summer path paintign tutorial

Part 1 – Background, Trees, Fence & Flower Foundations

Welcome to SUMMER PATH, a vibrant acrylic landscape filled with bold color, rich texture, and expressive brushwork. In this lesson, you’ll create a beautiful flowering garden bursting with brilliant crimson trees, lush green foliage, soft pink flowering shrubs, and glowing yellow bushes, all surrounding a quiet garden path.

This painting demonstrates how a limited number of brush techniques can produce an incredible variety of natural textures. Throughout the lesson you’ll build realistic foliage using the Big Oval Brush, soften atmospheric backgrounds with the Ultrasoft Blending Brush, create structural elements using the Filbert Brush, and add expressive finishing details with smaller brushes.

Rather than painting every leaf individually, you’ll learn how to allow each brush to create its own natural texture, building rich layers of foliage quickly while maintaining a loose painterly appearance.

Materials Needed

Canvas

12″ × 14″ stretched canvas

Acrylic Paint Colors Used

• Mars Black
• Titanium White
• Light Pink
• Pale Purple
• Phthalo Green
• Prussian Green
• Burnt Sienna
• Raw Umber
• Phthalo Blue
• Sky Blue
• Crimson Red
• Primary Red
• Lemon Yellow
• Mid Yellow

Brushes Used in Part 1A

• #2 Big Square Brush
• Big Oval Brush
• Filbert Brush
• Round Brush
• Ultrasoft Blending Brush

STEP 1 — Paint the Summer Sky

Begin with the #2 Big Square Brush.

Load the brush with Sky Blue, applying the paint across the upper portion of the canvas using broad horizontal strokes. Work from left to right while keeping the paint layer smooth and even.

Without cleaning the brush completely, pick up a small amount of Titanium White and begin blending downward into the Sky Blue using long horizontal strokes. Continue blending until the transition becomes soft and gradual.

Toward the lower portion of the sky, introduce a touch of Phthalo Blue mixed with Sky Blue to create subtle variations in color. Immediately soften these transitions with the Ultrasoft Blending Brush, using extremely light circular and figure-eight motions. Allow the colors to merge naturally without overworking the paint.

The finished sky should appear bright, open, and softly illuminated, providing a peaceful backdrop for the vibrant garden.

STEP 2 — Create the Atmospheric Background Trees

Switch to the Big Oval Brush.

Mix Phthalo Blue, Titanium White, and a very small touch of Phthalo Green to create a cool blue-green tone.

Using the tip of the brush, begin gently dabbing irregular masses along the horizon beneath the sky. Rotate the brush frequently as you work so that the foliage develops naturally without repeating obvious patterns.

Gradually lighten portions of the trees by adding additional Titanium White to the mixture. Keep the upper edges soft and broken, allowing portions of the sky to remain visible between the foliage.

These distant trees should remain soft and slightly hazy, creating atmospheric perspective and pushing them visually into the background.

STEP 3 — Paint the Crimson Tree

Without completely cleaning the Big Oval Brush, load a mixture of Crimson Red and Primary Red.

Begin building the large crimson tree positioned slightly left of center.

Rather than outlining the tree, use repeated tapping motions to gradually expand the canopy. Vary the pressure as you dab the brush so some areas remain dense while others become more open and airy.

As the canopy grows, occasionally rotate the brush to produce random leaf patterns. Avoid creating perfectly rounded edges. Instead, allow small clusters of foliage to extend naturally beyond the main canopy, giving the tree a lively and organic appearance.

Leave a few darker openings throughout the tree to provide depth for later highlights.

STEP 4 — Paint the Large Green Tree

Continue using the Big Oval Brush.

Mix Prussian Green, Phthalo Green, and a touch of Mars Black for the darker portions of the foliage.

Begin forming the large tree occupying the upper-right corner of the canvas. Use the same tapping technique employed on the crimson tree, gradually building the canopy with overlapping layers.

Once the darker structure has been established, add Lemon Yellow to the green mixture and begin highlighting the upper portions of the foliage. Finally, introduce small touches of Mid Yellow mixed with Lemon Yellow to create bright sunlit areas throughout the canopy.

Allow darker greens to remain visible underneath the highlights to preserve depth and dimension.

STEP 5 — Paint the Rustic Fence

Switch to the Round Brush.

Mix Titanium White with a very small amount of Mars Black to produce a cool light gray.

