Sketching in Winter

In an old copy of Artists magazine, I found several articles on winter sketching. After last week’s 6-inch snowfall, I thought I’d give it a try.

Some of the tips I found most intriguing were:

·         focus on the light; let shadows form your composition

·         look for the unusual; a big pile of snow can be very interesting

·         simplify your tools; experiment with different media

·         use a smaller sketchbook; paint thumbnails or vignettes

·         work quickly; get the rough outline down

·         stand on a piece of cardboard to keep your feet insulated; find a sunny spot out of the wind

So with these tips in mind, I set off outdoors taking only my blue Pilot fountain pen, a Crayola marker, a waterbrush, and a small sketchbook. The day was sunny and wind-free, but let’s face it... 20° is cold, even in the sun. I stopped at Starbucks for a warm latte and did my first sketch while looking out the window. Okay, I admit to being a wimp, but truthfully, another magazine tip was to find a window with a good view if you couldn’t stand the cold. After all, we’re urban sketchers; not a plein-aire painters.  I really liked the way the blue ink from my Pilot fountain pen shaded the snow mounds when I hit it with my waterbrush. But I would have preferred a finer line, especially given the tiny sketchbook I was using.

After I finished my latte, I headed off to the park. I didn’t bring any cardboard to stand on, but in hindsight, I can see how that tip should be #1. My feet got very cold, very quickly standing in the snow (and I was wearing heavy boots!). For this sketch, I switched to my Crayola marker. The ink is a little softer and easier to create the shadows you see in the white snow mounds.

In conclusion, while this was a fun experiment, I doubt I’ll ever become an avid outdoor winter sketcher. I need at least 40° to be comfortable. But for those of you who are inspired, the final article in this magazine was on an annual winter painting retreat sponsored by the Outdoor Painters of Minnesota. Those artists have thicker blood than me!