Quiet forests and falling snow----Three serene winter color schemes to use as inspiration for your next snow scene.
THE PLAN
The photo illustrates three color combinations. While experimenting with color it was possible to slightly change the mood of each composition.
Below are instructions for these color combinations which can be identified as {A}, {B} and {C}. Soon you will be experimenting with your own color combinations for beautiful snow scenes. Snow scenes are great subjects for playing with the cool colors on your pallet.
These three ornament styles were painted as thank you gifts for my students.
PREPARATION
Clean the surface of your porcelain ornament. remove any small labels that will burn off in the kiln. The powder residue from the label can land on other pieces in the kiln. Also remove the metal cap/hanger.
It can be helpful to freehand draw the main elements of a landscape onto the surface using a fine line permanent marker or a black china marker. In this case a horizon line was established first. Because these are forest scenes with snow moguls the horizon line is not totally straight. However, if there is a stream or pond the line where water sits is relatively flat a horizontal line is established for the area where water sits or flows. Example (A) above has a small body of partially frozen creek water on the lower part of the ornament. This is painted with horizontal strokes. Place a vertical line where you would like your main trees. On these designs the trees are placed to appear in the foreground and middle ground of the design for interest. The trees in the background were painted freehand.
HAVE FUN PAINTING
- Landscape Background
First Fire
{A} This snow scene ornament is a combination of Persian Grey and Cool Shadow china paint. Persian Grey is painted in the background tree area and Cool Shadow is painted in the snow drift area.
{B} On this ornament Black Grape is painted in the center of the background forest area and Persian Grey is is applied to the snow drifts and as a foggy border around the entire scene.
{C}This ornament was painted with American Beauty in the center of the background and Person Grey is painted on the snow drifts area and as a border around the edge.
The background colors are blended into each other on all three designs.
Second Fire
{A} Cool Shadow is painted in the snow drift area.
{B} Persian Gray is painted on the horizon line along the background snow drift.
{C} Paint black grape along the background snow drift.
- Background Trees
First Fire
Using a stiff flat brush or a wipe out/clay shaper, form tree trunks starting at the horizon line by wiping out the shapes of trees then wipe out branches on the trees. Sometimes it is easier to turn the ornament upside down and pull the strokes forming branches from the tree toward you. It isn't important to form every branch perfectly because our eyes will not follow the tangle of branches to make sure they are properly attached to trees in a distant background.
Second Fire
The idea on the second fire in the background is to create a feeling of a dense forest. You can accomplish this by adding a layer of paint along the horizon line along the shrubs in the lower part of the background. Smooth and blend the paint for a more natural shadowy feeling at the base of the forest. Below are the colors used in the above samples.
{A} Cool Shadow is painted along the lower part of the forest shrubbery. Brush and blend the top part of this area which gives the illusion of a foggy or dense area within the forest.
{B} On your shader brush a mixture of Black Grape and Persian Grey was brushed onto the lower forest area behind the first snow drift.
{C} American Beauty and Persian Grey is applied to the the lower forest behind the snow drifts.
- Snow Drifts
Snow drifts are generally smoother. They look more realistic if they are painted smooth and rolling rather than clumpy like cotton balls.
First Fire
Great snow colors are Persian Gray or Cool Shadow or a middle value blue. The colors you choose will set the tone or the scene. Using a clean shader brush wipe the snow off the top of the drift and pull the paint down into the crevice between the snow drifts.
Second Fire
On the second fire the snow drifts were enhanced with colors used in the first fire. Add more paint to the area between the drifts. Then try mixing a little color that is used in the background behind the trees with the color used in the snowdrift to create a grayish mixture will deepen the crevice. It takes just a bit of this mixture to add the illusion of depth.
- Trees
First Fire
On the first fire the Birch trees were wiped out with clean brushes or a wipe out tool. Then the shadow side of the tree was painted with Black Grape or Midnight Blue and the reflected light side of the tree was painted with Yellow Brown. The texture of the Birch tree was painted with Persian Grey and Ashes of Roses by using a small round brush to create the small lines that show here and there on the white bark.
Second Fire
Then the shadow side of the tree was darkened with Black Grape or Midnight Blue and the reflected light side of the tree was painted with Yellow Brown. The texture of the Birch tree was painted again with Persian Grey and Ashes of Roses by using a small round brush to create the small lines that show here and there on the white bark.
- Brush
First Fire
Load a liner brush or scrolling brush with a gray and brown and pull thin brushy branches around the base of the the trees. Keep in mind that the brush in the foreground is a bit larger than the brush on the middle ground tree and the background areas. If desired Use a wipe out tool or a clean stiff brush to wipe out small areas of snow on the branches.
Second Fire
Load a liner brush or scrolling brush with a gray and brown and darken areas of the brush around the trees. Keep in mind that the brush in the foreground is a bit larger than the brush on the middle ground tree and the background areas. If desired, use a wipe out tool or a clean stiff brush to wipe out small areas of snow on the branches.
Firing the Ornament
Fire at Cone 014 on both fires.
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