Autumn Watercolor Ideas: Leaves, Color and Small Studies
For our autumn-themed Watercolor Friday, we worked with watercolor and markers to put our own version of the season on paper. Golden leaves, darker branches and warm orange can be enough to suggest the time of year.
Pick One Autumn Prompt
- A fallen leaf: paint its broad shape first, then add a few veins after the wash dries.
- A warm palette: mix small swatches of yellow, orange and brown. Notice which combinations you want to use together.
- A small scene: choose a tree or a corner of a path and leave the rest of the page open.
Give the Light Colors Some Space
Keep your first washes pale. Build darker marks only where they help the subject read, and let the page dry before adding crisp lines.
Follow our maple-leaf tutorial for a guided study. For soft blends, start with wet-on-wet watercolor.
A Journal for Seasonal Studies
REVEAL Cotton Watercolor Journal – 4.7 × 4.7 in has 100% cotton, 140lb/300gsm watercolor paper in a compact square format. Paints and brushes are separate, so pair it with supplies you already enjoy.
Keep Looking
The next subject might be on your walk home. Find more prompts in our nature watercolor article.