Autumn Atmosphere

As autumn approaches, the lush green foliage of summer transforms into a stunning display of yellow, gold, red and orange. This shift in the landscape not only provides inspiration but also introduces unique challenges for artists. One of the most exciting—and trickiest—aspects is figuring out how to capture those vibrant fall colors as they fade into the distance. Here are three simple guidelines to inform your color decisions and help you build those layers of atmosphere in your seasonal landscapes.

Identify the Light Sources

In any landscape, the sun and the sky serve as the two primary light sources. The sun provides a warm, dominant light, while the sky emits a cooler, blue-toned light. When you observe your scene, look for areas that are bathed in direct sunlight—these will appear warm and bright, often glowing with yellow and golden tones. Meanwhile, the light from the sky offers more subtle influences, but is most noticeable in shadowed areas and elements in the distance. As you make mental notes of the light sources, this will influence the degrees of saturation in your colors, with colors in areas of direct and reflected light being more saturated than areas influenced by the sky light, which will be less saturated. Recognizing how these light sources interact is key to the next step. 

Map the Light and Shadow

Once you’ve identified the light sources, it’s time to map out the areas of light and shadow in your composition. Consider where the sunlight directly hits, where it reflects, and how it diffuses across the scene. In this painting of golden aspen trees, the bright light illuminates the leaves and ground, while the spruce trees are backlit, creating a glow around the edges but leaving their centers in shadow. In the distance, the hills fall largely into shadow, adding depth to the scene.

Mix Foreground, Middle Ground and Distant Color Relationships

Once you’ve defined your light and shadow areas, focus on the color relationships between the foreground, middle ground and background. Areas of direct sunlight in the foreground will often be the brightest and warmest hues. Use intense, pure colors like yellow, red and ochre for these spaces. Where these warm hues occur into the middle ground and distance, they become less saturated, gradually blending with the cooler blue tones of the sky.

In shadowed areas, the foreground shadows will appear dark and warm, often created with mixtures featuring Payne’s gray and cadmium red. As you move into the middle ground and beyond, however, the blue light from the sky becomes more dominant, making the shadows lighter and cooler as they recede.

Seeing the Shifts

By carefully observing and understanding how light, shadow and color interact in the landscape, you can better express the unique beauty of autumn in your paintings. Remember, the key is to pay attention to the subtle shifts in warmth and coolness, as well as the intensity of color as it moves through the atmosphere. With attention to these elements, and with practice, you’ll be able to convey the richness and depth of the autumn’s vibrant colors, creating artwork that truly captures the remarkable beauty of the season.

Meet the Artist

Scott Maier is an artist and a content contributor to artistsnetwork.com. He’s also the author of the instructional art book See, Think, Draw: An Easy Guide for Realistic Drawing and Beyond.