Painting Trees

Painting Northern Ontario Trees

Trees are simple subjects; trunks, branches, needles or leaves. What could be simpler? Despite their simplicity many artists underestimate the need to become familiar with them. If you don’t know your subject, chances are you can’t paint it very well.

The best way to get to know trees is by sketching them. Grab your sketchpad, head into the bush and sketch trees.  Every tree you sketch will bring you closer to an understanding of them.

What should you look for?

Ok, so while you are out in the bush with your sketchpad, what tree characteristics you should look for?  What is it that defines each one’s personality? There really are only three things: shape, colour and location, so lets have a look at them..

Shape (Growth habit)

The normal shape that each species prefers is known as its growth habit. Knowing this characteristic shape is not only the best way to identify the various species, but it also makes drawing and painting them a cinch.

Immediately obvious, of course, is whether it is a deciduous or evergreen tree. Next you want to check out the main trunk; is it a single, tall, tapering, trunk with smaller branches coming off of it? Or does the main trunk explode into a fireworks type of crown?

Deciduous Tree shapes: All trees arrange their branches to catch as much sunlight as possible. Most deciduous trees do this by spreading their branches out in a broad crown. Elms and Maples in particular have very broad crowns with multiple trunks, sort of vase shaped. Poplars, birches, ashes and oaks tend to have narrower crowns and only one main trunk. A significant characteristic of most deciduous trees is that their crowns, whether broad and round or tall and narrow, usually have quite even outside edges with no branches sticking out further than the others.

You will notice that branches on deciduous trees exit the trunk quite vertically. This is quite different than evergreen trees whose branches exit close to 90 degrees.  On birches and poplars this results in inverted V-shaped branch scars on the trunk bark.

The branches themselves differ somewhat between these species.  Birch branches tend to be thin and straight and often appear to be purple in colour in the winter. Poplar branches exit the trunk at about the same angle but are not as straight, tending to bend somewhat at where every twig leaves the branch. Oak branches are rugged looking, twisting and turning in various directions. These differences are most obvious in the summer, but whenever you are sketching or painting trees, it is worth paying attention to the branch angles and shapes.

Nearly all evergreens, on the other hand, capture maximum rays by tapering their branch length from long at the bottom to short at the top. However, there are significant differences in branch shape that makes species identification easier. (see below for description of individual species)

Habitat can influence shape. This is quite dramatic in some species. Lodgepole Pine, for example, grow very short and scraggly when growing along the BC coast but are tall and straight only a short distance inland. When growing here they are very similar to Jack Pine (they are uncommon in our area but more common in the Whiteshell area. They will hybridize with Jack pine). Black Spruce is another tree that changes its growth habit considerably in different habitats. Habitat will affect most species to some extent.

Note that trees do not support unproductive branches. If a branch doesn’t produce more than it consumes, it simply dies. The result is that trees growing in dense forests tend to be tall, with few lower branches. In the open will be full with healthy branches right to the ground.

Colour

Leaf and needle colour changes from species to species. Jack Pine needles are a warm green whereas White Spruce needles are a cool bluish green, etc.

Deciduous tree leaves also vary in colour. Large-toothed Aspen are a paler green than Trembling Aspen and become more orange in the fall. Birch leaves are often a warmer green.  Red Maple fall colours can vary from a deep purple-red to yellow depending, apparently, on the acidity of the soil.

Colour differences are most obvious in the spring when leaves are new and fresh on the deciduous trees. As summer progresses, the greens tend to merge together. Even evergreens show some variation in early summer when new growth is taking place. Note that evergreen needles don’t last forever. Some of the pines, for example, lose 1/3 of their needles every year and the old reddish brown needles will often persist on the tree for awhile. This is most noticeable on White Pine and Cedar.

Location

As noted above, habitat location can affect both shape and colour. Another consideration when painting, however, is the trees location relative to you, the viewer. Is the tree is in the foreground, midground or background?  Its location in your landscape will affect the painted shape and colour.

Some tree facts

In all species trunk and branch growth takes place at the tips. Break off the trunk tip of a tree and the trunk will cease to grow. Trunk and branch diameters increase because of growth in the cambium layer just under the bark. This growth affects only the diameter of the trunk or branch, not the length. If you drive a nail into a tree trunk at 6’ off the ground, it will still be 6’ up in ten years time.

Growth rate differs in each of these locations. Branch growth is slower than trunk growth. Red Pine, for example, can easily grow over 1 foot in height each year, but branch length is never tis great, nor is the growth in trunk or branch diameter. Evergreens generally allow only one main trunk at a time and if its tip dies off, there will be a competition for one of the branches to take over the role of trunk. Once a branch becomes dominant in this role, vertical growth in other branches will be inhibited. A somewhat similar process takes place in deciduous trees. While this characteristic is common to many species, you will notice that cedar trees will often develop extra trunks alongside the main one. Black spruce also will occasionally develop a second trunk, usually near the top.

