The list keeps growing with so many great winter scenes to paint, but I’ve narrowed it down to a few more for the rest of 2014 before going back to painting still life’s and flowers.
First up is Fresh Snow, an oil pastel (7×5), that’s painted on Strathmore Pastel Paper (light gray tinted). This isn’t my favorite paper to paint on because I have to put up a good fight to get decent coverage and a nice blend, but I can’t let a hefty supply go to waste and thought the light gray would help to achieve the look I was after (gray skies, with the sun trying to peek out). Oil pastel brands used were Senneliers, holbeins and neopastels and for tools a razor, painters knife and clay shapers.
While I used a reference image, it was changed a bit from the original that had a gray heavy atmosphere, to one where the sun is trying to come out after a snowfall thus giving the piece a lighter feel overall. Please click onto the image for a larger view.
The reference image was from Wetcanvas library (taken by Joycelynart).
MY ART IS COPYRIGHTED.
PLEASE DON’T COPY OR USE MY IMAGE WITHOUT RECEIVING MY PERMISSION FIRST – SEE DISCLOSURE ON THE RIGHT PANEL.
Oil Pastels by Mary 
Beautiful, Mary!
Great to hear from you Elena – thanks so much. This painting is what I used for our Christmas card this year, appreciate your comment!
Another really lovely winter scene! You motivate me to paint one with soft pastels…
Thanks so much and I hope you do one in soft pastels – they handle snow scenes so beautifully.
Just beautiful! I love looking at winter scenes when I’m warm inside.
Thank you Beth!
You may have lots more opportunity to capture snow scenes if early weather is any indication.
Thanks Lulu!
The ‘hush’ of snow, Mary 🙂 Oh, dear, but I’m feeling cold now!
Thank you so much Jo!
Another stunner! Your painting conveys to me that I am out for a walk in the fresh fallen snow. It is pristine. Its so calm and crisp I can see my breath floating all around me.
It almost makes me want it to snow. It will soon enough and then I will want it gone. Not on my list of favorite things. 🙂
Thank you Susan for your generous comment, really means a lot. The best thing about living in TX, I can paint snow till my hearts desire and have to deal with the wet-damp snow! Seems like many on the North East corridor are in for some big storms for Thanksgiving – ouch, the main reason why we don’t do that travel any more. Have a good one!
Stay safe this weekend and Happy Thanksgiving. We can discuss snow and the fact I am Canadian and would rather not see so much of the stuff another time!! 🙂
I love this one. It’s great to see other’s painting winter scenes too. I don’t feel so cold and alone. lol 😉
Hi Gloria! Thanks so much for your beautiful comment – I wish I could thicken oil pastels to take on more of a heavy textured oil paint as you are able to do, the difference would be huge. But for now, oil pastels will do. Love your gorgeous snow scenes – wonderful colors and textures you always seem to achieve.
How gorgeous!
Thanks Fiona!
That’s really lovely. Thank you so much.
Thank you Marcus!
What a lovely tone, love how you darkened the values between the trees, gives a great depth and the fact that not all of the trees standing up it makes it interesting as far as composition goes. The snow is heavenly, just the right colorations to convey the freshness and the highlights given by the rising sun makes it glow. Wonderful piece Mary, as the holidays are approaching it warms my heart to see such beautiful winter scenes! Have a great evening!
Hi Eva, thank you so much for your beautiful description of this painting. It’s interesting the reference image showed a very dark winter day, one in which you could barely make out even the front line of trees. So that sparked my interest in seeing how different this scene would be in the light after a storm. So glad you enjoyed this piece, yes I can also feel the specialness of the holiday. Have a wonderful day!
A hearty snowfall indeed. Well done!
Hi Frank, thanks very much!
Ah, one of your favourite things…a pathway! This brings to mind going out to chop down a tree for the Christmas season. I really like the white-trunked trees up against the evergreens. Nice composition here.
Thanks A! I wasn’t expecting to put a pathway in and then it sort of revealed itself and thought to leave it there. Glad you enjoyed the piece – I think it’s getting about that time to chop down a tree for the holidays! Have a good evening.
I love the delicacy of the denuded deciduous trees, white on white…very lovely, Mary
Thank you so much Cynthia – so many layers of white, silver gray, ash gray, light gray, dark cold gray, cream, and Hansa Yellow. Can you believe it, they all got in there – by layering, scraping and layering again – a process that reveals a lot of interesting patterns by time you’re done. Thanks so much for noticing. Have a nice winter-kind ov evening. Are you getting the snow that is forecast coming up the Eastern corridor?
Not yet…fingers and toes crossed 🙂
Saw on the news that you all might have a foot of snow ~ take care and stay warm Cynthia!
As I was looking at it, I thought, how lovely, the sun is ready to come out… the snow is just beginning to sparkle. …and then I read your introduction! Well done, Mary! 🙂
Hi Marina, how about that – you made my day! You read the piece perfectly, thank you for your wonderful description! Have a beautiful evening.
🙂 🙂 You too [well, afternoon first!] 🙂
Freshly fallen new snow is the wonderful feeling I get from this piece. The quiet of the forest and the crisp air is what this painting brings to mind. Very nice Mary!
Thanks Rhonda, you got what I was conveying – very cool. Have a great evening.