I have been working on this backdrop area for a couple of days. As you can see it is shallow and I have been trying to paint my own backdrop. I cannot seem to get it right. Some of those trees have been painted over and redone several times. I need help and suggestions, please. I am going to add more foreground foliage at the bottom of the backdrop edge.
Malcolm
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Malcolm,
I think the problem may be that your colors are too vivid for a backdrop. If you add some white or pale yellows to your basic colors you will get more of a feeling of distance.
You might want to try for colors that will complement the foliage you will be placing in front of the backdrop, but be a couple of shades lighter in tone (more white).
Also, reds are tough to control. You might want to add some yellow to give them more of an orange tone.
Another possibility would be to paint some distance hills with very light tones behind the trees off in the distance. Then, you can paint some smaller trees in front of them with colors just a little more intense than the hills.
Usually, anything painted on a backdrop, such as trees, look better smaller in size than the actual ones you plant in the foreground. 
Jim
Jim, Thank you. That is the way I had it before and I thought I could make it b etter. Looking back, the first method I used did look better and was exactly what you described. I just painted the area blue again and will duplicate my first effort.
Live and learn, you would think at 62 I would have learned that!
Malcolm
The way it was and will be again:
Malcolm,
You're right -- that previous backdrop was really great. But, you're not the first person to change something they should have left alone --- I could tell you lots of stories! 
If you want a little extra fall color, you can always add some Woodland Scenics fall color foliage to the area in front of the backdrop. They've got some nice colors in their foliage and in their coarse turf lines.
Jim
I can echo that. We've all redone things that we later wish we had left alone. Nature of the beast...
Went back to this backdrop! I like it better.
Malcolm
Beautiful, Malcolm. IMO, fall looks best on a backdrop with just a hint of color as you have done. That really makes a few inches look like miles.
I also like the way your road continues into the backdrop in the second photo. That can be tough to do to get the angles right. Looks good.
Jim
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