Marcus Chen
Birch trees are a popular theme for artists, with their pretty white bark and delicate shadows. In this step-by-step guide, you will learn how to paint birch trees with either a black or blue background, using simple techniques and materials. This tutorial is perfect for beginners and can be followed using acrylic paint on canvas or paper. So, grab your paintbrush and let's get started on creating beautiful birch tree artwork!
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Supplies | Titanium white, navy blue, black, and gray acrylic paint, painter's tape, a large flat brush, a small flat brush, a round brush, a canvas |
| Background color | Light blue, gray, and a little mustard yellow |
| First steps | Lay your canvas vertically, apply 2-3 full strips of masking tape diagonally, cut 2-3 strips in half lengthwise, paint the entire canvas using a 3/4 wash brush |
| Next steps | Paint the trunks of the trees, add shadows, touch up the trunk with black paint, add leaves |
| Additional tips | Use a tiny round brush to paint stars, use a credit card to add black markings, use an old credit card or cardboard to create patterns with paint |
What You'll Learn
Prepare your canvas and paint colours
To prepare your canvas, you will need a few materials. These include titanium white, navy blue, black, and grey acrylic paint for the birch trees. You can then choose your background colours, for example, light blue, grey, and a little mustard yellow. You will also need painter's tape, a large flat brush, a small flat brush, a round brush, and a pre-gessoed canvas for ease of preparation.
To begin, decide on the size of your canvas. A recommended size is 16x20 inches (41cm x 51¾cm). Lay your canvas vertically. If you want neat edges, you can mask off the sides of your canvas with painter's tape or masking tape.
Next, prepare your paint colours. Squeeze out a dollop of each colour onto your palette. If you are painting a night scene, you will need more black paint. For a daytime scene, use three dollops of white paint and one of cerulean blue. Mix a little water into each colour to help the paint spread smoothly.
Now, you can start painting your background. Use a large flat brush and paint horizontally across the canvas, moving from left to right. As you move down the canvas, add more blue and black to the brush, reducing the amount of white paint. By the time you reach the bottom of the canvas, you should be using a combination of only blue and black paint.
Let the background paint dry. Then, mix a light grey colour by combining white paint, a little black, and a tiny touch of blue. You can now start painting the trunks of the birch trees. It's okay if they're a little wobbly—wobbly lines will make the trees look more natural! Odd numbers of tree trunks tend to look best, but you can paint as many as you like.
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Use painter's tape to block out the trees
Birch trees are a popular theme for artists, and their white bark makes for a nice change from the usual black and brown trees. One of the easiest ways to paint birch trees is to use painter's tape to block out the trees. This method can be used on both canvas and paper, and the painter's tape can be used to create a resist.
To begin, lay your canvas vertically. Apply 2-3 full strips of painter's tape that go up the canvas but are slightly diagonal, mimicking the angle of a birch tree. You can also cut or tear the tape into halves or thirds lengthwise—the uneven edges will create great tree texture. Make sure the tape goes all the way to the edges of the canvas, and even wrap it around the edges if you need to.
If you are using paper, you can tape off the edges of your paper if you want neat edges. If you don't mind about having neat edges, you can skip this step.
Now, paint over the painter's tape. If you are using canvas, you can paint the entire canvas using a 3/4 wash brush and your chosen colour. For a night-time scene, you can use black paint, and for a daytime scene, use three dollops of white and one of cerulean blue. If you are using paper, you can paint horizontally across the page, back and forth, using white, a little blue, and a tiny touch of black. As you move down the page, add more blue and black, and at the bottom of the page, just use blue and black, with no white.
Once the paint is dry, carefully peel off the painter's tape to reveal the white birch trees.
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Paint the background
Painting the background for a birch tree painting is a fun and creative process that can be done in several ways. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you get started:
Choose Your Colour Scheme:
Decide on the colour scheme for your background. You can go for a traditional blue sky, a night sky in black or dark green, or even experiment with other colours like a light blue, grey, or mustard yellow for a wintery feel.
Prepare Your Canvas:
Use painter's tape or masking tape on the edges of your canvas to keep it clean. You can also use tape to create a resist for your trees, blocking out their shapes on the canvas. If you want a guide for tree placement, use a pencil to make random lines before painting.
With your colours chosen, it's time to fill in your background. Use a large, flat brush to paint the entire canvas, including the sides, with your chosen colours. You can layer colours, starting with a base and adding washes of other colours on top. If the colours are too bright, go back over them with white paint to mute the shade.
Create Texture (Optional):
Before removing the tape, you can add texture to your background. For a night sky, use a tiny round brush to paint clusters of tiny dots for stars, or even try some splatter techniques.
Remove the Tape:
Once the paint is dry, carefully peel away the tape from your canvas to reveal the beautiful white birch tree shapes. Don't worry if a little colour seeped underneath; this is normal. Do this step slowly to avoid ripping the canvas or paper.
Remember, the background of your birch tree painting is a great opportunity to experiment with colours and textures, so feel free to let your creativity flow and make it your own!
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Paint the tree trunks
Painting the trunks of the birch trees is a simple process. Start by painting your background, using a large flat brush. You can use any colours you like, but for a wintery feel, use a combination of light blue, grey, and a hint of mustard yellow. You can also use a pencil to make random lines as a guide for your tree placement.
Next, mix a light grey from a lot of white, a little black, and a tiny touch of blue. Paint the trunks of the birch trees in, remembering that odd numbers tend to look best. Don't worry if your trunks are a little wobbly—this makes them look more natural! Leave the painting to dry.
Now, use watered-down grey paint to add shadows behind some of the trees. Be sure to leave some of the bright background showing through for dimension. Finally, touch up any areas on the trunks with a paintbrush and black paint. Keep your strokes loose for a more organic feel.
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Add shadows, snow, and foliage
To add shadows, snow, and foliage to your birch tree painting, follow these steps:
Shadows
Use a combination of light and dark shades to create a realistic, three-dimensional effect. Start by adding shadows to the foliage to make it look more lifelike. You can create shadows by using slightly watered-down grey paint and brushing it behind some of the trees. Ensure you don't cover the entire background; leave some bright areas showing through for dimension.
Snow
If you want to add snow to your birch tree painting, consider using a technique called "negative painting," where you paint around the tree rather than the tree itself. This technique keeps the paper in the tree area bright white, creating a snowy effect. You can also suggest snowflakes in the sky by dropping a few crystals of kosher salt into the sky wash while it's still wet. Once the sky is dry, brush off the salt.
Foliage
For the leaves and foliage, use darker shades such as green, brown, and black. You can add depth and texture by using multiple shades of paint. For example, use a darker shade at the top of the tree and a lighter shade at the bottom. Additionally, you can create highlights and shadows with white paint to bring the painting to life.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need acrylic paint in colours such as titanium white, navy blue, black, and grey. You will also need painter's tape, a large flat brush, a small flat brush, a round brush, and a canvas.
The first step is to paint your background with a large flat brush. You can paint a wintery scene with light blue, grey, and a little mustard yellow. You can also add a tiny touch of black to create a sense of depth.
Use painter's tape to block out the trees on the canvas, creating a resist. Then paint over the painter's tape and peel it off when finished. You can also use an old credit card to create natural-looking textures.
