Tree Sketches in Pencil, Colored Pencil and Black Ink

Spruce - pencil

Still sketching away - every day! Here's an update on the tree sketches I've challenged myself to do every day of 2014. There are 46 sketches so far.

You can see all the sketches on my Facebook page: Tree Sketches 2014

I've posted twelve of them below:

The Year of the Tree - Trees Pencil Sketches

OK, so starting six days late, but I'm planning to sketch trees every morning for all of 2014. 360 tree drawings!

This is in answer to a challenge in a group I belong to: pick something that you will do every day for at least 15 minutes. It should be fun, silly or cool.  I have been longing to create tree art for years, so this is it for me. Perhaps it will lead to more tree paintings.

I can see me spending more than 15 minutes a day at this, but the sketchbook is small, so that will help!

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Birches at White Lake in Autumn Watercolor Painting

"Birches at White Lake in Autumn"

White Lake in New Hampshire is beautiful. It has a completely white sand bottom from one end to the other formed by a glacier long ago, and the water is crystal clear.

The lake inspired this painting of birch trees in autumn. But there is a lot of imagination sprinkled throughout, so hunt though you might, you will not find this exact spot!  I hope you like it nonetheless.

Fall Reflections Autumn Watercolor Painting

Fall Reflections is a scene of autumn trees that I have painted before in oil on canvas. I received a request to paint it in watercolor - it was a great opportunity to try the scene in a different medium. It is a companion piece for another autumn watercolor I will do for the same client.

All paintings start with an inspiration - mine often are inspired by the natural world that surrounds me. Below is the scene near my studio that inspired this painting. As you can see in the painting above, I added more color and moved the pond to the foreground so we can see the reflections.

Here's how I did this painting:

Carolina Wren in a Birch Tree Watercolor Painting Demonstration

One of my collectors loves wrens. I don't blame her, they are sweet little birds and one of my favorites too. She has commissioned paintings of wrens for each of the four seasons. This one is the final one of that collection - she likes birches and asked for a wren in a birch tree.

Let's see how I did this 8x10 inch watercolor painting:

Japanese Maple Leaves Autumn Watercolor Painting

To continue my Autumn Collection, here is a painting using Japanese Maple leaves as templates. They have such a pretty design as they are, and their deep burgundy color is lovely. In this piece, I saved most of the color for the background allowing the leaves to show lighter against the deeper colors of autumn.
Below is a video so you can see how I painted this.

Paper Birches in Autumn watercolor paintings

More birches! These two are very nice together and, in fact, I painted them at the same time with the same palette of primary colors - one that works especially well with autumn paintings: cadmium red, french ultramarine blue and cadmium yellow.

The scene to the left is inspired by a view that I like in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. There is a mountain road that twists and winds through the mountain range from East to West called the Kancamagus Highway.

Along this road on the eastern portion is a stony river. You might see it behind the trees along with a peek at a mountain top in the distance.

White paper birches line the roadside in many places like in this painting which is 7"x5" painted on handmade watercolor paper.

Paper birch trees, with their bright white bark that glows in the sunlight are a favorite of mine. I enjoy painting these lovely trees especially in autumn when the maples and oaks lend color to the background.

To the right is a grouping of four birch trees also 7"x5" and painted on handmade watercolor paper.

Both of the original Birch Tree Paintings are sold.

But fine art prints on watercolor paper or canvas are available in my Fine Art Print shop here: Birch Trees Prints.

Apple Tree Original Watercolor Painting

The apples are red and ripe in this 8"x10" watercolor of an apple tree in a field. It's that time of year again to go apple picking. Just think of coming home with bushels of delicious, crisp, juicy fruit to make apple pie, applesauce, apple cake...and eat apples just as they are straight from the tree!
In any case, that must be what has inspired me to paint this piece.Thanks for stopping by. I hope you have some yummy apples to pick where you are.

The original painting is sold, but you can contact me if you would like to order a print.

Paper Birch Trees in the Mountains - original watercolor painting

Paper birch trees are stunning in a natural setting, especially when there is some fall color as in this scene. In this painting, the white bark of the tree trunks is enlivened by some bright maple leaves from a young sapling growing near them.

This piece was inspired by a group of trees along a mountain path. The trees against the bright autumn leaves caught my eye while I was climbing Mt. Chocorua in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

This painting has been sold, but you can contact me to have one made just for you.

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Looking for something special? Contact me for a custom painting or to have a print made of a painting you like.

Paper Birch Trees Watercolor Painting

I think I'm on a roll with painting birch trees. These are some that are just down the road from my place. This view is looking up a bit into the trees. The scene is set in early fall with the leaf colors just beginning to turn.


Take a look at my Autumn artwork in my Etsy shop. Thanks for checking out my newest painting and have a lovely day!

Path with Birches Original Watercolor Painting

Ooh! I could feel it in the air today... a cool, crisp, blue-sky, breezy kind of day...a few leaves fluttering down. Yes, autumn is in the air even though it's not yet here.

So I painted an autumn scene that was inspired by a path around a lake in New Hampshire, one of my favorite places to be at this time of year. Paper birches are abundant in that area and so pretty with autumn foliage.

You can find my birch tree art prints for sale in my Fine Art Prints Shop.

Original birch tree paintings are in my Original Art Shop when available.

Thanks for stopping by!

Paper Birch Trees in Autumn Watercolor Paintings

My watercolor students have been painting trees all summer. Most recently, we practiced birch trees. What I like about my students is that they will watch me demonstrate and then paint in their own unique styles with no two paintings coming out alike. I give them helpful tips and advice while painting and we have lots of fun.
After class is over, I will often work more on my demo paintings until I feel they are truly finished.

Below are two that I started during our last class and finished later. I like to paint birches against the bright colors of autumn.

 Both of the original Birch Tree Paintings are sold.

But fine art prints on watercolor paper or canvas are available in my Fine Art Print shop here: Birch Trees Prints.

Carolina Wren Nesting Watercolor Painting Demonstration

Though it's just about August and I've already begun painting some fall scenes, here is a May painting just completed. A lovely lady from Canada requested a painting of a wren in Springtime to add to her wren collection. I'm happy to oblige!

Here's how I did this painting - you can click any of the images to see them larger:

Hummingbird, Red Bee Balm, Crabapple Tree - Painting Outdoors

It was such a gorgeous day yesterday, that I could not stay inside. All plans for whatever I was GOING to paint went out the window as I headed out the door with paintbrush, palette and watercolor paper to paint in the garden.

The first painting I did yesterday was of the red bee balm blooming by the side of the house. I did not see the hummingbird fly to the flowers, but I heard him buzz by my head. So he was most likely waiting for me to finish the painting and be gone. That's what I did.

The second painting I did was totally unexpected. I'd set up my stuff underneath the crabapple tree and meant to paint the hydrangea flowers blooming in front of me.

However, I had not brought out the umbrella, so there were dappled sunlight and shadows on my paper meaning it would be difficult to see what I was doing. Rather than fight it, I just went with it and painted the shadows on my paper. This is what resulted. Lots of fun, and what a great day!

Hawaii Palm Trees, Surf and Surfer at Waikiki - Tropicals Collection #5

Everywhere there is surf, there are surfers on Oahu. In this painting which is #5 in my Tropicals Collection, a surfer stands by the sea ready to go out and catch some waves.
I painted this watercolor outdoors on site (en plein air).

Mahalo! Thanks for stopping by today.

 More Zeh Original Art Hawaii paintings.

Cove at Waikiki - seascape and palm trees original painting

Right on the western edge of Waikiki Beach in Honolulu is a small sparkling cove that is shallow and just right for small children or anyone who does not want to brave the surf. Each morning, one can see joggers and walkers strolling or running on the walkways along the beach.

I painted this scene one morning looking towards the cove from the lanai (balcony) of the Ilikai Marina - 11th floor.

This painting is sold, but you can see more of my Hawaii paintings here.  Mahalo! Thanks for stopping by.

A Winter Day - Oil Painting on Canvas Demonstration

This is the story of a painting that almost did not happen. Most of the time, I have more ideas than I can ever paint. I don't know if it was the bleakness of winter or the post holiday let-down, but I was singularly not inspired to do a January landscape painting in oil on canvas no matter how much I WANTED to do one.
I spent hours walking through the countryside looking for inspiration. I took photos and rummaged through all the pictures I had taken throughout the years.  Finally, in desperation, I picked out a photo of an interesting tree in the snow and, putting myself in front of a canvas, picked up a pencil to draw a scene. Sometimes that is the best way to do things. I believe that if I just put myself in front of a project, things will happen. I just have to show up.
And so this is the story of "Winter Day". After I began the painting, we had a major snowstorm - 22 inches of the stuff. That, along with the birds at the feeder outside my window, helped with the inspiration!

Painting Birch Trees - a demonstration in oil

This new oil painting is going to look familiar to you if you've been following the painting demonstrations.

When the person who bought "Autumn Blaze"  showed off her painting, a family member fell in love with it, but could not persuade her to part with it.
So, he ordered a larger piece of the same scene and wanted some birch trees included which are a favorite of his. I agreed to do it as I love painting birches and autumn scenes.

I won't demonstrate the entire painting as I've already done that; just the birches. Here you can see me beginning the painting. It gives you an idea of the size: 20"x30"

When it comes to birches, I like to paint them in groups of two or three.

Here, I'm painting a blue-gray base color for the trunks. The leaves are yellow. I'll add some touches of green to them later.

Fall Reflections - Landscape Oil Painting on Canvas

I needed a break between commission paintings and pet portraits, so out came a 16" x 20" canvas and my autumn colors!

There is a hayfield down the road which I am sure was once used for cattle, but is now just for haying.  In the middle of it is a clump of trees surrounding a small pond which is very picturesque when the leaves turn color in the fall.

So, I decided to paint it and put the pond in front of the trees so the reflections of the colors would be visible.

Painting Autumn Leaves in Watercolor

Here is a painting of colorful autumn leaves found on one of my walks through the countryside. The oak leaf is still green, but the maples have turned lovely shades of red and gold.The leaves are set off by a rich, deep background.


It's easy to do a painting like this:

1. Taking a leaf, paint the underside first with a thin layer of dish soap to make the watercolor stick more easily, then with watercolor. Put the leaf paint side down on the watercolor paper and hold it there with one hand.
2. With your brush and some rich color, paint out from the leaf all around it to do part of the background.  The leaf acts as a template.
3. Remove the leaf - your leaf will be white with splotches - and repeat with another leaf, overlapping a little. Repeat several times.
4. Paint the leaves - they will already have some background color in them - and add veins and other details.
5. Deepen the background color around the leaves to define them and make them pop out.
6. Let me know how your leaf painting turned out. :)

• You can see more of my work at ZehOriginalArt.com. Thanks for stopping by today!