Early Spring Landscape Painting Project

Drybrush Technique Works For Sparkling Light and Wispy Branches

One sure sign of Spring is the change in the branches of the weeping willow trees. The long, slender terminal branches that hold the leaves have a yellow-ish cast all winter. As the light gets brighter, the color of these branches brightens up as they prepare to leaf out for the summer. In this lesson we learn to paint those early spring willows and the landscape with them.

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Watercolor Painting Lesson For A Spring Landscape Scene

It’s finally spring here in the northern lattitudes. Although you can’t really tell it much. But, one sure sign of the coming Spring is the change in the branches of the weeping willow trees. The long, slender terminal branches that hold the leaves have a yellow-ish cast all winter. As the light gets brighter, the color of these branches brightens up as they prepare to leaf out for the summer. It’s a sure sign and one we’re glad to see when it happens.

What You’ll Need:

Paper – and eighth sheet, 7″x 11″ of watercolor paper, approx. – as always, Arches 140lb Cold Press is recommended
Paint – Cadmium Yellow Medium, Raw Sienna, Burnt Sienna, Quinacridone Burnt Scarlet, Cobalt Blue, Cerulean Blue
Brushes – Medium and Small Rounds, 1/4″ Flat, Rigger

Color note: A mixture of Permanant Alizarin Crimson and Burnt Sienna is a good substitute for Quinacridone Burnt Scarlet

The Drybrush Technique

The drybrush technique is not difficult, but not used frequently. Get handle on the technique in this video.

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3 Comments

Diane Jernigan on March 30, 2019 at 11:27 am

Excellent lesson with lots of good tips. you explain things very well. thanks,
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Paintncats on June 1, 2019 at 11:29 pm

Hi Tony,
There doesn’t seem to be a link to the drawing layout for the Early Spring Landscape Weeping Willows Scene project. I got the drawing layout for the tree technique but cannot find the one for the landscape scene itself. Thanks,
Peggy
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Paintncats on July 7, 2019 at 12:37 pm

Hi Tony, Just making sure you got my first note about the missing drawing layout for the Early Spring Landscape Weeping Willows Scene project. The one for the single Willow tree technique is posted, but not the one for this project with willows and the building. Thanks, Peggy
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