Using confident vertical strokes, paint irregular fence boards extending behind the flower beds and trees. Vary the height, width, and spacing of each board to create a naturally weathered appearance.

Avoid making the fence perfectly straight. Slight variations give it the charm of an aged country garden fence.

Allow portions of the tree foliage to overlap the fence naturally so it becomes integrated into the landscape rather than appearing as a separate object.

STEP 6 — Block In the Foreground Shadows

Return to the #2 Big Square Brush.

Mix Mars Black, Burnt Sienna, and a small amount of Raw Umber to create a rich, warm shadow color.

Using broad horizontal strokes, paint the entire lower half of the canvas, establishing the deep shadow mass that will support the flower beds and pathway.

Leave subtle irregular edges beneath the fence rather than creating a perfectly straight line. These uneven edges will later become the bases of the flowering shrubs.

While the paint remains wet, soften selected areas with the Ultrasoft Blending Brush using gentle sweeping motions. This removes unwanted brush marks while preserving the overall dark value.

STEP 7 — Begin the Garden Path

Continue with the #2 Big Square Brush.

Mix Titanium White, Burnt Sienna, and a touch of Raw Umber to produce a soft warm gray.

Starting from the lower-left corner, use broad horizontal strokes to establish the first light passages of the pathway. Allow these lighter tones to gradually fade into the darker foreground as they travel toward the center of the painting.

Blend the edges lightly without eliminating the contrast. These early value changes establish the direction of the path while leaving room for additional refinement later in the tutorial.

STEP 8 — Establish the First Flower Beds

Switch back to the Big Oval Brush.

Using loose tapping motions, begin blocking in the major flowering shrubs.

For the left side, mix Lemon Yellow and Mid Yellow with a touch of Titanium White to establish the first yellow flower beds.

For the large central shrub, use Pale Purple mixed with Titanium White to create the initial lavender mass.

On the far right, use Light Pink mixed with Titanium White to establish the soft pink flowering bush.

At this stage, avoid painting individual flowers. Focus only on creating the large shapes and overall placement of each shrub. Leave numerous dark openings beneath the foliage so the flower beds already begin to show depth before highlights are added in Part 1B.

Continue with Part 1B, where you’ll begin building texture within the flower beds, brighten the foliage, refine the pathway, and add the first detailed highlights that bring the garden to life.

Part 1B – Building the Flower Beds and Refining the Garden Path

With the sky, distant landscape, colorful trees, fence, and dark foundation complete, it’s time to transform the foreground into a lush summer garden. During this section, you’ll gradually build depth within each flower bed by working from darker values toward lighter highlights. Rather than painting individual blossoms, you’ll use layered tapping techniques to suggest hundreds of flowers while maintaining a soft, impressionistic appearance.

You’ll also begin refining the winding pathway, creating the gentle highlights and shadows that naturally lead the viewer through the composition.

STEP 9 — Build the Lavender Flower Bed

Continue using the Big Oval Brush.

Load a mixture of Pale Purple with a very small amount of Mars Black.

Using light vertical tapping motions, reinforce the shadow areas within the large central lavender bush. Work mainly toward the lower portions of the shrub and between naturally occurring clusters.

Do not completely cover the lighter purple foundation established earlier. Allow portions of the original color to remain visible between the darker passages.

Next, gradually introduce Titanium White into the Pale Purple mixture and begin dabbing across the upper portions of the bush. Rotate the brush constantly while varying your pressure to produce natural clusters of blossoms instead of repetitive patterns.

The shrub should begin developing a rounded three-dimensional form with soft transitions between shadow and light.

STEP 10 — Paint the Soft Pink Flower Bush

Without cleaning the Big Oval Brush, load Light Pink mixed with Titanium White.

Working on the large shrub along the right side of the composition, begin building dense clusters of blossoms using repeated tapping motions.

Keep the brush nearly vertical, allowing only the tips of the bristles to touch the canvas.

Increase pressure slightly toward the center of the bush to create fuller clusters while using lighter pressure around the edges to produce soft, irregular outlines.

Leave small dark openings throughout the shrub to suggest depth beneath the blossoms.

STEP 11 — Brighten the Yellow Flower Beds

Clean the Big Oval Brush.

Mix Lemon Yellow, Mid Yellow, and Titanium White.

Return to the yellow flower beds on the left side of the composition.

Using gentle tapping motions, build brighter layers across the upper portions of each shrub while preserving darker yellow shadows near the base.

