Reflecting on the Anatomy of Trees

Have you ever really looked at a tree? This time of the year is the best time to observe the shape and nature of trees when there are no leaves on them. Look out your window right now and set your eyes on the nearest tree. Are you looking? Good. Now, consider that all trees have an anatomical structure just like people. The main branches emerge from the trunk and support smaller branches as they reach toward the sky. How does your tree stand? Is it straight, does it lean, does it twist, and if so, in what direction? Where are the curves?

The Trunk

Ask yourself what the color temperature of the trunk is, i.e., is it warm or cool? The time of day and whether it is sunny or cloudy will affect the color temperature. If the sun is hitting it on one side, that side will be a warm temperature, while the shadow will be a cool temperature. On cloudy days, the vague shadows are slightly warmer than the lighted side.

Now, look at its texture. Is it smooth or rough? A beech tree has a smooth bark, while a maple is decidedly rough with vertical ridges. If you were painting a beech tree, you would want to paint the trunk in a horizontal motion, following the curve of the trunk to simulate a smooth texture. When painting the maple on the other hand, you would use large vertical strokes to emphasize the rough ridges of the bark that flow in vertical directions.

The Branches

Now look at the branches. How do they grow? Do they curve upward majestically like an elm or do they grow at sharp angles like a sycamore? Branches help to balance a tree. If the trunk leans to one side, often a branch will counter balance it on the other.

Also, notice that branches don’t just reach out from the trunk in profile. Branches reach out from all sides of a trunk, so remember to paint branches that both go toward you and behind the tree away from you. Paint the branches with a lot of movement in them, avoid painting them parallel to one another, and vary their size. Look at how branches are attached to the trunk and other branches. They don’t suddenly and sharply emerge from them. Instead, they gracefully grow with a slight curve upward and out.

The Base and Roots

Finally, notice how the trunk emerges from the ground. It doesn’t stick straight up like a utility pole. The base spreads out in all directions and sweeps upward in a curve, bearing the weight of the branches above. Be sure to consider the roots as they reach into the ground and how the grass grows around them.