Autumn art ideas: 10 fall time favourites

Some days, it feels like you can really sense the seasons shifting. It’s often on those days that we feel most activated to produce art. As our external environment noticeably changes, an inner stirring can happen that makes us want to reach for our paintbrushes. 

That feeling can feel strongest around the two equinoxes: when winter turns to spring, and around 6 months later when summer shifts into autumn, or fall.

In case the winds of change stir up your creativity too, I wanted to share my top 10 ‘fall time favourite’ mini class to give you plenty of autumn art ideas for embracing the season.

(Remember that these mini classes give you a brief overview. You can try them on your own, or if you’d like to paint these with step-by-step instruction, they’re all full length video classes which are included with Nature Studio membership).

10 autumn art ideas to get your creativity flowing:

1. Pumpkin

If there was one ultimate symbol of autumn, it would surely be the pumpkin. Their glowing colours and 3D form make them great subjects to paint. The moment your painting has dried, you’ll be ready to curl up with a pumpkin spice latte as you sit back and admire your creation.

2. Blackberry

How can it be possible to create something so shiny using only paper, paint and brushes? I’ll show you how in this mini class. Juicy, ripe blackberries are sweet to eat and even sweeter to paint.

3. Red and Green apple

Autumn means apple harvest time. A few months earlier, they were delicate blossom flowers. They battled the elements and held on all summer, growing steadily, and now they’re crisp and ready to pick. When you’re painting any red and green subject, there’s a risk of the paints turning into a brown, muddy colour. In this mini class, I show you how to paint a red and green apple and keep the colours looking vibrant.

4. Oak leaf and acorn

All kinds of treasures fall from deciduous trees in the autumn and there’s never a shortage of painting inspiration right beneath your feet. Here I show you how to create realistic studies of a freshly dropped oak leaf and acorn. Tuning into the vein details on the leaf and the rough texture on the acorn cup can feel deeply mindful.

5. Owl 

Of course, owls are around us in other seasons too. But people often become more aware of owls in the autumn as they become more vocal. In fact, autumn is sometimes referred to as “hooting season”. You’re also more likely to see owls in the autumn as the trees drop their leaves. If you’re painting an owl, creating realism in the eyes will help ensure a striking portrait. In this mini class, I show you how to paint captivating, shiny owl eyes.

6. Autumn Leaf

When summer has faded and the flowering season is all but over, it’s time for foliage to take centre stage. Lush, zingy greens change to rich golds, reds and purples as the trees take back what nutrients they can from their leaves before letting them fall to the ground. If you’re in search of autumn art ideas, why not honour this colourful annual spectacle by painting a glowing autumn leaf?

7. Conker

As a child, my pockets filled up with conkers, or buckeyes, every autumn. And as an adult, I still find it difficult to walk past one of these shiny treasures without picking it up. In this mini class I show you how to make a tonal drawing of a 3D conker, using the same layering process I use for watercolour, but instead working in graphite pencil.

8. Plums

Another fruit that often lasts into the harvest season, plums make a great autumn art idea to paint. It’s a fun challenge to build up their colour and pattern and achieve that elusive powdery ‘bloom’ effect. I show you how to do that in this mini class:

9. Toadstool

Fall is prime time for toadstools. When the conditions are just right, all manner of interesting mushrooms pop up, reminding us that we share our world with fascinating fungi. Draw one with me in this mini class:

10. Squirrel

With winter on the way and an abundance of food still available, squirrels have a lot of work to do during the autumn. While they’re rushing around and burying piles of nuts under the ground for later, why not pay a special tribute to squirrels by painting a portrait of one? Here I show you how I painted a beautiful, fluffy red squirrel:

I hope these suggestions will help you with some autumn art ideas to get your paintbrushes and pencils moving. 

If you’re someone who feels particularly stirred up to create when summer turns to fall, don’t let that feeling go to waste. Hop onto the wave of inspiration and have fun seeing where it takes you.

Please leave me a comment if these ideas have inspired you. Which do you feel like creating first? Have you tried any of them? Do you have any other favourite subjects for autumn art ideas to share? I love hearing from you.

P.S. Just a reminder that with Nature Studio membership you can get the full length classes video for all these subjects and hundreds more. They include line drawings, reference photos, paint lists and feedback on your work if you request it.