Note that evergreen branches usually occur in whorls around the trunk, with a new whorl being added each year. You can often determine the age of an evergreen, especially the younger ones, by counting the number of spaces between these whorls. Fir and spruce will usually grow some small branches between these whorls. These annual whorls of branches are obvious in young White and Red Pine but as the tree ages, many branches are lost and the annual growth is harder to see.

Some painting tips

Branch angle:

Each species has its own predominant branch angle, although there often are a few branches that depart from the norm. Realize also that branches come off all around the trunk and not just to the right and left. Those coming toward you have to be foreshortened when you paint or draw them.

Trunk taper:

Note that tree trunks don’t usually have a continuous taper, instead, the diameter gets smaller where each major branch leaves.

Branch scars:

Note the “branch scars” that branches leave in birch and poplar that are the result of the trunk expanding in diameter around the angled branch. These scars are not present in evergreens because of the nature of the bark and the fact that branches in many species exit the trunk at or near 90 degrees rather than at a steep angle.

Sky holes:

Note the “sky holes” that occur within the foliage. Sections of branches will be often be visible through these holes. Note also that when you paint them, the sky colour will have to be slightly darker than the actual sky colour otherwise it will appear to be too bright (because of “simultaneous contrast”).

Contrasts:

Note particularly the light and dark, warm and cool, areas of the foliage; it is these contrasts that will give shape and interest to your tree. It is okay to emphasize these contrasts. Pay particular attention to the warm and cool areas; varying the greens will add a lot of interest.

Values:

One of the “rules” of landscape painting involves the relative values (brightness or darkness) of various objects in the painting that depend upon their orientation. The brightest element is usually the sky. Horizontal surfaces, the ground, will be next.  Hill sides will be next and vertical objects, trees, for example, will be the darkest. These relationships can, of course, be upset by cloud shadows, sunlit spots and winter snow, but they are a good starting point.

Colour:

Green is a difficult colour to handle in large doses. The trick is to vary the hue. Every species has it’s own dominant version of green, but there will always be some variations. Look closely for them and they will become obvious. And don’t be afraid to emphasize hue and colour temperature differences in your paintings.

Location:

When painting landscapes it is important to consider the location of the tree in your painting.  Is it in the foreground, the midground or the background? Each location requires its own treatment. As trees recede, their colours fade and tend toward blue or purple. Of course the fall season offers great opportunities for colour variety. We don’t have the large numbers of Maples here that occur in the East, but there are enough other colourful trees and shrubs to offer a wide range of fall colour.

Every species has its own preferred habitat. In hilly country you will often notice that the tree species will change as you move up from low areas to hill tops. This can be a very prominent feature in landscape painting and is worth watching for.

One final note:

Keep in mind as you sketch and paint trees that shape, value and colour are the important features you want to capture. Detail is your last concern, and, in fact, it should not even be considered in midground and background trees – it simply is not needed. Capture the characteristic shape of the trees, then, if it is absolutely necessary, pop in a bit of detail.

Common Trees around Lake of the Woods

White Pine

Pines have broader crowns than Spruce and Fir. Branches at the top usually slant up. Lower down as branches get longer they usually angle down. Each years growth adds three or four new branches. They usually lose a lot of these as they mature. The branches are often wind formed. Their bark is greyer than Red Pine bark. White Pines live longer than any other tree in our area; over 300 years is not uncommon.

Red Pine

Red Pine have reddish, flaky bark. Needles are about 3 to 4 inches long and grow in globular bunches of 5 looking like puff balls on branch tips .  Branches can be somewhat irregular in shape and placement. The crown is usually rounded.  They tend to be more uniform than White Pine, but can be quite variable. Life span is in the 100 year range.

  

Jack Pine

The Jack Pine is a cousin to the Red Pine. They are usually smaller than the other two pines. The bark is flaky and reddish grey. They are more irregular than Red Pine but less than White Pine. The foliage is noticeably warmer in colour than other pines.

White Spruce

We have two spruce species in our area, White and Black. White Spruce tend to have the conventional “Christmas tree” shape that tapers evenly to a bluntly pointed tip. The branches exit the trunk at 90 degrees, then angle slightly upward ending in a blunt point. As they get longer toward the bottom of the tree, the branches bend downward. White spruce can be somewhat variable, the differences usually occurring in the shape and angle of the branches rather than branch density and distribution. It is subtle, but if you look closely, you will often see marked differences, even between trees growing close together. Life span is around 50 to 100 years.

