#439 'Walk in the Snow' 24x30cm

A few days ago we had a big snowfall overnight and it was so exciting to wake up to snow laden trees and sunshine :-)

I went to an area walkable to us it was so quiet and we made the first snow tracks of the day, it was beautiful.

To be able to to paint that was such a treat. By the end of the painting the sunshine was warming the branches and my subject was disappearing!

My husband who was out taking photo took this one of me.

I was wearing two of everything spot the double coat!

#426 'Winter Skies, Bramshott Common' 8x10, 10x12"

A plein air sky not far from my house on land owned by MOD. I like seeing the distance and feeling the space. Winter sun means its sets over the distant hills - quite perfect!
I used a textured linen coloured board to give it more atmosphere. 

This second painting was done in my studio the next day using the above piece as a starting point. I wanted another go at the sky. As i would have done two outside but the sun disappeared within 40 minutes of setting up!

p.s I will be doing a seasonal post on Christmas Eve.....

#319 'Early Morning on Bramshott Common' 10x12"

I decided this was going to be a more tonal painting less colour more about tonal shapes and brush marks. Leaving some of the board colour showing gives a sense of unity. The foreground trees are on the golden line - where it's the most pleasing to the eye - about a third in.

Location pic showing the layers of tonal colours. I painted this scene first in the snow and will paint it again when the spring greens come :-)

#307 'Hammer Vale in Winter' 8x10"

I started this when it was a blizzard, the ice crystals landing on my board and palette congealing into little snow balls! I struggled on but the conditions weren't conducive to say the least! 
I went back the next morning and decided to start afresh, new painting same view. So much easier when the weather is a little less extreme. See pic below.

Ice Crystals!!

I have ended up with two paintings of the same view, the first which I have made my main top one. I scraped off what I did when it was snowing and did a fresh layer of paint over the top in the studio and it ended up better I think than the one below. Which surprised me.

Second attempt painting

So I actually painted this view 3 times - first day in the snow second day not snowing but maybe too careful and the third day in my studio back on the first painting! if you can follow all that :-)

The learning is paint a subject more than once, it really helps to know it, familiarise, relax with it and also not worry about the end result. I thought it wouldn't turn out so I went for it nothing to loose and it worked!

Things I did differently: pushed the tones to lighter, made the colours yellower and bluer - prettier, freer with the brush strokes, emphasised the foreground tree branches...changed the widths of bands of colour.

A couple of people people kindly took photos of me over those couple of days. 

Couldn't have painted without the brolly while it was snowing.

#306 'Snow falling on Bramshott Common' 10x10"

I started this by at 8am because I knew the heavy snowfall was due. I have painted this scene before back in 2016 when there was a light dusting and the path still visible. 

The shape of the foreground tree I emphasised with light and dark contrasts, as I liked the shape. Also the path making an 'S' shape into the picture. The line of trees at the back I simplified but I may still re work them. 

Not many colours, quite a tonal painting. The snow I applied the paint thick & juicy especially as it wasn't sticking very well to the board due to the cold atmosphere and snowy conditions. It started to really snow by the end of the panting so I decided to include a few flutters of flakes.

This is half was through...

#305 'Gateway to Bramshott Common' 10x10"

It's been a while since I posted, returning from Devon I painted 3 or 4 that I either haven't finished or don't like! And now the past couple of days I've done 3 snow paintings here's the first.....

Painted this morning I've been waiting eagerly for the snow!! and it's here!
Although this morning was just a dusting but enough to make a painting. I was really pleased to stumble across this view, such a great composition with lots of elements - close foreground interest and distant space.

Walking finding a spot I had in my mind how I wanted to paint - bold brush marks & strong composition. Snow seems to lend itself to this combos, and it helps my confidence to attack it and not be timid with applying paint! Mind plays a big part in the painting process.

I have painted gates before and they can look laboured so I deliberately didn't do much to it, focused more on what was through and behind them. 
The sky is a slightly darker than the snow, the colours in the snow pick up the sky colours.
I painted a web of branches, tree trunk and gate before I added anything else see pic below.

It helps structure the painting with the important parts and then paint around them - easier than painting on top and sits better in the painting.

The M.O.D yellow sign I left till the end unsure as to whether to include it. I did and it actually adds to the painting!

#277 'Snow falling, Bramshott Common' 8x10"

We had heavy snow yesterday and it was carnage outside our house, we are on a hill and cars were slipping, sliding and crashing into each other, and then abandoned. Quite a sight!

Plus 40mile hour gusts made blizzard conditions. So I wrapped up in many layers - 3 trousers 2 pairs socks, 2 coats... hardcore balaclava, 4 hand warmers, feet warmers. I was ready to paint!!

It looked so pretty as the snow had settled on the trees a good two inches. But I found it hard to find a composition as everything was either white or very light. I walked to another common nearby, with pine trees, and managed to fall over as I slipped off the pavement as I didn't see it under the snow, thankfully no harm done.

I had the usual battle of water (snow) getting on my palette and board. Too much of it and the paint wont stick when brushed onto the panel and goes into a sticky mess. Also the snow melted rapidly. 

Lots of tonal work. The sky is darker than the snow and the trees are darkest with variations of colour between green and red-violet.

I made adjustments in the studio of the snow on the trees as it was too contrasted so I softened it.

I painted for over an hour being totally alone, nobody else ventured onto the common until it stopped snowing.  I enjoyed being out there. Yay for snow!

#271 'Snow on Bramshott Common' 8x10"

Really tough painting conditions. Snowing, windy and bitter cold. Snow on the land makes it magical and I didn't want to miss the opportunity so I wrapped myself up in two of everything- trousers, coats, scarfs, socks...! Even a new fleece balaclava, allowed me to face the weather. 
I used my husbands old tattered golf brolly which I held religiously over my board and palette as if it gets too wet from the snow, paint resists on the board and you can't continue. So I had to do everything one handed not easy! It wasn't an option fixing the brolly to the easel as we would have taken off! So I held it up the whole time (I need bigger muscles!)  
I put the background trees in first a silvery violet leaving space for the foreground pine which was more intense colour and stronger in tone. Putting the lightest white snow next to test the tones. The distant snow is greyed down with a little violet and yellow. The tones of the snow are quite close together as it was a flat light, I changed the colours slightly between yellow and violet.
I got so cold by the end I could barely walk home, thankfully only 15 mins away but it was worth it!
I'm not sure if I will add snow flakes to the painting, and I may adjust some areas like the path later, once I've sat with it for a bit.

Got another 3 snow paintings to post... :-)

Me in my layers!