How to Paint Trees with Fall Leaves - ’Early One Morning’ Oil Painting by Bill Inman

How to paint trees with fall colors and a walking path in a quick and colorful Impressionistic style. ’Early One Morning’ was inspired by a trip I took with my 8 year old daughter to drop off some paintings for the Indiana Heritage Arts Show. The trees were in full fall glory and breathtaking as we traveled and hiked around many of the back roads of Nashville, Indiana. Watching these fast motion films is a great way to get a sense for the development from abstract color shapes to the refining touches of leaves and branches that bring life to the painting. Starting with several different colors of greens, yellows, and oranges for the backdrop I quickly lay in abstract shapes with large bristle brushes and then begin to refine the shapes into recognizable patterns of trees and leaves. This is not like the formula paintings Bob Ross created that so many artists around the world have come to love. My painting style is based on principles professional artists use like abstract color