Course: December 3rd 2014 - Fir trees with snow

Course notes: Things to remember

1. Use a soft pencil - 2B
2. Draw a long thin irregular triangle
3. Draw the dark shapes in the top half and the white snow patches in the bottom half. Make the shapes irregular, different sizes and offset
4. Now redo the shapes in sketch 1 with a water soluble crayon on watercolour paper

1. Mix prussian blue and raw sienna for the dark shapes start with tone 4 then add darker shades. Using these 2 colours you can get some really good darks!
2. Paint carefully, the edges of the branches are sharp and irregular not rounded, make some interesting negative shapes
3. Add shadows to the snow by using clean water and dragging some paint from the dark areas. Leave some edges soft and some hards
4. Add some touches of burnt sienna to give warmer areas
5. Wet sky around trees with clean water and drop in raw sienna and paynes grey amking the right side slightly darker. Allow colours to flow. NOTE: you could paint the sky before the trees allowing to dry before starting the trees!
6. Add twigs and rocks to foreground sprays -  repeat some greens in the foreground to balance the painting