Winter Walk. Painting #37. A Stroll Through a Cold, New England Forest.
Date Painted: January 20, 2018
Size: 12 x 12 canvas
Winter Walk is oil painting #37.
Inspiration:
“Winter Walk” was inspired by my holiday trip back home to New England. During my time in Massachusetts and Maine, we experienced a heavy snowfall, with about 6-8 inches of snow covering the ground. The cold, quiet, and beautiful snowy woods were a stark contrast to the mild winters I had grown accustomed to during my short time in Florida.
Before returning to the States, I lived in England, where snowfall was rare during my four-year stay. Prior to that, I lived in Germany, where we would get a few inches of snow each winter. This trip to New England brought back memories of snowy winters and the joy they bring.
Walking through the snowy woods with my family and our dogs was a magical experience. The dogs loved exploring and rolling in the snow, and my stepbrothers and I had a memorable snowball fight. We even stumbled upon an abandoned cabin, adding to the perfect winter adventure. While living in Florida offers a nice break from dreary winter weather, I do miss the seasonal cold and snow.
Creative Process
Although inspired by the winter woods of New England, I used Joy of Painting episode S8E12 as a starting point. Then I went my own way with it.
Colors
- Alizarin Crimson
- Bright Red
- Cadmium Yellow
- Dark Sienna
- Indian Yellow
- Midnight Black
- Phthalo Blue
- Phthalo Green
- Prussian Blue
- Sap Green
- Titanium Hwite
- Van Dyke Brown
- Yellow Ochre
- Don’t forget the Liquid Hwite!
Equipment
In the episode, Bob uses a custom round foliage brush, but I improvised with a 1″ brush. I painted this scene on a small 12 x 12 inch canvas, as it was the only size I had at the time. I might revisit this scene on a larger canvas in the future.
Final Thoughts
Painting this scene in my home during the balmy Florida winter brought me back to that day in the winter woods. I remember thinking of all the elements I wanted to capture in a painting. From snow covered trees to the random cabin and tiny pine saplings pushing through the winter blanket.
Sadly I don’t have any more photos of this painting as this was sold.
What memory or moment would you capture on a canvas or drawing board? Comment below. Let me know what you think.
Thank you for joining me on this reflection of the creative process for this piece.
Before you depart, I would like to invite you to have a browse through my gallery. If you’d like add some artwork to your personal collection, check out my store.
Happy Painting!