Snow and winter paintings are a great way to start painting since we can interpret the landscape or view in many ways. We can apply warm or cool glow to the snow and winter paintings, we can use shadows, different colors for sky and use distance or abstract background. We can stick to a photo or do what I’m doing: implement some visual ideas from memory or just look through the window and paint what is there. Out of my studio window, there’s plenty: all kinds of trees, buildings and so forth, including spruce, firs, pine and there’s a big sky, too. Quite enough for my snow and winter paintings.
Except for sky in birch painting, all other actual paintings are grey and have only slight hint of blue color, but the images looked nice and I used them.
Ontario weather takes care of the rest. Here and there, snow will be deep and bright white, capping every single branch and putting a warming snow scarf on every surface. It will have shadows in clear weather and it will show the branch shapes which puncture the clouds and sky. Altogether: it’s almost a finished landscape view, choose whatever angle suits better. Therefore, and because many of snow and winter paintings take origin as demos, I didn’t need or use any photos. The interpretation of these views is somewhat abstract. I will let the art speak more this time. It only has so many chances.
These particular winter paintings are more grey than photos show, but you have to remember: these are pictures of paintings taken by iPhone, and they are resized to 30% of the actual size.
The collection of snow and winter paintings has grown quite big over years. It’s also a good selling feature before holidays. To be honest, winter and snow paintings usually sell only around this time and very rarely during other seasons. It’s a brief moment, and I believe I don’t really need more of snow and winter paintings at the moment. Until Christmas, we love snow and white wonderland landscapes. When it gets to February and March, oh my! We are totally tired of grey and white with spots of green which is also not the lively spring green. That certainly depends on the area where one lives. Ontario winter can be long.
The very large blue moonlight painting (32 x 26 in or 81.5 x 66 cm is purely decorative art which looks very good since it has implemented crystals which shine by artificial light. However, it is also grey in reality, and it doesn’t have the bright blue color.
I hope you’d love to make my Christmas and maybe purchase some art. There’s way more than I can publish just in one post. Enjoy!
I have always students who believe that having everything is a guarantee of good result. That is not true! Until you have found your favorite brush, your favorite watercolor paper or your favorite watercolor paint brand, use whatever you already have, and get only things which are necessary.
Graphite pencil drawing
You can use Bristol drawing paper by Strathmore, the small size is 14 x 17 in, 300 Series. The large size is 19 x 24 in which is a great size. Also 300 Series. This paper is fairly smooth and suits drawing well. It makes erasing easy. Other option is using CANSON XL cold press, 140 lb watercolor paper. Size 12 x 18 in. If you rather keep your drawing at a sketch level, you can use CANSON Universal Sketch paper in size 18 x 24 in. That is a perfect size.
Pencils can be just regular pencils from 2H, including HB and up to 3B. Softer pencils leave too much graphite on the paper. You will most often use just HB pencil because it’s not too hard and not too soft. For eraser, please, get the artist grade soft eraser which absorbs graphite. You buy it at the art store. If you feel you have hard times keeping long lines straight, please, take with you a ruler. Paper towel under hand helps not smudging paper on which drawing is created.
Pen and watercolor sketch or color sketch
For sketch without paint, you can use CANSON Universal sketch paper, 65 lb. For pen and watercolor sketch, you can use CANSON XL cold press, 140 lb watercolor paper. Please, note! It will not work for watercolor painting or painting in layers! It is too thin and doesn’t absorb paint or water sufficiently. It can be used for drawing only and with watercolor pencils. Strathmore 300 series paper will work well for pen and watercolor wash.
We use simple graphite pencil, H and HB, they work well because we shouldn’t have too strong pencil lines.
For pen, you can use any black pen which does not bleed with application of water, but I am using MICRON from 02-05. You can test pen before buying it and see which one you like.
We use only the soft, flexible, artist’s grade eraser. It is very important to have such eraser.
Watercolor painting supplies
We use in watercolor painting classes the following art supplies.
Watercolor paper
Strathmore 140 lb, cold press watercolor paper, 400 Series. 400 series paper is thick watercolor paper which is important. I use it in size 18 x 24 in for all demonstrations You can cut the paper sheet in half, and you get 12 x 18 inch paper. Perfect size for beginners!
Strathmore sells also 12 x 18 inch paper blocks, cold press. It works well for starting out with watercolor painting. However, if you’d like the best, you could use Arches 140 lb, cold press watercolor paper. It comes in sheets and blocks and is expensive.
Please, make sure your paper is at least 12 x 16 inches in sizeor larger.
We cannot create anything meaningful on a tiny size paper. Saunders-Waterford is also an option, but bright white is not always available, but it is cotton paper, therefore, results are better than using watercolor paper for beginners. For this purpose, Canson, Fluid or similar papers do not work.
Brushes
We need 2 round brushes with fine tips for watercolor painting (soft, synthetic),size 12-14 and size 4-6. Some brushes don’t bounce back, so they won’t always do what you need. It’s best to test. Synthetic brushes work very well and are very suitable for watercolor painting. Just make sure it is not oil brush with stiff and rough bristles, but the tapered drop-like watercolor brush.
