Advanced Level: consult professional colour list and procedures below or change it up.
Beginners: follow outline provided using any available paint, water colour pucks, liquid paint at school, house paint or pencil crayons. You are sure to have fun but keep in mind that the results will be dependent on the quality of the materials.
This picture is a good example of what masking tape can accomplish. The trees are masked off using long pieces of masking tape of varying widths. I have not tried to be as botanically accurate as possible but, instead displayed an informal variety of trees positioned at different distances and pointing indifferent directions.
These trees have been painted with watercolours. Notes are also provided so that students can paint this picture with the liquid paint supplied at school. As always with watercolour the challenge is to keep colours/pigment as pure as possible so that they do not get ‘muddy’. The quality of the materials greatly influences your results. Artists can also, use acrylics if they prefer. You will find an outline at the end of this lesson which may be used to assist with painting birch trees. You can search Ontario Trees for lots of images and information on birch trees.
Download your free copy of the Birch Tree Art Lesson.
Materials
Paper:Watercolour Paper, 140 lb Bond available at local art stores or Student Grade paper depending on resources. If you wish to use acrylic paint a rectangular canvas is recommended approximately 11” x 17”.
Brushes: Small (003) and medium (06) rounds and riggers, long and thin for grasses.
Colours: Prepare your own colour chart using pictures of birch trees for reference.I have chosen complimentary colours of Purple and Yellow to provide interest in this picture. Blue and orange could just as easily been chosen. White areas such as those found on the trees will be left unpainted in watercolour to show the paper beneath and black accents using an unusual brush technique are then added to the tree. I recommend an excellent website, Paint with Watercolors as a good reference for colour mixing and techniques.
Professionals, I have included my colour chart and listed the colours I used. Permanent Rose, Windsor Violet, greys with Burnt Sienna and Ultra Marine Blue for the lake. To create leaves and grasses I used various intensities of Lemon Yellow with Sap Green. See a sample colour chart on the next page.
Paint Supplies:
- FUB; French Ultra Marine
- Cblt; Cobalt Blue
- NG; New Gambouge
- QG; Quin Gold
- LY; LemonYellow
- Grey= Burnt Sienna and FUB
- AC; Alizarin Crimson
- PG; Payne’s Grey
- SG: Sap Green
Procedure
1. Cover the image of the large trees with pieces of masking tape or painter’s tape. Also place a length of tape 1/3 the way down the page for the distant tree line.
2. Paint the background sky to the edge of the masking tape in a light wash of Ultra Marine with a touch of Alizarin Crimson if desired. Paint the lake with horizontal lines. Do not hesitate to leave lighter areas for streaks by adding water. If you are quick you may want to try scrunching up a tissue and blotting out some clouds. Allow to dry.
3. Sponge Blue/purple treeline being careful to vary the heights and shapes. Allow to dry. Move the masking tape again, this time upward slightly, leaving a white line below the treeline. This time water down your tree colour and apply sponge for the tree reflection, imitating the sizes and shapes of the actual treeline. Allow to dry.
4. Sketch in leaves for the trees, grasses and tree branches. Prepare several mixes of paint in varying combinations of yellow and green and apply for leaves and grasses. Note to the darker shadows at the base of the grasses to create three dimensions. Allow to dry.
5. Remove the masking tape for the trees. Mix black paint and add in a horizontal motion with the side of a round brush. This will help you to avoid patterning your detail which would spoil the spontaneity of the tree detail.
6. For Students and Professionals alike I always recommend creating a colour chart as a guide. This will make you much more confident in creating a creative and more accurate rendering.