We finally had our first snow of the season this week!  I went outside to warm up my car and it was snowing.  I put the dog on the back porch, put on my coveralls and coat, and went back outside to see that it was all gone.  The snow lasted all of ten minutes.  However, it made me feel a little more seasonal so I thought I’d do another winter scene.

I started by loosely sketching in the house and the winter scenery.  I don’t much go for photo realism in my works so I always try to keep a loose hand when working with my pencils or my brushes.  I find it gives my work a more vibrant feel.

Using a shaped mask, I lay in undertones of blue and yellow to set the temperature of the scene.  I use my acrylics mixed with water in a spray bottle to lightly spray the entire page, then I wipe the paint off with a clean towel.

This allows the colors to change the tone of my paper while not intruding into the painting.  The paints I lay over this will have a cooler or warmer feel to them as well as a more luminescent spotlight effect.

I always start with the largest brushes first and work my way down to the smaller ones.  That way I can save the “neat” parts for last and maintain interest throughout the painting.  It also ensures that the details don’t get overwhelmed by washes of color.

You can see the whole process on YouTube or just watch it in the embedded player below: