Lessons in the landscape

Autumn is a season bursting with a rich palette of vibrant colour. It is a time of harvest, falling leaves, fruiting fungi and glorious sunsets. Most of us will have enjoyed walks through autumn woodland and witnessed sunlight bursting through the trees, illuminating the dazzling patchwork of yellows, oranges and reds in the leaves.

The subject for the following demonstration is an autumn path, leading the way into the morning sunlight on Highgate Common, near Stourbridge. We shall look at how to tackle a complicated scene with lots of information and simplify it, to help capture the essence of the moment. We are going to explore techniques and methods for painting groups of brightly coloured leaves effectively, and how to achieve a sense of depth in the woodland by painting in layers.

You will need

■ Surface

• Canvas or canvas board 18×14in. (46×36cm)