How to Paint Autumn Trees in Watercolor: Step-by-Step for Beginners

Love the cozy colors of fall? Let me show you how to bring that warmth into your sketchbook with watercolor.

In this guide, I walk you through six different autumn trees you can paint with simple techniques and beautiful colors.

Whether you're just starting or looking to have fun with color mixing, come paint along with me!

Tree 1: Painting a Red Autumn Tree with V-shaped Leaves

Let's start with our first tree! I'm keeping it simple and fun, using a soft V-shape as our main structure.

For this red autumn tree, I paint the leaves branching out in various sizes of a V-shape. It helps to picture a cone with the tree trunk running through the middle. 

I use Sennelier's Rooster Medley for the red but feel free to use any red you already have in your palette.

Using just the tip of my brush, I paint small strokes to form those V-shapes. Then I bring in a second brush and pick up some brown pink.

It's a dirty, muddy yellow that blends beautifully with the red. I drop that brown pink onto both sides of the tree — left and right. It creates a smooth transition from red to yellow, giving the tree that autumn warmth.

I return to my first brush and continue layering more red leaves in that same V-pattern, spreading them from both sides of the trunk.

Now, it's time to work on the trunk and branches. I grab some sepia, a dark brown, and paint the center part of the branch. Then, I add tiny leaves at the base to round out the shape.

To finish, I use broken sepia lines along the trunk, especially where there are white gaps. This makes the trunk look like it's peeking out from behind the red foliage.

I also add some splatters to finish off. 

Tree 2: Painting a Rounded Yellow Tree with Soft Shadow Blends

For the second tree, we’ll create a thicker tree shape compared to the first one. This time, the tree will have a more curvy, rounded end, giving it a fuller look.

Just like the first tree, we’re working with a cone shape, but the edges will feel softer and rounder. 

When you start, pay attention to where the shadow areas will go. These shadows will sit at the bottom of each bunch of leaves and also in the center, near the main trunk.

I’m using yellow for this tree. To begin, I’ll paint the leaves using a yellow hue. As I paint, I press down a little more on the brush to create larger strokes, allowing some white gaps to remain in between. These gaps are important, as they give the leaves a natural, airy look.

Halfway through painting the leaves, I add in the tree branches. By doing this while the yellow paint is still wet, I let the brown tones blend into the yellow, creating a soft, fluid transition that looks beautiful and organic.

Remember, the goal here is to have fun and mix colors to capture the vibrant autumn vibes. 

Here’s a trick I like to use: if your yellow paint has already dried, simply spray a bit of water on the yellow areas with a spray bottle to re-wet them. 

Once the area is damp, mix a little bit of sepia into your yellow paint and apply this mix to the shadow areas of the tree.

If you’re unsure where to add shadows, refer to your pencil sketch for guidance. Shadows are typically placed at the bottom of each cluster of leaves, and pre-wetting helps achieve a lovely wet-on-wet effect.

Now, I switch to a stronger dark brown to redefine the trunk of the tree. I also extend the branches further around the leaves, painting them in broken lines to give a more natural, free-flowing feel. 

After this, I go back with yellow and add tiny strokes of leaves to fill in the gaps and add more detail to the tree.

To finish up, I paint some yellow strokes onto the ground to suggest fallen leaves around the tree.

And there we have it! To give the painting a final touch, I like to add some splatters for a more dynamic effect, creating a lively finish.

This tree now has soft yellow leaves with beautiful, blended shadows that truly capture the autumn essence.

Tree 3: Tall Cone-Shaped Tree in Orange and Yellow

For the third tree, we will paint a taller, cone-shaped tree. The leaves will spread out in a V-shape, similar to the first tree. 

I paint a smaller V at the top of the tree and gradually make it larger as I move down. This will give it a nice, natural look.

Next, I fill in parts of the tree trunk with dark brown, creating a solid base. To add depth, I use a darker orange called Cernelius Orange.

This rich, pigmented color helps create shadows and adds dimension to the tree.

