Why do I love acrylic paints? Because after spending what seemed like hours, painting a convincing winter village scene, I decided that if I wasn’t convinced no one else would be either, so what to do but throw on a bit of gesso and presto a new surface appeared and I was ready to go!
A Frozen Creek, an acrylic painting (6×6) was painted on the above gesso-prepared hardboard. I had a lot of fun while painting this scene, what did I possibly have to lose – just another coat of gesso I suppose, lol! The secret to acrylic painting mistakes.
On a serious note, after I painted this scene I found that I’m still not satisfied in my winter scenes, there is something in my work that I’m after that isn’t emerging. So I did a bit of research on the technicals of painting snow, have learned a few things and hope that they will show in my next several winter paintings.
If you celebrate Thanksgiving, I wish you a safe and wonderful holiday. Thank you to all my blogging friends and followers for your continued encouraging support shown to me throughout this past year ~ I’m most grateful. Click onto the image for a larger view.
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Oil Pastels by Mary 
Gosh…I didn’t even know the background paper/wood/etc was also a factor in painting. Shows my total ignorance of painting! Learning a lot from your passion of the painting art!
Thank you Patrick, you are so kind. The surface plays a large role into water/wet absorption, texture (smooth, rough), grained or slick, etc. Thanks for the compliment ~ have a great weekend.
What a grate painting; love the colors and the light/shadow!
Thanks Sibella, really appreciate your artistic eye w/re to the paintings elements.
Painting snow is a bear of a challenge, but you are certainly on the right track.
Thanks Elena – appreciate it! I really do enjoy challenges though, forces me to think about what was so challenging and how to learn from it. These acrylics are something else – love them!
Beautiful Mary. Reminds me so much of the scenery up here. Love the tree stump in the foreground. ~Rita
Thanks Rita – I agree, it really does remind me of the woods on the East coast in the winter. Thanks the stump is such a loner, but makes its own statement against the heavy forested area in the background. Was a fun and challenging scene to paint.
The first thing that strikes me about this piece is smell. I know that sounds weird, but because the sky does seem warm (as a previous commenter said), the painting feels like the weather has just changed and snow will begin to melt. I love that smell when trees start shedding the snow, and the ice starts to thaw on water. Those kinds of days always make you feel especially glad to be alive. 🙂
Thank you so much, I had the most fun reading your thoughts on this piece – love it! Really enjoyed it and can’t agree with you more – the freshness of nature makes me very grateful to be alive and witness this precious gift.
That’s such a captivating piece of work. Thank you so much.
Thank you Marcus for your generous feedback, much appreciated!
I love this landscape, Mary. Even with the ice and snow, the blue sky provides warmth…so beautiful. Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you so much Jill! Hope you had a lovely holiday ~
Just lovely Mary . I’m wondering now like Sylvia 😉
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your dear ones x
Thank you Poppy for your lovely greeting and kind feedback.
Another fine work, Miss Mary
Happy Thanksgiving
uncle john
So appreciated Uncle John. Thank you for your kind comment and greeting.
This is just beautiful, Mary…:-) Happy Thanksgiving…
Thank you Maniparna! It is a time to be very thankful ~ thank you for your greeting.
Happy Thanksgiving Mary! Your painting is looking lovely!
Thank you Rhonda for your thoughtful words. I hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful!
nice painting.
Thanks Shawn!
Lovely painting Mary and I must admit I feel sometimes as you do about my work, creating any form of art work seemingly is a never ending process of learning.
Have a most wonderful Thanksgiving my dear friend!
Thank so much Eva for your kind thoughts on this piece. I do enjoy the process of learning and being an artist is never ending. Thank you for your wonderful greeting my friend.
This is beautiful Mary. Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks Nicodemas – Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family as well.
Peace.
This is very lovely, Mary! I look forward to your new techniques. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Thanks Resa hope I can pull it off. Thanks for your greeting ~
Hey Mary – Sure looks frozen to me. Happy Thanksgiving! – Tom
Hi Tom! Thanks very much – Happy Thanksgiving to you as well!!
… beautiful winter landscape, I like it 🙂 !
Love greetings from Lis
Thanks so much Lis – best wishes to you ~
I love this one too, Mary. So much detail. I’m also curious to know how you could improve. 🙂
Thank you Sylvia! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
Beautiful painting – and am so pleased that you are enjoying the acrylic medium so much. It’s always a huge breakthrough for an artist to find a new medium that makes their heart sing:) Have a very happy Thanksgiving. Janet.
Thank you so much Janet – I really do enjoy these paints, great fun exploring possibilities and how far I can take them. Appreciate your kind words and greeting, Happy Thanksgiving to you as well my friend.
Love this painting! Thanks to you, Mary!
Thanks Amy!
Well, it still is a winter image, so whatever lied under this beautifully painted creek has added a chill making it a …’legitimate’ winter scene! 😉
ps I am also very grateful being your friend, Mary.
Thank you Marina, always appreciate your generous words! Have a great weekend and thanks again my friend. Hope you are well ~
This is great Mary, I love your rich colours and the movement you have captured!
Thanks Anna, really appreciate it!
I am curious now. How will you paint better than what is shown here (A Frozen Creek)? 🙂
What a nice comment, thank you. I’m always seeing areas in my paintings that could be revisited, a process of continued learning. Thanks again ~
This one hit me – Love the green with the brown and white.
Thanks so much Ann-Christine!
Hundreds of years from now, the art experts will discover the fact that you have hidden paintings underneath your paintings (using some sort of laser technology), and you will be found out! 🙂
Just teasing, Mary. One thing that adds a certain feeling to a painting of snow, I think, is to have a human figure in it somewhere…nothing elaborate or grandiose, just an added dimension that brings the feeling of the scene to the viewer in a sensual and sympathetic way.
Happy Thanksgiving, my dear friend!
Thank you Cynthia – oh and what a surprise they’ll find, for sure! Thank you for your feedback on adding an element of human interest in winter scenes – I understand your point and will remember when painting these types of landscapes. A great piece of advise, really appreciate your artistic eye for seeing what is possible beyond. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
I think it’s gorgeous!!! 💖😊💖😊💖😊
Thank you Trini – much appreciated!
Happy Thanks giving Mary 🙂 Lovely Post thank you 🙂 🙂 Enjoy !!!!
Hi Nigel, thanks very much for the greeting and kind words! Have a wonderful weekend.
Voila!! A beautiful painting appears!
Thanks Susan!
I tend to like acrylic paints too (as an amateur art critic, not a painter, naturally). And A Frozen Creek is 6 feet by 6 feet isn’t it. Another one of your fantastic murals. Bravo.
Hi Prospero, thank you – always appreciated! Very amusing, if only I could paint a 6′ x 6′ mural – well we’d all get a real kick out of that. Okay one of these days my friend, one of these days ~