How To Paint A Classic Autumn Scene

Who can resist painting an Autumn scene?

I am sure that most landscape painters have tried it. Warm reds, deep yellows and orange hues make for a tempting subject. These scenes look simple at first, but prove to be a challenge to get them to read correctly. Add in reflections over a lake and the problems are multiplied. In this article, I want to create an Autumn scene with rich colours and reflections that convey the idea of serenity. Not overstated and not photo-realistic either.

The Reference

The inspiration comes from a beautiful scene that ticks all the boxes. Autumn colours, reflections in the water and trees. The first decision will be how much detail do you want to include in the painting? I want to simplify details into shapes of light and dark value and warm and cool colours. Therefore details will be kept to a minimum. To make this come off I am using large brushes such as size 8 long flats. This helps to keep me away from painting leaves and twigs. Instead I must focus on painting shapes.

The Concept

I want his scene to look natural. Not garish. It must also read correctly. By that I mean things like the reflections must look natural. The colour temperature for the shapes must be consistent with reality. No excessive details. Instead details must be suggested. Overall the scene must be calm, restful and communicate the moment.

The Start

As always I suggest doing a thumbnail sketch to settle the composition. In particular know where the horizon line must go. Then arrange the big shapes in relation to the horizon line. Next sketch the composition onto your painting surface. As you can see from my sketch there are no details. Only the large mass shapes.

Blocking In Mass Shapes