Since we’re in lockdown and the weather is cold and frosty it seemed the ideal opportunity to start a snowscape to celebrate the fact. I haven’t done many snowscapes over the years, probably only two that I can instantly think of, and know that snow is difficult to paint, as its not pure white, but so many variations on subtle tones of delicate pastel colours carefully merged together.
I knew I wanted to paint it on acrylics, and that it would be on board. The size I chose was 15.5 x 9 inches. And I wanted to use a photo from a Christmas card that I received over ten years ago and had always wanted to do a painting from. I loved the delicate tones in it. My painting is a bit different to the original (which was square in shape) and had more depths of trees on the far bank. One of the things I loved about the painting was the delicate pale creamy sky, with the low sun shining through. I exaggerated that more in my painting, and also exaggerated the lavender-purple tones of the far bank. I loved the diagonals in this painting too, down from the far bank towards the sun, up from the right hand mid side towards the sun, down from the left hand bank towards the stream as well.
I also wanted the trees on the left hand side to be quite prominent in black with the branches of them angling off in different directions, and the sapling trees on the far bank to be more pastel in colour and delicate.
I also took my time getting the water right, with the deep gold of the sun reflected in the water and the rest purpley pinky, blues and blacks, with a few ripples on the surface.
Here’s the finished painting and I love it! I’ve had some gorgeous responses to it on Facebook already, a few people said that it looked calm and peaceful and indeed it does!
I’ve called it “Snowy dell”
And after doing this one, I know I shall be doing snowscapes again, I love it!!
