One of the most exciting qualities of watercolor is its ability to create textures that feel spontaneous and full of life. Rather than painting every branch, blossom, or blade of grass individually, watercolor allows the medium itself to become part of the creative process.
In this tutorial, Trekell Pro Team Artist Lauri Haario demonstrates how to paint an expressive cherry tree using just three brushes from the Trekell Protégé Series. Along the way, you will see how wet on wet painting, paint splattering, salt texture, lifting, and scratching highlights all work together to create a lively, atmospheric tree. While these techniques come together in a single cherry tree, they can be applied to countless other watercolor landscapes as well.
Brushes Used
- Trekell Protégé 3/4" Flat Brush
- Trekell Protégé Size 8 Round Brush
- Trekell Protégé Size 2 Round Brush
The Trekell Protégé Series offers excellent control, water retention, and versatility, making these brushes an excellent choice for everything from broad background washes to delicate finishing details.
Step 1: Create the Background with a 3/4" Flat
Lauri begins by using a Trekell Protégé 3/4" Flat Brush to paint the background wash. With broad strokes, he lays in color behind the tree, intentionally leaving a few areas of the paper white.
These untouched white spots add brightness and variation, helping the final painting feel airy rather than overly dense. The flat brush makes it easy to cover the page quickly and keep the background loose and soft.
Step 2: Paint Wet on Wet Foliage with a Size 8 Round
While the background is still wet, Lauri switches to a Trekell Protégé Size 8 Round Brush to create the cherry tree’s foliage. Working wet on wet allows the new strokes to blend softly into the background, giving the canopy a natural, organic feel.
By dabbing and rolling the round brush into the damp wash, he suggests clusters of blossoms and leaves without painting every detail. The round brush can create both larger, rounded marks and smaller touches depending on how much pressure is applied.
Step 3: Add Texture with Splatters and Salt
To bring more energy and texture to the foliage, Lauri adds splatters of paint. Light taps against the brush or handle create small spots of color that break up the larger shapes and add a sense of movement to the tree.
Next, he sprinkles table salt over the wet paint. As the watercolor dries, the salt disrupts the pigment and water, leaving irregular patterns that feel organic and textured. Once everything is fully dry, the salt is gently wiped away, revealing subtle, crystalline marks within the canopy.
Step 4: Paint the Trunk and Branches with a Size 2 Round
After the salt has been removed and the foliage layer is dry, Lauri turns his attention to the structure of the tree. Using a Trekell Protégé Size 2 Round Brush, he paints the trunk with controlled, tapering strokes.
The smaller round brush offers precision for narrow lines and fine branches. Lauri adds thinner branches between the foliage clusters, connecting them back to the trunk and helping the tree feel anchored and believable, even in a loose, expressive style.
Step 5: Define the Ground and Shadows with the Size 8 Round
Lauri then returns to the Trekell Protégé Size 8 Round Brush to paint the ground beneath the tree. With broader strokes, he lays in the base color and soft shadows that give the tree weight and place it firmly on the page.
Using the same round brush for foliage and ground keeps the marks visually consistent. Shadows at the base of the trunk and under parts of the canopy suggest light direction and add depth to the scene.
Step 6: Scratch Grass and Highlights
To finish the painting, Lauri uses simple tools to add extra detail and contrast. With the sharpened end of the brush handle, he scratches into the paint to create lines that resemble blades of grass below the tree.
Finally, he uses an X‑Acto knife to carefully scrape away small areas of paint, revealing lighter paper underneath and creating sharp highlights on the trunk or within the foliage. These scratched highlights add sparkle and texture without needing additional pigment.
Final Thoughts
Lauri Haario’s approach demonstrates that expressive watercolor paintings are often built through a combination of simple techniques rather than intricate detail. Wet on wet washes, splattering, salt textures, and scratching all allow water and pigment to create effects that feel lively and spontaneous.
Whether you are painting cherry blossoms, forests, or other landscapes, these techniques can help you create watercolor paintings filled with depth, movement, and atmosphere. Combined with the versatility of Trekell Protégé Series brushes, you will have everything you need to experiment confidently and develop your own watercolor style.
