If it's above freezing, you can paint in watermedia.
I paint this scene on a day when it's above 50 degrees Fahrenheit and there's no danger of the paint freezing. I haven't had much luck using watermedia when the temperature goes below freezing. I have tried using vodka or whisky in place of the water, but those haven't worked for me. But in the Hudson Valley of New York state, there are many days in the winter when there's snow on the ground, but the temperature is above freezing. If I want to paint when it's colder, I sketch from inside a car or switch to oil paint.
Look for winter landscapes in common places.
If you live in a snowy climate, you don't need to travel far to find interesting snowscapes. Snow transforms common places into magical realms. Some of my favorite subjects are the huge snow piles in the parking lots of big-box stores and supermarkets. In this case I'm interested in the way the sunlight and shadow reveals a variety of textures.
Be aware of the quality of the light.
Direct sunlight and a cloudless sky reveals form by setting up strong value contrasts between light and shade. I paint this scene on a day when the sun was filtered by a layer of high clouds. Overcast light brings out less contrast of form, but it makes variations in local color more apparent. There is a thin layer of fresh snow on top of a gray base of older snow. As the snow melts, the older layers come to the surface.
Shield your eyes from direct sunlight on snow.
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Denne historien er fra Station Points-utgaven av International Artist.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Fresh Eyes
Anna Rose Bain discusses the passions of being an artist and helping students transform their own work
The Next Level
Jacob Dhein uses a wet-into-wet technique to create painterly depictions of a variety of subjects
Wild Spirit
Alternating between broad glazes and fine details, Claire Milligan captures the intricacies of the animal kingdom
The Bridge Between
Watercolorist Thomas Wells Schaller delves into the nuances of observation and imagination
The Color Continuum
Catherine Hearding demonstrates how she utilizes color to enhance the mood of her landscapes
Points of Precision
A strong focal point and attention to detail make Nicola Jane's artwork jump off the page
BE YOURSELF
Harley Brown's fascinating things no one else will tell you
JEFFREY T. LARSON
Expertly Putting the Pieces Together
Hot-Blooded
Blending elements of realism and surrealism, figurative artist Anna Wypych’'s paintings are dominated by vivid reds
Adam Clague Incandescence
Adam Clague’s masterful understanding of contrast allows him to paint subjects that seem to glow from within