Walking along the edge of the forest in the late afternoon, you feel the cool crispness of autumn settling in as the sun dips low. Fallen leaves scatter across the ground in warm reds, oranges, and golds. Fall is unmistakably in full swing.

Hint of Autumn is painting #79, created in acrylics. I’ve done a few black‑and‑white monochromatic pieces before, and they always seem to resonate with people.

The Inspiration

This one started with a photo someone took. A quiet path along the edge of a woodland and meadow taken in black and white. Something about the mood of that image stuck with me, and I wanted to see if I could capture that feeling with a mostly monochrome palette. The color splash came in at the end. I was debating whether to add it but I was feeling artsy fartsy at the end so color won. That artsy fartsy feeling? I think they also call that the joy of painting.

Notes From the Easel

Monochromatic acrylic paintings are fun, but they demand patience. Getting the right tone takes trial and error. However, the good news is acrylics dry fast enough that you can correct mistakes quickly. It also means you’re constantly adjusting, layering, and nudging values until they feel right. It’s a great exercise in restraint and observation.

Final Thoughts

I enjoy doing pieces like this because they teach you a lot. I don’t do them as often as I’d like, mostly because patience isn’t my strongest trait, but stepping out of your comfort zone is one of the best ways to grow in anything in life. Even if the experiment doesn’t go perfectly, you still learn something. If you’re an oil painter, try acrylics. If you’re a watercolor painter, try oils. Every medium gives you a new appreciation for the others.

In the next couple of posts, I’ll share some things I’ve done with other mediums, including colored pencils. Stay tuned. In the mean time, check out the changes to my shop. A dedicated blog page, gallery, and shop (under construction). Let me know what you think of the site and what else you’d like to see.

Happy painting!