Winter Art Painting Ideas

Winter can be a cold and lonely time for many of us. Here are some winter art painting ideas to help cheer you up this winter and enjoy the time spent indoors with a warm beverage and a paint brush! These winter art painting ideas are great for kids ages 8 and up to try or beginner painters! Try the winter art painting ideas below!

Winter Art Painting Ideas

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I recommend you start by learning how to paint snow. Painting snow can be tricky! It isn’t just white paint let me tell you! Once you have mastered how to paint snow you will be able to winter landscapes easily!

Click on the video below to learn 5 Easy Techniques for How to Paint Snow!

Here are Some Other Tips for Painting Snow:

Use a Limited Palette:

Snow reflects colors from its surroundings. Use a limited palette of cool colors such as titanium white, cerulean blue, ultramarine blue, and a touch of gray to capture the subtle hues in snow.

Create a Gradient:

Snow isn't just pure white. It often appears bluish or grayish due to atmospheric conditions. Create a gradient from darker at the bottom to lighter at the top to mimic the sky's influence on the snow.

Use Dry Brushing:

Dry brushing is a technique where you remove most of the paint from your brush before applying it to the canvas. It's great for creating the texture of snow. Apply light, quick strokes with a flat brush to create a textured, snowy surface.

Add Shadows:

Shadows are crucial for creating depth in your snow scene. Mix a cool color like ultramarine blue or cerulean blue with a bit of violet or gray to create shadows. Pay attention to the direction of the light source and where the shadows fall.

Vary the Texture:

Snow isn't uniformly smooth. It has lumps, bumps, and textures. Use a palette knife or a stiff brush to add some texture to your snow, especially in areas with more prominent features like footprints or trees.

Blend Soft Edges:

Use a soft brush or a dry brush technique to blend the edges where snow meets other objects or surfaces, like trees or rocks. This helps create a more realistic transition.

Add Highlights:

Use pure titanium white or a slightly tinted white to add highlights to the snow. Focus on the areas where the light hits the snow the most, such as the tops of mounds or the edges of objects.

Experiment with Layers:

Acrylics allow you to work in layers. Don't be afraid to build up the snow in multiple layers, adjusting colours and texture as you go to achieve the desired effect.

Reference Photos and Observation:

Study reference photos of snowy scenes to understand how light interacts with snow. Also, observe real-life snowy landscapes to gain a better understanding of the subtle variations in color and texture.

Practice and Patience:

Painting snow realistically can be challenging. Be patient and practice regularly to improve your skills in capturing its unique qualities.

Try this easy winter trees painting. You will need a palette knife to complete the textured snow at the bottom of the snow. To learn more about palette knives click here!

Try this winter night time painting.

Try this fun Posca Pen painting of a snowflake. You can learn how to use Posca pens in this video! Learn about what zentangle art is here before trying this painting!