- 1). Find a place to set up your work station. Place your paints and accessories, like water and paint thinner, near you for easy access. If you want to work with easel, set it up at a preferable distance from the tree.
- 2). Decide where you want to place the tree on your canvas, and using either acrylic or oil paint and canvas lightly outline the outer perimeters of the branches and the trunk. This will be your point of reference. It helps to get an idea of the tree by using a real tree or a photograph of a tree as a subject reference.
- 3). Draw a more definite outline of the tree using a pencil or very light paint. If you are going for a realistic and detailed approach, it is best to use a light graphite pencil so you can erase any mistakes. Keep in mind that the trunk of a tree is generally thicker at the bottom and thinner toward the top. Branches generally reach up as they grow and are also thicker at the trunk and thin out as the grow away from the tree.
- 4). Paint the background behind the tree outline first if you intend to have one. Allow it to dry and then begin filling in the tree. Finishing the background first allow you to texture the tree over the background for a more layered effect. It will also allow you to add the leaves in more detail since you can make them stand out above the background.
- 5). Fill in the tree by using the lightest browns first, starting at the bottom of the trunk and working your way up the tree. Add bark and shadows by using a darker brown over the lighter brown and randomly drawing small lines up the tree. Use a little black paint to add texture to the side of the tree by randomly dabbing it with a fine brush. If you are using watercolor, randomly blend dark browns over light browns for texture. If you are painting leaves, add some light greens and yellows randomly around the higher branches. Keep in mind that leaves get darker toward the truck of the tree do to lack of light, and they shine light and bright in the sun.
- 6). Fill in the branches with shadows by using a dark brown, and add a bit of black with a thin brush similar to how you did the inner outline of the trunk. This will give it a 3D appearance, making the trunk look like it is rounded rather then flat. Subtly blend the brown to turn it into a lighter brown to create the lighter side of the tree, adding a few light shadows here and there for texture.
- 7). Fill in the leaves by using a mild-green outline for texture and really dark greens for shadows on the darkest side of the tree. Leaves are done better with a thin brush and are random in their placement. If you are using acrylics, you can add multiple layers of paint to bring out more texture. With watercolor, you can use crumpled rags or napkins dabbed with light and dark greens, lightly tapping it around the branches to randomize the application of color.
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