How to Make Art Work Inspired by Autumn

A crisp, sunny, day in fall is a perfect time to get outdoors and take in nature's beauty. For those able to take an actual walk, being outside is sure to awaken your senses and powers of observation. Once inside again, drawing and...

Method 1 of 3:

Finding Inspiration

How to Make Art Work Inspired by Autumn Picture 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.
How to Make Art Work Inspired by Autumn Picture 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.
How to Make Art Work Inspired by Autumn Picture 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.
How to Make Art Work Inspired by Autumn Picture 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.

Method 2 of 3:

Making a Fall Collage

Find fall themed images and photos in magazines, catalogs, and newspapers to substitute for needing to draw the images. Cut and paste photos from these publications to make a fall collage. Purchase magazines second hand at the library or thrift store.
Take your own photos. Go through what you've already taken, make prints or photocopies and assemble a store of possible imagery. The free-stock photo sharing sites on the internet are also a good source for pictures. Print out your favorites.
Look at the sites that offer coloring pages to copy and print out. These black and white drawings are excellent material for cutting and pasting.
Cut out many images that appeal to you. Place them on a sheet of heavy paper and rearrange them until you have a design that speaks to you. Glue them down using a glue stick, being careful to get all the edges flat and adhered to the paper. Use markers and/or watercolor or acrylic or poster paint to pull the piece together.

Method 3 of 3:

Making a Fall Drawing

Draw your path. Start right off, at the beginning, on a blank sheet with a double line to represent your path. Have it be a path that meanders through your page.
How to Make Art Work Inspired by Autumn Picture 5

Keep it simple if you wish. No need to be elaborate when a stick figure or simple shape can be used to tell your autumn walk adventures.
How to Make Art Work Inspired by Autumn Picture 6

Start by drawing one small thing, for example, a tree. Add another and another thing, such as a scarecrow, hay bales or some geese, no need to worry about correct or rigid placement of these items, scatter them over your paper. If unsure how to draw something, trace it.
Use colored drawing media if you wish. Colored markers, pencils, crayons, or any of the interesting sticks available for drawing in color. Be adventurous and have fun experimenting with new materials.
Paint as you go or after your drawing is complete. Check for ways to pull the whole thing together. Unify your work. Repeat a motif such as an autumn leaf, a vine, a color, repeated throughout. Black lines made with a marker will often work. Find ways to join and link things.
How to Make Art Work Inspired by Autumn Picture 7

Hang up your work to enjoy. When you feel a need to commune with nature, just look at your artwork and take a walk with your eyes through nature that you've put on the page.