As a landscapist, I love all seasons. But there is one time of the year I love most. It’s the fall. And it’s not so hard to understand why. Autumn landscapes are a tremendous source of inspiration for every artist. If you want to study how colors interact and affect each other, welcome to autumn! There is nothing more beautiful that autumn foliage, with its richness of shades and diversity of patterns. Taking a walk on a sunny October day is like visiting a museum. Each tree is a masterpiece full of harmony and glory. And each tree is different. Moreover, the same tree is different every year. Whenever I look out of the window, I think that nature is the greatest of artists.
What makes a good fall painting on canvas?
Over the years of practice, I came to the following conclusions:
- The palette. The colors of autumn trees are very subtle and versatile. So if you hope to get away with premixed colors, that just won’t do. If you want to create beautiful, plausible landscapes, you should take care to learn mixing colors on your own.
- The light. Every landscapist knows that light is crucial for painting nature. And I guess it’s particularly important for autumn paintings. Fall trees look different at sunrise, midday and sunset, in direct, scattered light and on an overcast day. You should study these effects to make it work.
- Finally, 90% of success depends on the composition. I’ve painted a lot of landscapes and came to a conclusion that there has to be a balance between including as much as you can and not including anything extra. Your painting should be appealing and suggestive, but not overloaded. This one is kind of tricky to master, but you know how they say, practice makes perfection.
A person to learn from
For a long time, I haven’t been able to find an artist who would sum up all the points mentioned above. Until I ran across Leonid Afremov and his amazing works. Who is Leonid Afremov, you will ask. Most likely, you haven’t heard this name. But you might have seen his paintings that are surprisingly widespread in the web. Here is a link to my favorite fall painting by this wonderful artist. The palette, the style, the very spirit of the picture – it all reminds us of the golden days of autumn, clear, dreamy and a bit sad. I hope one day I’ll be able to create something as flawless too!
