Garden Painting Tips

I recently painted the garden outside my parents’ home. Surprisingly, this was my first time painting a garden scene like this. A good challenge and I think it turned out ok. Below is the finished painting plus some progress shots.

Dan Scott, Garden, 2022
Dan Scott, Garden, 2022

I also put together a few garden painting tips for you:

  • Can you use texture to reiterate key details and play into the idea of nature?
  • Broken color is particularly effective for conveying the illusion of detail and activity.
  • Different areas might have different goals and require different techniques. In my garden painting, I took a different approach for the stairs than for the lush plants and flowers. This contrast strengthens the painting-the stairs look more rigid and the plants and flowers look more organic and natural.
  • Garden scenes tend to lack a clear focal point. You could play into this and make the painting as a whole the focus. Or you could narrow down on a few key flowers, plants, or other details.
  • Gardens are full of activity and detail. Think of all the colors, textures, highlights, shadows, patterns, lines, and shapes. You must simplify in order to make sense of it all. Listen to your first impression of the scene. Where are your eyes drawn? What details command your attention? What details fall back?

Want to Learn More?

You might be interested in my Painting Academy course. I’ll walk you through the time-tested fundamentals of painting. It’s perfect for absolute beginner to intermediate painters.

Thanks for Reading!

I appreciate you taking the time to read this post and I hope you found it helpful. Feel free to share it with friends.

Happy painting!

Dan Scott

Draw Paint Academy

About | Supply List | Featured Posts | Products

Dan Scott is the founder of Draw Paint Academy. He's a self-taught artist from Australia with a particular interest in landscape painting. Draw Paint Academy is run by Dan and his wife, Chontele, with the aim of helping you get the most out of the art life. You can read more on the About page.


Enjoyed this post? Join over 123,000 artists who subscribe to the Draw Paint Academy newsletter.

This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form