Find inspiration on the birch path

Birch path painting: no reference required

Birch path paintings did not have any reference. I’ve done many paintings without any references, just having some imagined concept and adding to it as I paint. Paintings with birches inspire many established artists and beginners, and birch path in early or late fall is such an inviting landscape since the viewer can walk into it. As you may know, I come originally from Latvia, and birch path and birch grove is a very characteristic view over there.

Original paintings by Inese Poga
Birch path, fall splendor, series of Birch path paintings in acrylic. Every painting has distinctive features, yet work very well together creating a completed and compositionally matching series

Simple composition

The composition is usually simple and leads to the focal point which might not always be very accentuated. However, some other of my paintings are just plainly depictions of colorful abstract leaves. My students always asked for birch path and birch tree paintings; therefore, I have many of them. I always paint along with students. After a while, when acrylic paint has reached its complete drying and settling moment, I’d evaluate the painting and add or remove some parts of it as required.

Original landscape paintings by Inese Poga
Close-up details of Birch path, 1. Phone camera applies very long perspective, but the detail is still visible and so is sponge and fan brush work
Birch path paintings
Details, Birch path 1 and Birch path 2, this picture shows some tiny red spots

Stepwise approach

My process is usually simple, too. I start with application of texture by randomly creating leaf and grass patterns. After that, I prime and paint canvas. I don’t use any special acrylic primers any longer. I find that using acrylic paint which can be just leftover paint is much more beneficial to the final colors and impact. I use sometimes fairly dark grey, lighter grey, mix of burnt umber, burnt sienna and yellow ocher or cardboard color. These underpainting colors work the best with my art.

Original paintings by Inese Poga, Birch path paintings by Inese Poga
In company of other birches: the combined picture shows colors better

Defining the landscape

The next step is pretty much blocking in large areas on which I follow up with sponge and fan brush. When the background is set, I paint in main tree trunks. Using fan brush, I apply more layers. Any of my paintings has numerous layers, as well as switches from cool to warm colors. Camera cannot capture that, and it is painful seeing that photo can never show the fine-tuned colors I’ve used. Camera tends adding too much blue, too much yellow or green while sometimes omitting red completely. These particular paintings contain no blue color, but it might look as if they do on photos.

Fall birch, acrylic painting
Birch path 1, it has the most detail, 16 x 20 in or 41 x 51 cm, acrylic on canvas
Fall birch, acrylic painting
Just as always, all edges are painted and painting continues beyond the front part, Birch path 2, 16 x 20 in or 41 x 51 cm

Achieving balance with finishing touches

My painting is finished when the flow of colors and lines is balanced and I am satisfied with the most part of a painting. Balance in my art means quite a lot, and I’m aiming for it intentionally. The birch path originals are certainly very impressive and abstract parts compliment the detailed areas. It’s such a pleasure to look at these paintings when they’re next to each other. They are similar, but also have distinctive features.

Fall birch, acrylic painting
Steps of autumn,16 x 20 in or 41 x 51 cm, acrylic painting on canvas. This has the strongest colors, at least in pictures and on my screen

Plenty of inspiration on birch path

I found my inspiration on the birch path and colors came to life. One can paint realistically imaginative landscape, or abstract trees from reality – it doesn’t matter what approach we use – to me personally, painting becomes art when it tells us something. I mean, it tells something without lengthy description. I hope you can feel the leaves under your feet, as well as more trees in the distance. Enjoy! Prints are available from Fine Art America site.

16 Replies to “Find inspiration on the birch path”

    1. Thanks! I hope your device shows these colors correctly, but since you liked them, it most likely does.
      I have 2 computers with 4 monitors, and every single one shows something different.
      The best look is on phone screen, it’s the most saturated.
      I appreciate you stopped by.

    2. I have found the same thing. My older computer does not have the clarity of my iPad. I love your painting and wish that I could meet up with you in person. I learn something new every time I stop by….

    3. I agree, every single device will cause the painting image look somewhat what it’s not.
      Well, if you happen to come to Toronto, it’s not that far away. It’s just so that we will have to wait for normal travel for a year maybe and then we can restart visiting places without worries.

    1. Thanks Craig!
      I have to manually click on likes for comments, so sometimes, people receive lots of likes on comments at once. It doesn’t seem I can change these settings.
      That’s why you probably noticed a few comment likes and came right here. I certainly appreciate that.

    2. It’s the same subject painted at different times. I just put all three together to show off a theme. When all 3 are side by side, it’s visible what differences there are, both in color and shape. Just as I said, I repeat birch painting in a class every year. I paint along with students and, therefore, I get similar paintings. Plus, it’s also my personal style. I think it’s very recognizable.
      Thanks!

    1. Thank you Maria! It’s something nice to paint, very relaxing. These paintings were always started at an art class, I have given so many.
      I decided to slightly unify these 3 (there are more with somewhat the same flare) and make it look like a set.
      I’m not sure whether these will be included in exhibition because I intend to display large and very large works assuming that show takes place.

    1. Thanks!
      They were all started as demos for art classes. I’ve given so many art classes and workshops that I simply had to finalize some of these demo paintings. I’m still working on them.

    1. Thanks very much Geri!
      These colors are pretty much which I love using for fall landscape. There are variations for sure, but these would be my preference.

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