Watercolor paints
If you have paints in tubes, you will need palette. It must have a decent size mixing area. Small kids’ palettes do not work well because they have too tiny mixing wells. Please have
Cold yellow, like Hansa yellow or Lemon yellow
Warm yellow, such as Brilliant yellow or Cadmium medium yellow,
Yellow or Gold Ochre
Burnt Sienna,
Payne’s Grey,
Quinacridone Crimson,
Carmine Lake or similar red,
Cerulean blue,
Cobalt blue
and French Ultramarine.
green gold is optional, as well as more red colors.
Set of watercolor paints
Sets of ready to use watercolor paints are fantastic for beginners.
You can use them easier than tube paints, and you most likely will have all basic colors in a set (12 color set, for instance). You do not need to buy all separate tubes of paint. You can get started faster also. Which brand you choose, probably depends on how much you intend to spend on paints. Please, do not use chalky kids’ or craft watercolor paints, they do not have the specific pigments which we use and they do not have the ability to flow and create good washes. That would be all sets which do not list name of a particular paint.
Pencil and eraser
You will need graphite pencil. H or HB pencils work well. We do not want too much graphite on watercolor paper, therefore, avoid using soft and very soft pencils. We use only the soft, flexible, artist’s grade eraser which is sold in art stores. It is very important to have this eraser which absorbs graphite, not rolls off paper.
Extras
We need quite a lot of paper towels.
Paper towel has many functions with watercolor painting, so, definitely do not forget that, 6-10 sheets per class. You will learn how essential paper towel is with spontaneous watercolor and watercolor washes, as well correcting some areas. Finally, attach your watercolor paper to firm, light base, thick cardboard or similar with painter’s (green) tape. Having paper for testing colors helps.
You will eventually find your brand and your most favorite brushes, paints, pencils and papers. The better quality your watercolor paper, brushes and paint are, the easier it is to paint and create good art.
We do not need a lot of acrylic painting supplies to start painting, so, keep the list short and get things you do not have yet as you go.
Brushes
1 flat brush, soft, synthetic for either watercolor or acrylic painting, ¾ inch wide; or about the same size Filbert brush (rounded corners). 1 small soft watercolor or acrylic brush, size 4 round, fan brush for oil painting (rough bristles). If fan brush with rough bristles is not available, get simple wall/window painting brush, 1-1.5 inch wide. We will cut it out with scissors, so that it can do more. I will show how.. We can use Filbert brushes ( slightly rounded top) in small to medium sizes also.
Canvas
We use 16 x 20 in canvas. If you believe you are rather slow with brushing paint, the smallest size is 12 x 16 in. However, painting larger is easier. You will need to paint your canvas in medium dark grey or brown color before you come to class. The edges of canvas need to be covered with one layer of paint as well. That helps creating better art faster.
Acrylic paints
Beginners can use AMSTERDAM students’ grade or Liquitex Basics students’ grade paints. Artist’ s Loft (Michael’s brand) will work, as well.
The best is to get a professional grade Titanium white and two yellow colors: one lemon yellow and the other cadmium medium yellow or similar warm yellow. White and yellow are very weak colors in any students’ grade paints. I’d not advise to get a paint set, but rather separate tubes because we use white and yellow much more than other colors. You do not need any green color..
Short list of acrylic paint colors:
You will need 6 basic colors to get started:
White: Titanium white, required more than other colors
Black: Lamp black or Mars black
Red: Cadmium medium red, Primary magenta, Crimson pyrrole, Carmine red, Crimson lake, Carmine lake, Naphtol red medium or similar, whatever red the brand you want to use has. However it is great to have 1 warm red (more orange red) and 1 cold red (more purple).
Yellow: Hansa or Lemon yellow and Cadmium yellow medium, Azo yellow light or medium, having 2 yellow shades is important for color mixing. If you have just one, please, choose medium yellow (warmer).
Blue: Prussian blue and/or Ultramarine blue
Artist grade paints have more pigment and less fillers and binders. If you would like to use artist’s grade paints, I would advise Liquitex heavy body, Graham (satisfactory quality, not that great tubes) or Golden (also tough to open tubes).
Longer list of acrylic paint colors:
White: Titanium white
Black: Lamp black, Mars black or Ivory black
Yellow: 1 cold and 1 warm yellow, such as Hansa or Lemon yellow, Cadmium yellow medium, Azo yellow light or medium
Ocher: yellow ocher or golden ocher
Red: 1 cold and 1 warm red, such as Primary magenta, Carmine red (Crimson lake, Carmine lake) and Pyrrole red
Red-brown: Burnt sienna
Warm dark brown: Burnt umber
Blue: 1 dark blue and 1 light blue, such as, Prussian blue or Ultramarine blue, brilliant blue, sky blue or Cerulean blue
Dark grey: Payne’s grey
Light grey: premixed grey
Additional supplies: white plastic disposable plates (it is important plate is white). Do not use mixing papers or flat palettes which are not suitable for mixing wet paint. I will not accept them for art classes. Mixing paper does not work with many acrylic paint applications.
At least 10 sheets of paper towel per class. It is very important you use paper towel, it is not possible to paint without cleaning your brush frequently.
We use pre-painted canvas so that painting is much easier.
Additional supplies for easing the painting process
Plastic knife
Seaweed sponge or silk sponge
Slow-drying medium and blending medium, as well as modeling paste are useful, but we use them only for certain projects and get by with water initially. I have my own blending medium which I create from 3 components, I will show how.
It is better to have fewer acrylic painting supplies and better quality supplies. It is recommended to get paints at the art store. Artisan liquid paints from the Dollarama absolutely do not work.
