Nature is the ultimate color teacher. Between July and September, summer shifts into early fall, bringing warm saturation, sun-bleached textures, and golden-hour shadows. As a plein air painter or journal sketcher, tuning into seasonal palettes elevates your work and deepens your connection to place. This post is part of a seasonal series that helps you capture the essence of trails through color.
In July, think bright greens, wildflower pinks, and sky blues—ideal for high alpine meadows or coastal paths. By August, tones warm up: golden grasses, terracotta dirt, and smoky purples from late-summer blooms. September invites russets, ochres, and deep pine greens as foliage begins its shift. To match these moods, try a travel palette featuring quinacridone gold, burnt sienna, cobalt teal, ultramarine blue, and sap green.
When mixing trail palettes, be observant and flexible. Lighting conditions, humidity, and time of day all influence how colors appear. Take a few swatches before you start painting your scene. Keep a seasonal color reference sheet in your sketchbook for inspiration throughout the months.
This seasonal approach helps you build a visual memory of the landscape and develop a more intuitive painting style. Don’t forget to bring your mini palette and water brush. Want to make it easy? We’ve curated a seasonal plein air kit just for this time of year. Link over to our Create hub to explore art supplies, sketchbook inspiration, and step-by-step color mixing tutorials.
Resources:
Jane Blundell’s Watercolor Pigment Resources
The Splashing Paint Blog: Color Wheels