Winter is one of my favorite times to paint. Is it because of the cold that we are cooped up inside looking for something to do? I think there is something about a fresh blanket of snow that almost creates a blank canvas just waiting to be filled. The grey and gloom of a winter storm can change to a sparkling crystal world with just a little sunshine—it’s a magical transformation. A few animal tracks making a path through a fresh blanket of snow truly make it a winter wonderland.
Many artists have tried to convey winter in their paintings. It’s not easy. The artists below, I think, have captured winter’s feel. I hope they inspire you to paint your own magical winter landscape!
Winter Landscape by Wassily Kandinsky
Not a typical winter scene but one of my favorite abstract artists. The pinks and yellows make me think of a warm sunset. The snow-covered ground sparkles casting blue and green shadows just before a cold January night falls.
Winter Landscape by Edvard Munch
Much different than his most famous painting The Scream. The beautiful colors along with the white of the snow make me think of ice everywhere shining on land and sea. The sky seems to be churning, ready to drop more winter down below.
The Magpie by Claude Monet
A much more typical winter painting but still unique. I can almost feel the warmth of the sun and feel like putting on my sunglasses. The shadow of trees, fence and magpie creeping along the snow below. A silent early morning all noise hushed by a thick blanket of snow.
Landscape with Snow by Vincent Van Gogh
Not the typical winter painting, but it is the typical winter day. Late into winter, when the snow and ice are more grey than white and the frozen ground peeks through the icy covering. Grey skies loom overhead. You can almost feel the chill coming off the field.
In the Wild North by Ivan Shishkin
On top of a mountain at the top of the world, moonlight shines on land and sea. A tree weighed down with so much snow it feels as if it will break spilling snow down onto the world below.