Winter Artwork Ideas When You Are Stuck At Home

There are lots of people who are stuck at home these days. Maybe because of the pandemic, maybe because they choose to, or maybe, they don’t like winter. I enjoy winter, personally. I know some people who think I am not human because of this, but that is another story. Today I would like to give you some inspiration for artwork in the winter months. Artwork is a broad term, but it can really be anything. I do a lot of visual arts, but you can find inspiration for your art, whether it’s painting, photography, crafts, home decor, fabrics, writing, or you just want to make some kind of random creation, which is usually called mixed media. If you don’t think you are an artist, that’s ok. Lots of artists start out thinking their art is crap, but if you keep trying, you will improve.

I have met some artists who believe that winter is too crappy of a season for inspiration and colours. On the contrary, my favourite colour that exists on this planet can only be found in winter. My favourite colour is the colour of the shadow that an evergreen tree casts on the snow on a sunny day. Some people might say that all shadows are black and have no colour. They are just not looking closely enough. You can see colour in shadows, you just have to observe closely. Snow-shadow blue is a beautiful colour, along with many others you can find in winter. The season is full of soft shades of pastel, like the winter sky and the reflections and the shadows on snow. Also there is the harsh contrast of dark colours, like the leafless trees and black bare ground as well as the starkness of objects against the white background of snow.

Colour is a great way to start when you are thinking of creating something. The colours in nature in the winter season can be the inspiration for many things. Maybe you would like to make a pastel scarf, or a painting of a pastel scarf, which would have beautiful easy flowing lines. Perhaps you could photograph the morning sky in the winter, or use natural colours when decorating for the holiday season. Or, you could make a snow sculpture and photograph it or make it into a painting. Red and green are commonly seen colours that are put together during the winter holidays, but these colours can be used for other purposes. By changing the lightness, darkness, and the hue (adding small amounts of other colours to the red or the green) you can create a colour palette that is complementary, and can be used for any style or form of artwork.

Temperature can be a great influence on artwork in the winter as well. Icy shapes, crisp and cool colours, warm subjects to spite the cold, or even iridescent or shiny elements like the snow and ice has. Another part of winter that influences my artwork is the feeling of really being alive in the cold weather. This can really put a good influence on the mood of your artwork. Mood can be important in how your creation turns out. But it doesn’t necessarily have to be a good mood, quiet darkness, sombreness, sadness, they all work well in helping a work be captivating and interesting.

Whatever you do, be entertained while doing it. No point in creating artwork that was a real chore to make, or tedious and boring. Have some fun with your creation. But in the end, if you don’t like it, don’t give up. Learn from the experience, maybe have a laugh about some mistakes, and pick up your craft again.