I also extend a few branches to complete the look and add some details.

After that, I paint another yellow tree behind the orange one. Since this second tree is further away, I don't add much detail.

I keep it simple with just a touch of shadow using a mixture of sepia and yellow. Don’t forget to add splatters. And there you have it – a beautiful, vibrant cone-shaped tree.

Tree 4: Fluffy Brown Tree with Layered Shadows

For the fourth tree, I start by drawing the trunk first. This tree will have large, fluffy bunches of leaves, and each trunk that branches out will have one of these bunches.

Shadows will be added at the bottom of each bunch to create depth.

To achieve a brownish shade for the leaves, I mix four colors: yellow, yellow ochre, burnt umber, and sienna.

I begin by using sepia to draw the main trunk and branches. Then, I grab some yellow and use the full belly of my brush to create those fluffy, soft leaves.

Next, I add shadows to the bottom of each bunch using burnt umber. 

I go in with a more pigmented burnt umber to darken the shadows more, then use sepia to deepen them further.

For a fun effect, I drop a little water to create blooms around the leaves. While the paint is still wet, I use a palette knife, my finger, or even the edge of a card to scratch out the branches. This technique adds a nice texture, helping the tree come to life.

Now that we've got the trunk and fluffy leaves let's move on to the next tree!

Tree 5: Creating a Layered Green Tree with Soft Transitions

For this next tree, I separate it into three layers with gaps in between to draw the trunks.

The primary focus is on a green tree, so I'll use yellow and yellow ochre for the highlights and darker greens mixed with sepia for the shadows.

To begin, I paint the leafy clusters with yellow, using the belly of the brush to make broad, fat strokes.

Once that's done, I add some brown paint near the shadow areas. These shadows will be on the left side of the tree, where the light is less direct.

Next, I start filling the tree's left side with different greens. I finish the bottom of the shadow areas with a darker green, called greenish umber. 

While the paint is still wet, I use sepia to paint the tree trunks.

Everything is done in one layer while the paint is wet, which helps achieve a soft, smooth transition between the yellow and green shades.

This method gives the tree a lovely, blended look, and you'll see the colors fade into each other naturally.

I recommend adding some splatters and adding details if you want. It's such a fun process!

Tree 6: Painting a Maple Tree with Mushroom Shape and Textured Leaves

For our final tree, we'll paint a maple tree with a unique mushroom-like shape. 

To start, I use orange to create tiny brushstrokes, leaving some white gaps between them. As I paint downward, I keep the mushroom shape in mind, gradually forming the tree's outline. 

Once the base layer is done, I add a thicker layer in the center to darken it.

Next, I move to red and drop the color into the center and outer edges of the tree to create depth. 

After drying it quickly, I use sepia to paint the trunks and branches, making them shorter to reflect the natural size of maple trees. I then add more tiny brushstrokes to detail the leaves.

Here's a fun trick: grab some cling wrap from your kitchen. Dab it in the orange and red paints, then press it onto the inner parts of the tree.

This creates a textured leaf pattern, giving your maple tree an extra layer of creativity. 

Once you've done that, use your brush to finalize the composition. And there you have it—the last autumn tree!

Our autumn tree painting is now complete. Take a moment to appreciate the warm colors and the feeling of fall captured on paper.

Creative Ways to Display Your Autumn Trees

If you enjoy journaling like I do, here's a fun idea: I like to cut my autumn trees into smaller shapes, pick my favorites, and arrange them in my sketchbook like little stickers. 

I then stick them into my journal and decorate them with masking tape for a creative touch. 

You can also cut them out and hang them on your wall for a personalized display. There are many ways to get creative with your autumn trees—feel free to explore and enjoy!

Closing Words

I hope you had fun painting these beautiful autumn trees with me! From vibrant red leaves to textured maple trees, you can explore so much creativity with watercolor.

Don't be afraid to experiment and add your personal touch. Ready to try out your tree designs? Grab your paintbrush and get started today!