How to Make Art Work Inspired by Autumn

Finding Inspiration

1. 
   Brainstorm the words 'fall' and 'autumn' for ideas. List the words that come to mind on sketch paper. A sketchbook is a good place to record your thoughts. With a sketchbook, you can review your impressions again and again, as often as you like. Sketchbooks come in all shapes, sizes and prices. They are readily available at many stores, from the discount mart to a pharmacy or, for fancier choices, try a store that sells art materials.
2. 
   Try brainstorming as a group. As an alternative, for larger groups, write words and ideas on a poster board, or chalkboard. Ask the participants to call out ideas of what they might encounter on a fall walk. Use bold marker, print large and create a reference for all to see. Commonly seen things include:

   1. Trees and colored leaves, fall flowers, Black eyed Susans, goldenrod, apples, wild flowers, pumpkin displays, pumpkins on the vine, bare trees and naked branches, Queen Anne's lace, cattails, gourds, squash, Chinese lanterns, bittersweet branches, nuts in the shell, mums, baskets and displays of harvested garden produce.
   2. Farm things, haystacks, corn stalks tied to a pole, round hay bales, apples, a bonfire, clouds, scarecrows, fences, a rake with piles of leaves
   3. Creatures such as owls, squirrels, raccoons, ducks, geese, geese on the wing, mice, birds rising all together out of dead bushes or brush, etc.
   4. Warm clothing, plaid flannel shirts, hiking boots, hats, gloves, long johns, kids playing in the leaves, people walking dogs, etc.
3. 
   Assemble your mark-making art materials. These supplies can be as simple as a box of crayons, #2 yellow pencil, eraser and black fine line marker to---sets of varied types of marking devices. Each offers ease of use and loads of fun. The sky's the limit! Set out items from what you already own before taking a trip to the store to accumulate new ones.
4. 
   Gather your watercolor materials. A basic 8-color set of dry pigments from the discount store will work, but for richer colors that are smoother to apply, invest in a nicer set. Tube paints need a palette to hold them and blank spaces for mixing. Any type of watercolor will work. The final step will be to add color, as much or as little as you want.