Artists have always drawn inspiration from the natural world.
Small details can have a big impact on your landscape painting. Trees can make the difference between an austere looking tundra and a verdant forest, and are generally one of the first subjects artists learn to paint. Even if you're just learning to use acrylics, you can create this simple tree to add interest and depth to your acrylic landscape painting.
Instructions
1. Squeeze a small amount of burnt umber, sea-foam green and emerald green acrylic paint onto your palette.
2. Scoop a moderate amount of burnt umber onto your pallet knife.
3. Draw the edge of the pallet knife upwards across your canvas, beginning at your landscape's ground level, creating a line of burnt umber which is thick at the base and thins toward the top.
4. Dip a medium-size filbert brush into the emerald green.
5. Hold the brush perpendicular to the trunk of the tree. Move your wrist back and forth, while stippling against the canvas with the brush, creating the illusion of coniferous leaves. Stipple horizontal branches at various levels of the tree, remembering that the branches will tend to be wider towards the base of the tree.
6. Rinse your filbert brush in clean water, and pat it dry on a stack of paper towels.
7. Dip your filbert brush into the sea-foam green paint.
8. Apply sea-foam green highlights to the tops and outer edges of branches to create light and dark areas.
9. Allow your tree to dry thoroughly before continuing with your landscape painting.