Black Spruce

One of my favourite trees. Their shape is quite variable and depends considerably on the habitat. In good soil they can be difficult to distinguish from White Spruce. In swampy habitat, however, they are generally tall and skinny with a noticeably larger and denser top. Their branches tend to angle downwards and end in a blunt fork with one piece angling up and the other down. Branches can be quite long, and may hang down along the tree or sweep out along the ground, sometimes even sprouting a new tree. Their colour, as the name suggests, is a very dark green. Needles are finer and shorter than White Spruce.

Their cones small and completely round where White Spruce have a football shaped cone about 1” long. Life span is around 50 to 100years but growth rate is much slower than White Spruce.

Balsam Fir

The primary identifying feature of Balsam Fir is the slender tapering, very uniform crown. They are sometimes referred to as “church steeple” trees. The branch shape and density is generally quite uniform and looks much like white spruce but tend to be more horizontal. The bark is smooth with a lot of sap bubbles on the surface. The cones appear at the crown, growing vertically up to 3”long and usually a bluish grey. Needles are flat and are a warm green.

Tamarack

Tamarack are a very ancient tree, midway in evolution between evergreens and deciduous trees. Their needles are short, fine and grow in little bunches. They turn yellow and are shed in the fall. They prefer wetter areas.

Cedar

Cedar often have very beautiful long sweeping lower branches. They prefer damp habitat. The colour is a warmer green than the pines. Their root system is usually quite shallow and they seem often to seek the company of large Pines for support and protection.

Aspen Poplar (Trembling aspen)

Aspen Poplar are one of the largest organisms on the planet. A single tree can, and will, spread via suckers emerging from the roots, to populate an entire grove. In fact, this is their normal way of propagating since their seeds require a prolonged and uninterrupted period of dampness to germinate.
Watch closely in the fall and you will easily be able to identify the individual groves. Since an entire grove is in reality just one tree all of them will lose their leaves at the same time but groves close to one another will often loose their leaves at different times..

Leaf colour in the fall is usually yellow, but you will occasionally see a few with pale orange leaves. The bark, on smaller trees, is smooth and coloured a pale green covered with a white powder as protection against the sun.

Largetooth aspen

They are similar to the aspen poplar but not as abundant.  Their leaves are slightly larger with round toothed edges. The bark is paler than the Trembling Aspen. The leaves come out earlier in the spring and are more orange in the fall. They are most noticeable in the spring since their leaves are a pale, mossy green when they first emerge.  As with all poplars, their propagation is mainly by suckers.

 

Black Poplar (Balm of Gilead, Balsam poplar, Box Elder)

Black poplar grows across Canada and, in fact, hybridizes and merges with Black Cottonwood across its range. It’s main characteristic is its very strong balsam smell. The leaves are larger and shinier than the other poplars and the bark a darker green than the aspens. They are short-lived trees.

White Birch

We only have one species of birch in this area. (Water Birch is really only a shrub). Birch like moist soil and are happiest when growing in a clump of 3 or more trunks, although trees with only one trunk are not uncommon.

Their branches tend to be slender at a steep vertical angle. You might notice that these branches on large clumps of trees take on a purple colour in the winter. Look closely at the white bark also, and you may notice subtle hints of a wide variety of colours. They usually grow in clumps of three or more and prefer damp areas.

Maple

        

Silver Maple

Red Maple

Mosse Maple (Mountain Maple)

Our most prevalent maple is Moose Maple (also called Mountain Maple). It us usually is little more than a shrub. It growth habit is usually a cluster of trunks in various stages of growth. A messy tree, with dead branches and trunks littering the ground.

We do have a few groves of Red Maple (Around Bunny Lake, for example), but this is the extreme limit of their range. A beautiful tree that can be any colour from yellow to bright red or deep purple in the fall depending, apparently, on soil acidity.  The summer foliage is also quite beautiful.

You will see a few Silver Maple around as well. They usually are a smaller tree in this area, although, there are a few giant ones in Kenora. They are a beautiful, delicate tree.

Ash

We have two species of ash; Green Ash and Black Ash which look identical except for the number of leaflets.  They prefer wet areas. They look very nice in bright sunlight, with their leaves usually all in a horizontal position. As with the oaks, they are slow to leaf out in the spring and quick to loose their leaves in the fall.

Oak

We have only one oak in the area, the Bur Oak, although I have seen a very few Red Oaks on the southern part of the lake. Bur Oak is a scrubby, twisted, often misshapen tree, with lots of character.