Fall Painting Ideas to Try When It’s Chilly Out

As the weather gets colder and the days get shorter, opportunities to spend time outside dwindle. What can you do for fun or entertainment when it's cold? Once pastimes like apple picking are done for the season, you should get out your paintbrushes and try your hand at one of these fall painting ideas.

Even if you've never painted before, there is something here for everyone. These fall painting ideas cover a wide range of inspiration. Some tutorials are inspired by the fall leaves and others are more specific to Thanksgiving or other autumnal occasions. These seasonal paintings are ideal for beginners as long as you are flexible on what the end result looks like.

Try not to take these projects too seriously and have fun with the process. If you are struggling with painting trees and leaves, try using a stencil and creating some word art instead.

01 of 11

Paint Some Bare Birch Trees

Persia Lou

Many fall paintings have colorful fall leaves, but later in the season, most of these leaves are on the ground and raked away. This bare birch tree painting is more of a transition between fall and winter and will look good on your wall any time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. If you want to recreate this painting, check out the tutorial. There are a couple of techniques that you will learn on Persia Lou that will make painting tree bark a much easier task.

DIY Birtch Tree Art from Persia Lou
02 of 11

Try out Some Beginner Fall Leaves

Delineate Your Dwelling

Colorful fall leaves can be frustrating to paint if you don't have much practice. This tutorial from Delineate Your Dwelling explores some basic shapes and shading and simplifies the process to make this painting easier for beginners. Once you have mastered these leaves with simple lines, you can graduate on to some of the more advanced tutorials later in this article.

Tips on How to Draw and Paint Autumn Leaves from Delineate Your Dwelling
03 of 11

Learn How to Paint Fall Trees

A Piece of Rainbow

Fall trees are spectacularly beautiful but also infamously difficult to paint. This watercolor tutorial from A Piece of Rainbow breaks down some clever painting techniques that will help you create a more realistic looking tree. Once you get good at creating the more challenging aspect of the branches, the leaves will be a fun way to complete the painting.

Watercolor Fall Tree Painting from A Piece of Rainbow
04 of 11

Practice Painting Various Fall Leaves

Kiley in Kentucky

Sometimes it's helpful to practice on a sketch pad before you create fall art for the wall. This tutorial from Kiley in Kentucky will teach you how to draw and paint a variety of fall leaves using watercolors. The more you practice, the more realistic the leaves will become.

How to Watercolor Fall Leaves from Kiley in Kentucky

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05 of 11

Figure out How to Paint a Pumpkin

Jennifer Rizzo

Are you over carving pumpkins but still want some long-lasting gourds in your fall decor? Painting a pumpkin might seem simple, but if you've never done it, the end result might end up looking more like a basketball. This tutorial from Jennifer Rizzo will show you how to paint this gourmet pumpkin like a pro.

How to Paint a Pumpkin from Jennifer Rizzo
06 of 11

Follow This More Advanced Leaf Tutorial

Elise Engh Studios

This fall painting idea is a helpful tutorial for more advanced painters who want to refine their watercolor skills. You'll need some small detail brushes and a handful of patience to get through these paintings. If you find zen when you paint, you won't mind the extra time needed to paint a leaf with this much detail.

How to Paint a Leaf in Watercolors from Elise Engh Studios
07 of 11

Make a Fall Inspired Thank You Card

The Postman's Knock

Don't limit your fall paintings to just canvases. Send your loved ones a hand painted thank you card that they will want to save (and perhaps hang on their wall). If you don't have an occasion to send a card like this, change up the lettering with a Thanksgiving motto like "thankful" and use a larger sheet of paper for some wall art.

Simple Twig Watercolor Thank You Card Tutorial from The Postman's Knock
08 of 11

Create Wall Art Using a Seasonal Quote

Lemon Thistle

Some people love painting still life objects like leaves or pumpkins, and other people can't be bothered. If you like being crafty but don't like painting, consider crafting this acrylic sign from Lemon Thistle. You can replicate the sign using this same fall-inspired quote, or you can pick a different one that speaks to you.

Fall DIY Acrylic Sign from Lemon Thistle

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09 of 11

Use Stencils to Paint Some Thankful Wall Art

Addicted 2 DIY

Sometimes simple is better, especially if you don't have a lot of time. Here is another tutorial that is designed for crafters but not necessarily painters. You will need to paint, but since you have a stencil to guide you, there's not much room for error. Check out Addicted 2 DIY for more details and tips on how to complete this project.

Easy Thanksgiving Burlap Canvas Art from Addicted 2 DIY
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Try out a Colorful Background

Craftaholics Anonymous

There is something about painting watercolor backgrounds that's relaxing. Once you know what you're doing, the colors blend effortlessly and the end result tends to be a beautiful mix of hues. Amplify any watercolor background you decide to paint with some fall leaf cut-outs, like you see here from Craftaholics Anonymous.

Fall Leaf Watercolor Painting Tutorial from Craftaholics Anonymous
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Paint a Sign With a Meaningful Message

Polkadot Chair

Technically, you could have this sign out all year if you favor farmhouse decor and you removed the leaf cut-out. However, the sentiment of gathering together is especially significant around Thanksgiving. Find out how Polkadot Chair transformed a blank paper into a three dimensional piece of fall art and then make one for your own dining room.

Gold Leaf Sign for Thanksgiving from Polkadot Chair

Good luck recreating these fall painting ideas, and happy crafting!

Fall Painting Ideas to Try When It’s Chilly Out

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