Paintings of  Winter Paths and Places:

Consider the snow-covered landscape in "Celebration" . Envision the bright light reflected from the surface of the snow and the softness of shadows over the surface. See the dark contrasts of tree trunks, the vertical edges of buildings or the rigid surfaces of partially submerged boulders. These are all elements in the joy of painting winter scenes. One thing that is for sure, snow is not white, but a reflective surface that echoes pastel tones of all colors. The old adage about white being the presence of all color is certainly true when painting snow. Shadows are not dark masses, but are, at the most, soft middle tones. Soft pastels are also valuable in depicting the sky's reflections on the surface of fresh snow.

Consider another possibility. You can paint a perfect wintry snow scene by painting what isn't physically there just as well as what is there. Examine the shadows and any darks again in "Celebration". Since the subjects are blanketed in snow, paint any shadows rather than the subject from which the shadow is being created. It is a positive/negative style that is challenging to do. Try to ignore the reasons for shadows and paint only the resulting shadows. It sounds insane, but the result can be very appealing. Whatever medium you use to create a winterscape, you will have a delightful experience in the process.

David Jakupca
International Center for Environmental Arts (ICEA)
P. O. Box 81496
Cleveland, Ohio 44181 USA
Phone/fax: 440-891-8376
Email: ICEA2000@aol.com
http://www.TheICEA.Org

The International Center for Environmental Arts (ICEA) is a force for socially responsible activity. ICEA's mission is to "Assist in understanding of the relationship between Humans and their Environment through the Arts". The International Center for Environmental Arts (ICEA) was founded by David and Renate Jakupca in 1987 to meet the compelling needs of ordinary citizens for access to current, balanced, understandable information about complex global issues. Over the years, ICEA has gained a reputation for excellence based upon a unique library of specialized, current information on global importance and a wide range of imaginative programming and collaborations with other organizations to meet the needs of a broad constituency. With affiliates across the globe, the ICEA supports research, information sharing and effective action promoting a sustainable culture of Peace.