How to Paint a Tropical Palm Tree in Oil Step 

Painting the Leaves Step One

While the paint is wet, I block in the palm leaves by removing paint instead of adding it. To do this, I clean my brush with turpentine, blot it on a rag, and lift the color away to indicate where the highlights will be. I create the shapes of the palm fronds by painting the sky and clouds in and around them. Then I use my small flat brush and short, deliberate strokes to create the tips of the leaves. I start at the center of the branch and stroke outward, lifting my brush at the end to create the sharp point.