Occasionally rotate the brush to prevent repeated textures.

The brighter yellow highlights should create the impression of sunlight resting on the tops of the flowering bushes.

STEP 12 — Increase Contrast Within the Flower Beds

Continue with the Big Oval Brush.

Reload the brush with Pale Purple mixed with a tiny amount of Mars Black.

Deepen selected interior shadow pockets within the lavender shrubs, concentrating mainly beneath the brightest blossoms and toward the center of the flower masses.

Immediately follow with a lighter mixture of Pale Purple and Titanium White, tapping only the uppermost surfaces.

By alternating darker and lighter applications without blending, you’ll create natural depth and volume while preserving the lively texture produced by the brush.

STEP 13 — Refine the Garden Path

Switch to the Filbert Brush.

Mix Titanium White, Raw Umber, and a small touch of Burnt Sienna to produce a warm light gray.

Beginning near the lower-left corner, use broad sweeping strokes that gently follow the direction of the pathway.

Blend these lighter passages softly into the surrounding darker surface without removing all contrast.

Allow the brush to glide naturally across the canvas using gentle pressure, producing smooth transitions that suggest worn pavement catching the afternoon light.

Avoid making the path uniformly bright.

Subtle variations in value create a more natural appearance.

STEP 14 — Strengthen the Flower Highlights

Return to the Filbert Brush.

Load Titanium White mixed with either Light Pink or Pale Purple, depending on the flower bed being refined.

Using the corner of the brush, gently tap small clusters of brighter blossoms across selected areas.

Concentrate these highlights only on the tops of the shrubs where sunlight naturally strikes.

Avoid applying highlights evenly throughout the bushes.

The brightest flowers should remain scattered, allowing the darker layers beneath to continue providing depth.

STEP 15 — Refine the Yellow Flowers

Without cleaning the Filbert Brush, load Lemon Yellow, Mid Yellow, and a touch of Titanium White.

Lightly tap additional highlights into the yellow shrubs.

Introduce a few tiny white accents among the blossoms to create sparkle and suggest individual flowers catching direct sunlight.

Keep these highlights limited so they remain visually effective.

STEP 16 — Final Evaluation Before Part 2

Step back several feet from your easel and study the overall composition.

At this stage your painting should include:

• A softly blended summer sky.
• Atmospheric blue-green background trees.
• Rustic weathered fence extending across the garden.
• Vibrant crimson flowering tree.
• Large green tree with sunlit foliage.
• Deep foreground shadow foundation.
• A gently curving pathway with soft highlights.
• Bright yellow flowering shrubs.
• Full lavender flower beds.
• Soft pink flowering bushes with layered depth.

The composition should already feel balanced and colorful while leaving plenty of opportunity for the final refinements.

In Part 2, you’ll continue enhancing the flower beds, deepen the shadows beneath the foliage, add delicate branches and fine vegetation, strengthen the fence details, refine the pathway, and complete the painting with carefully placed highlights that bring the entire summer garden to life.

Part 2 – Developing Depth, Texture, and Brilliant Summer Blossoms

With the composition firmly established, this stage focuses on transforming the large masses of color into rich, believable flowering shrubs. Through multiple layers of highlights and shadows, you’ll create the illusion of thousands of blossoms while preserving the loose, impressionistic character of the painting.

This stage is all about patience. Instead of trying to finish each shrub in one pass, you’ll gradually build every flower bed by alternating between darker and lighter colors. Each new layer adds depth, softness, and realism while allowing the previous layers to remain visible beneath.

STEP 17 — Deepen the Lavender Shadows

Switch to the Big Oval Brush.

Mix Pale Purple, Mars Black, and a very small amount of Raw Umber.

Before adding brighter blossoms, strengthen the deepest interior shadows throughout the large lavender bush in the center of the composition.

Use gentle vertical tapping motions while rotating the brush constantly.

Keep these darker tones concentrated:

• near the base of the shrubs
• underneath the brightest blossoms
• where bushes overlap
• beneath the crimson tree

Avoid creating solid dark areas.

Allow numerous openings between the darker passages so the earlier purple layers remain visible.

These shadows establish the depth that makes the flower bed appear full and natural.

STEP 18 — Build the Middle Layer of Lavender Blossoms

Without completely cleaning the Big Oval Brush, load Pale Purple mixed with Titanium White.

