brush to clean up edges and smooth out the colors.Clean up and refine the background: Wash and dry your brush to clean up edges and smooth out the colors.
    Establish Background Trees

  4. Paint Foreground Trees and Shoreline

    • Use Cadmium Yellow and Cadmium Red to place trees along the shoreline. Use angled brushstrokes and leave space between the trees.
    • Use a dark green to create vertical lines and messy branches for evergreen trees.
    • Add more trees and bushes using various shades of yellow, green, and ochre.
    Refine shoreline and add bushes: Add more trees and bushes using various shades of yellow, green, and ochre.Refine shoreline and add bushes: Add more trees and bushes using various shades of yellow, green, and ochre.Refine shoreline and add bushes: Add more trees and bushes using various shades of yellow, green, and ochre.
    Paint Foreground Trees and Shoreline

  5. Paint Water Reflection

    • Wet the lower portion for a reflection. Use the same colors from the trees, mirroring their placement and allowing them to blend loosely.
    • Use clean water with a smaller brush to create highlights and movement in the water reflection, blending colors as needed.
    Add water highlights: Use clean water with a smaller brush to create highlights and movement in the water reflection, blending colors as needed.Add water highlights: Use clean water with a smaller brush to create highlights and movement in the water reflection, blending colors as needed.
    Paint Water Reflection

  6. Refine and Add Depth

    • Wet the background tree area and reapply colors to deepen the tones and add texture.
    • Use dry brushing with yellow ochre, red, and orange to add texture to the trees.
    • Use dark green, black and burnt umber to refine the evergreens and shoreline.
    • Use white ink to add highlights along the shoreline and in the water.
    Add highlights: Use white ink to add highlights along the shoreline and in the water.Add highlights: Use white ink to add highlights along the shoreline and in the water.Add highlights: Use white ink to add highlights along the shoreline and in the water.Add highlights: Use white ink to add highlights along the shoreline and in the water.
    Refine and Add Depth
    • Add details to background trees if needed.
    Add final details to background trees: Add details to background trees if needed.
    Refine and Add Depth

Read more: 7 Top Paint Color Trends for 2024: A Complete Guide with Free Downloadable Resource

Tips

  • Use enough water for a background wash to stay wet, but not so much that it runs.
  • Dry your brush frequently to control color bleeding and create clean lines.
  • Keep trees and reflections loose and uneven for a more natural look. Avoid symmetry.
  • Use dry brushing for texture in the trees by dabbing the brush on a paper towel before applying paint.
  • Always step back and reassess your painting before finishing. Don't be afraid to add or adjust details.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Too Much Water

Reason: Excessive water leads to muddy colors and uncontrolled washes, blurring details and losing the vibrancy of the landscape.
Solution: Use less water in your brush and allow each wash to dry slightly before applying another.

2. Ignoring Negative Space

Reason: Focusing solely on the positive shapes (trees, buildings, etc.) without considering the negative space (sky, water, etc.) results in an unbalanced and unnatural composition.
Solution: Pay equal attention to both positive and negative shapes, ensuring a harmonious balance in your composition.

FAQs

What type of watercolor paper is best for a loose, expressive style?
A rough or cold-pressed watercolor paper is ideal. The texture provides tooth for the paint to grip, creating interesting variations and preventing the colors from looking too smooth and controlled. Hot-pressed paper is generally too smooth for this style.
How can I avoid overworking my painting and maintain a loose feel?
Work quickly and confidently! Resist the urge to constantly refine details. Embrace happy accidents and let the water and pigment do some of the work. Use plenty of water for washes and focus on suggesting shapes and values rather than precisely defining them. If a section feels overworked, try lifting some paint with a damp brush or clean tissue.