Art Workshops: Leaf Looker Season | Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff

As summer slowly fades away, nature's most spectacular display begins to unfold across the scenic landscapes of North Carolina. The annual phenomenon known as the "Leaf Lookers" season draws artists, photographers, and nature enthusiasts from far and wide to witness the breathtaking transformation of foliage from lush greens to vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows – and this season is the topic of today’s installment of our art workshops series. For those eager to capture the ephemeral beauty of this season on canvas or paper, a well-prepared travel art kit and sketchbook are essential companions. In this guide, we hope to inspire you to slow down and capture North Carolina's fall foliage with a sketchbook in addition to your camera.

Choosing the Right Travel Art Kit

Before embarking on your creative journey, it's crucial to assemble a travel art kit that strikes a balance between functionality and portability. Consider a lightweight and compact kit that doesn't compromise on quality. Here at Cheap Joe's Art Stuff, we offer a range of high-quality travel art supplies that will ensure you're well-equipped to capture the stunning fall foliage:

Watercolor Painting Sets: A portable watercolor palette with a variety of colors is a must-have for capturing the intricate hues of autumn leaves. Look for sets that come with a built-in mixing area and a water brush to simplify the painting process.
Sketching Pencils and Erasers: For preliminary sketches and outlines, a set of sketching pencils and erasers will help you achieve accurate proportions and perspectives in your artwork.
Travel Brushes: Compact and versatile travel brushes are designed to provide precise strokes and allow for various painting techniques. Synthetic brushes are an excellent option for watercolor, as they retain their shape and hold water well.
Sketchbook: Invest in a high-quality sketchbook with heavyweight paper that can handle watercolor techniques. Choose a size that fits comfortably in your travel bag, allowing you to capture scenes on the go. We offer a wide range of sketchbooks and journal books right here at Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff.
Paint Palettes and Mixing Trays: If your chosen watercolor set doesn't include a mixing palette, consider a foldable or detachable palette for convenient color mixing.

Planning Your Artistic Exploration

North Carolina boasts a diverse range of landscapes, from the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains to charming small towns and picturesque countryside. To make the most of your artistic journey, plan your locations in advance based on the fall foliage forecast. Websites and social media platforms often provide updates on the changing colors, helping you pick the most vibrant spots.
Consider including the following locations in your itinerary:

Blue Ridge Parkway: This iconic scenic highway offers breathtaking views of the changing leaves against the backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Explore the overlooks and hiking trails for different perspectives.
Asheville: The vibrant arts scene in Asheville offers not only inspiration but also a variety of subjects to capture, from historic architecture to bustling farmers' markets.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park: This UNESCO World Heritage Site is renowned for its biodiversity and stunning foliage. Choose from a range of trails suited to different levels of hikers.
Biltmore Estate: The grandeur of the Biltmore Estate, combined with its meticulously landscaped gardens, provides a unique opportunity to capture the intersection of human design and natural beauty.

Now that you're equipped with the right tools and inspired by your chosen locations, let's delve into some ideas that will help you bring the fall foliage to life on your canvas or sketchbook.

In fall, colors shift from a sea of summer greens to the warm red, orange, and yellow side of the color wheel, contrasted with fading golden greens, deep blue skies, and sometimes pale blue-gray fog. Instead of focusing only on the colorful trees, make use of the vibrant fall colors against a contrasting backdrop to create a visual impact. Experiment with compositions that emphasize the interplay between the colorful foliage and the surrounding environment. Some of our favorite watercolors for a fall foliage palette are Quinacridone Sienna, Halloween Orange, Joe's Red, Raw Umber Violet, and Carr Yellow. Green Gold and Olive Green are perfect for grasses and waning greens. However, with all that warmth, you'll need to find opportunities to offset it with cooler passages. Cerulean Blue and Pat's Coastal Blue are ideal for fall skies and pale fog. Shadows that include a touch of blue or purple will also help. Even in brightly colored fall landscapes, not all colors will be full intensity. Muted and earth tones are also common in fall landscapes and will help make the bright pops of color shine. Tone down the intensity of a color with its complement (its opposite on the color wheel): yellow's complement is purple, blue's is orange, and red's is green. For example, you can get a range of colors and values from a bright yellow if you mute it with a bit of purple, warm it up by adding a touch of red, and make a golden green by adding a touch of blue. Cool down a red with blue, warm it up and lighten it with a yellow, and mute it with a green. You can mute a green with red, cool it with blue, and warm it up with yellow. Mix a small range of each color in your palette, varying the ratio of each color, to find those quieter tones.

You'll notice that the shadows and value contrasts are a bit higher in the fall as the sun rides lower in the sky, creating an almost perpetual sunset light. Capturing this "raking light" and strong dark-light contrasts will give you that fall feeling. Let your shadows become strong compositional shapes that can add structure to your sketch.

Focus on simplified color shapes of whole trees rather than individual leaves, laying in light washes of the basic colors and values as your base. Gradually layer richer, warmer tones to build depth and dimension as you move from background to foreground. Leverage the principles of atmospheric perspective by painting distant elements with softer edges and cooler tones, while foreground elements exhibit more vivid hues, greater value contrast, and crisp details.

Tips for Capturing Fall Foliage

Now that you're equipped with the right tools and inspired by your chosen locations, let's delve into some ideas that will help you bring the fall foliage to life on your canvas or sketchbook.

In fall, colors shift from a sea of summer greens to the warm red, orange, and yellow side of the color wheel, contrasted with fading golden greens, deep blue skies, and sometimes pale blue-gray fog. Instead of focusing only on the colorful trees, make use of the vibrant fall colors against a contrasting backdrop to create a visual impact. Experiment with compositions that emphasize the interplay between the colorful foliage and the surrounding environment. Some of our favorite watercolors for a fall foliage palette are Quinacridone Sienna, Halloween Orange, Joe's Red, Raw Umber Violet, and Carr Yellow. Green Gold and Olive Green are perfect for grasses and waning greens. However, with all that warmth, you'll need to find opportunities to offset it with cooler passages. Cerulean Blue and Pat's Coastal Blue are ideal for fall skies and pale fog; shadows that include a touch of blue or purple will also help. Even in brightly colored fall landscapes, not all colors will be full intensity. Muted and earth tones are also common in fall landscapes and will help make the bright pops of color shine. Tone down the intensity of a color with its complement (its opposite on the color wheel): yellow's complement is purple, blue's is orange, and red's is green. For example, you can get a range of colors and values from a bright yellow if you mute it with a bit of purple, warm it up by adding a touch of red, and make a golden green by adding a touch of blue. Cool down a red with blue, warm it up and lighten it with a yellow, and mute it with a green. You can mute a green with red, cool it with blue, and warm it up with yellow. Mix a small range of each color in your palette, varying the ratio of each color, to find those quieter tones.

Embrace the Palette of a North Carolina Autumn

North Carolina's fall foliage, affectionately known as the "Leaf Lookers" season, is a visual symphony that demands to be captured on canvas or paper. Armed with a thoughtfully curated travel art kit and sketchbook, you can embark on a creative journey through the breathtaking landscapes, quaint towns, and majestic mountains that define this season. Cheap Joe's Art Stuff provides a wide array of travel-friendly supplies, ensuring that you have everything you need to translate the fleeting beauty of autumn into everlasting works of art. So, pack your bags, set your artistic intentions, and let the vibrant colors of fall inspire your creativity like never before.