Painting a summer tree in watercolour can feel intimidating, but using a natural sponge makes the process loose, expressive, and far more enjoyable. This simple watercolour technique is perfect for beginners and anyone who wants to avoid overworking their foliage.
In this tutorial, I’ll show you how I paint a simple summer tree using a natural sponge, a limited colour palette, and a few easy steps that create a natural, authentic result
Choosing the Right Natural Sponge
The sponge you use makes a huge difference when painting watercolour trees. A natural sponge with visible holes is essential, it should not be too tight or dense. Those irregular holes create broken, organic marks that mimic leafy summer foliage beautifully.
If the sponge is too compact, the marks can look flat or stamped rather than soft and natural. Lightly dampening the sponge before you start also helps the paint apply more gently.
Watercolour Colours Used
I kept this painting simple and accessible by using student quality watercolour paints:
Burnt Sienna
Cadmium Yellow
Ultramarine Blue
With just these three colours, you can mix a wide range of greens and earthy tones suitable for summer trees.
Mixing Natural Greens for Summer Foliage
To create the foliage colours, I mixed Ultramarine Blue and Cadmium Yellow in different proportions:
More yellow creates a warm, sunlit green
More blue gives a cooler, deeper green
Using two different shades of green adds depth and prevents the tree from looking flat.
I also used Burnt Sienna and Cadmium Yellow on their own in places to introduce warmth and variation.
Sponging the Tree Foliage
I began by sponging the foliage first, gently building up the shape of the summer tree canopy. Try not to outline a perfect shape, irregular edges always look more natural.
Once the sponging was done, I lightly misted the area with a spray bottle. This step helps the colours soften and blend together, stopping the foliage from looking too “dotty.” The result is much more natural.
Creating Dark Accents and Contrast
For the final, darkest colour, I mixed a thicker, dark mix of Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Sienna. This creates a very deep brown, perfect for adding contrast.
Using this darker mix sparingly helps guide the eye and adds structure without overpowering the light summer feel.
Painting the Trunk and Branches
After the foliage was in place, I added the trunk and branches into the white gaps left by the sponging. This is one of the most effective ways to paint realistic watercolour trees.
The branches naturally appear and disappear behind the foliage, which instantly makes the tree feel more believable. You don’t need to paint every branch, suggestion works far better than too much detail.
Softening the Base for a Natural Finish
I softened the bottom edge of the trunk so it looks as though the tree is growing naturally from the ground, rather than sitting on top of the paper. This small step makes a big difference to the overall realism.
Full Woodland Watercolour Demo
If you’d like to see this natural sponge watercolour technique in a woodland scene, I have a full demonstration on my YouTube channel using the same method.
Happy painting
To download my free pdf all about tricks and techniques in watercolour, click here.
To download my free pdf all about colour mixing in watercolour, click here.