Painting Birch Trees in Watercolor

When painting birch trees in watercolor I used very little paint on the birch trees themselves. Most of the painting was done in the background creating the shape of the trees. This techniques brings the trees forward which gives the feeling that they are popping out of the image.

Painting Tutorial Part One

To create white areas in a watercolor painting you paint around an object that you want to leave white. You can also use this technique to create a white boarder around your painting. The paper under the tape is protected from being stained by the paint.

Once you have taped down your watercolor paper to a flat surface draw a rough sketch of the birch trees. Have a variety of tree sizes creating negative space around the birch trees in the background. Erase the trees outlines leaving the pencil drawn details that will be used to help give character to your painting.

First apply a blue wash where the sky peaks through the foliage. After letting the sky dry began to paint the rest of the background in the negative space between the trees. Paint a wash of water over each section this wash keeps all the watercolor paint within it’s section. Keeping the paint from bleeding into the areas that you want to stay white.

Painting Detail

Use different shades of paint in a wet on wet watercolor painting technique creating shadows and definition in the foliage. Use a thin brush adding small details such as stray branches and twigs with the dry-brush watercolor painting technique. The depth and character of the painting is created with the addition of these small details.

In the foreground a wash of light paint is first applied before defining the details. Darker and lighter shades of diluted green paint then can create shadows in the grass. Finally use a thin paint brush to depict tall grass and small bushes with quick vertical brush strokes.

Paint the bark on the birch trees with a long thin paint brush. Loosely squiggle the brush alone the pencil sketch lines painting a variety of curved, jagged and smooth lines. To give individual character to each birch tree. The small birch trees will have more white areas with only small patches of black tree trunk. The large Older birch trees will have less white bark areas and more rough bark showing. Wash water over the detailed brushwork on the small areas of the larger and older birch trees to show weathered texture. This will lend authenticity to your painting.