Begin building another layer of blossoms over the darker underpainting.

Lightly bounce the brush across the shrub using only the tips of the bristles.

Vary your pressure constantly.

Some areas should receive dense clusters of blossoms while others remain open, allowing darker shadows to show through.

This gradual layering creates soft transitions while preserving the loose painterly style.

STEP 19 — Brighten the Central Flower Bed

Reload the Big Oval Brush with Light Pink, Titanium White, and just a touch of Pale Purple.

Apply this mixture only to the upper surfaces of the central flower bed.

Imagine sunlight striking the rounded tops of the shrubs.

Allow the brighter blossoms to naturally overlap the previous lavender layer while leaving darker areas beneath untouched.

These brighter accents immediately increase dimension throughout the composition.

STEP 20 — Refine the Pink Flower Bush

Continue using the Big Oval Brush.

Mix Light Pink with additional Titanium White.

Working across the large bush on the right side of the painting, build soft clusters of blossoms using light vertical tapping motions.

Rotate the brush frequently.

Avoid outlining the shrub.

Instead, allow irregular clusters of blossoms to extend naturally beyond the main shape.

These broken edges create the soft appearance of flowering branches extending outward.

STEP 21 — Add Brilliant Yellow Highlights

Clean the Big Oval Brush.

Load Lemon Yellow, Mid Yellow, and Titanium White.

Return to the yellow flowering shrubs.

Using very light tapping motions, brighten only the upper surfaces of each bush.

Do not cover the darker yellow foundation underneath.

Allow small white accents to naturally appear within the flowers as the brush rotates.

These highlights create the impression of bright summer sunlight illuminating the blossoms.

STEP 22 — Create Natural Separation Between the Flower Beds

Switch to the Round Brush.

Mix Mars Black, Raw Umber, and a small amount of Burnt Sienna.

Using loose irregular strokes, strengthen selected shadow areas between neighboring shrubs.

These dark passages help separate one flower bed from another while increasing overall depth.

Keep the lines broken and irregular.

Many of these shadows should disappear beneath the blossoms instead of remaining fully visible.

STEP 23 — Refine the Garden Path

Switch to the Filbert Brush.

Mix Titanium White, Burnt Sienna, and Raw Umber to create a warm gray.

Beginning at the lower-left corner, gently sweep the brush along the natural direction of the pathway.

Use broad curved strokes instead of straight lines.

Blend immediately while the paint remains wet.

The pathway should appear softly illuminated without becoming the dominant feature of the painting.

Leave numerous darker passages visible throughout the surface.

STEP 24 — Strengthen the Fence

Continue using the Filbert Brush.

Mix Titanium White with a touch of Mars Black.

Using the edge of the brush, strengthen selected fence boards by adding soft highlights along one side of each plank.

Do not highlight every board.

Random variations create the appearance of naturally weathered wood.

Allow portions of the flowers to overlap the fence, preserving the illusion that the fence sits behind the garden.

STEP 25 — Add Bright Flower Highlights

Switch back to the Big Oval Brush.

Load either:

• Light Pink + Titanium White
• Pale Purple + Titanium White
• Lemon Yellow + Titanium White

depending on the shrub being painted.

Using extremely light tapping motions, place only a few bright highlights throughout the tops of the flower beds.

These highlights should remain limited.

Too many bright accents flatten the shrubs.

Instead, reserve the brightest blossoms for only those areas receiving the strongest sunlight.

STEP 26 — Evaluate Before Final Details

Step back several feet from your easel.

At this stage your painting should now include:

• Bright blue summer sky
• Soft atmospheric background trees
• Rustic white fence
• Vibrant crimson flowering tree
• Large green tree filled with layered foliage
• Full yellow flowering shrubs
• Large lavender flower bed with convincing depth
• Soft pink flowering bushes
• Natural shadow separation throughout the garden
• Smooth winding pathway leading into the composition

The painting should already appear vibrant and inviting while still leaving room for the final refinements.

Conclusion

The second stage is where the painting truly begins to come alive. By patiently layering blossoms over carefully placed shadows, you’ve transformed simple color masses into vibrant flowering shrubs full of texture, volume, and movement. Rather than relying on individual flower details, you’ve allowed the natural texture of the Big Oval Brush to create an impressionistic garden that feels both expressive and realistic.

These layered techniques are one of the defining characteristics of the URARTSTUDIO painting method and can be applied to countless floral and landscape compositions.