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How to Paint a Winter Scene Art Skills Not Required !!!

Hey everyone! I hope you  had a great weekend! I have a fun tutorial here on how to paint a winter scene! I’ve had a lot of e-mails asking me for another art class,In fact, a few of you  were not only brave enough to try the pumpkin canvas tutorial, but a few of you had fun painting parties!Painting Snowflakes is also popular, and I know the stenciled linen pillows were another fun project! One of my top tutorials is  How To Paint Birch Trees

how to paint a winter scene no art skills required! Great for painting parties!

  I had  a lot of requests, but I thought a nice winter scene that you could keep out until past the holiday’s would be perfect!

How to paint a winter scene step by step

Are you ready to learn How to paint  a winter scene?

To paint a winter scene you’ll need:

a canvas (size of choice)

white,grey,brown,blue and green acrylic paint

Brushes (Liner,large flat, and round.)

I painted this on acrylic canvas board, but you can do this on a canvas,a pillow or even a wood board.

How to paint a winter scene

First base coat with a blue color. I mixed a blue with some white to get the color I wanted.

If you love painting a pretty canvas, check out more about my Online Poinsettia Painting Workshop.

How to paint a winter scene on canvas

Once that’s dry, take some white and make a hill. It does not have to be perfect, just kind of free-form it.

How to paint a winter scene by jennifer rizzo

Take a little grey and define your hills by painting it along the edge and blending it. Add more white if the white is a bit too dry.

How to paint a winter scene 2

Just blend it until you are happy with it. If it gets too grey, let it dry and go back over it with white paint.

How to paint a winter scene

After your white is dry, take your brown paint and a thin liner brush and draw a line down the middle-ish.Make it fatter on the bottom than on the top.

How to paint a winter scene painting the tree

Make the base into a triangle shape for the trunk.

For more another winter painting idea see how to paint birch trees.

How to paint a winter scene 3

Draw lines out starting at the top. make them slightly longer as you move down. New growth is always towards the top or outside of a tree or plant, so those will always be smaller and old growth near the bottom will always be bigger.

How to paint a winter scene with a tree

Once you have the tree base done, make 3 little lines next to the tree on top of the “snowy hills”.

How to paint a winter scene with snow

Take a dab of brown and pounce it on the top of the tree.

Once you have the tree base done, make 3 little lines next to the tree on top of the "snowy hills".

Work your way down each branch,dabbing our as you go on top of each of the lines.

How to paint a winter scene

You can even dab across the tree a little, it doesn’t have to be perfect!

How to paint a winter scene

Then make little “dabs” on your other lines.

How to paint a winter scene with a green tree

Then take your green paint and dab it on top of your brown.

How to paint a winter scene

Work your way down the tree making pouncing motions with the brush.

How to paint a winter scene

Once you finish the big tree, dab some paint on the little trees.

How to paint a winter scene with snowy trees

Then take your white paint and dab that just on the top of your green areas, this will be your “snow”.

How to paint a snowy winter scene

Less is more, you can always add more later.

How to paint a snowy winter scene 2

Then do the same thing to the little trees in the back!

How to paint a winter snowy scene

To make the winter sky,use a brush to spread paint back and forth across the surface. This is called “scumbling”. See you are an artist!

How to paint a winter scene

Scumble some grey underneath and blend them.

How to paint a winter scene sky

Once you’ve added winter to your sky, you can leave it how it is, or you can take it a step further and add a deer like I did. This is much easier than you think!

How to paint a winter scene with a deer

Print out the  deer template from this post and print it as a 2 x 3 inch picture. Use the same method to transfer the image to your canvas.

Deer transfer image on how to paint a winter scene

Once your image is transferred, use your brown paint to start filling in the lines.

how to paint a winter scene canvas

Once you have you deer painted, let dry and frame your picture!

How to paint a deer with a winter scene

Let me know if you have a painting party or paint this picture, I would love to see your work! Here’s a tutorial on how to add snowflakes to your scene! I have another treat for you too! I cropped this picture down so you can print it and frame it. I really hope you try to paint it yourself too.

Painted winter scene printable with pine tree snowy deer and snow

Just save to your computer and print!

If you liked this post, you’ll also like:

How to paint a deer silhouette

How to paint a pumpkin

The 2012 holiday housewalk

15 Comments

  1. I am excited . . . I was one of your pumpkin art students and really loved making my pumpkin. And now a winter scene . . . I already have the canvas . . . Show and Tell soon . . .thank you for taking the time to make this tutorial in between your book writing days . . .

  2. you REALLY are a rock star! I so enjoyed your pumpkin canvas tutorial….which is now displayed on my mantel. Now I get to make a winter scene!!!!!!!! Thanks so much!!!!! blessings~~angela

  3. Thanks so much for the tutorial. I did the pumpkin and I was hoping you would do another one for winter :0)

  4. Wow, that’s amazing, Jen! I don’t think I could do it. Might just have to print your cropped version 😉
    Hugs,
    Jamie @ somuchbetterwithage.com

  5. Like others before me I too was hoping you would share a tutorial for a winter scene. Thank you Jennifer!

  6. Great lesson. I know I can a winter scene. Thanks ever so much. I just picked up a brush six months and like painting. I am going to go get started right now

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