Create Snowflakes
in Watercolor
Painting winter scenes in watercolor offers many possible settings for the artist. Landscapes, city streets, country roads, kids playing in the snow and pine trees are some of the traditional themes. Adding snowflakes can bring a sense of motion to the images.
Instructions
1. Sprinkle table salt across the wet watercolor when it begins to lose its shine. Darker colors create a deeper contrast. Create blizzards and light snowfall by changing the amount of salt.
2. Brush the salt away after the painting completely dries. Use a dry paper towel or dry brush. See how the salt absorbed the watercolor leaving pale spots of snow wherever the salt landed.
3. Get a white crayon and draw dots and small dashes across the watercolor paper to represent the falling or blowing snow.
4. Paint over the crayon snowflakes using lots of water in whatever color you choose. The crayon prevents the colors from sticking wherever the snowflakes were drawn.
5. Complete a winter scene in watercolor and let it dry over a protective mat or board.
6. With a sharp knife or safety razor, scratch across an area of paint for snowflakes. A narrow scratch works best to create a wind blown snowflake. Don't apply too much pressure, or you will cut through the paper.
7. Use the color white against a dark blue, grey or black background. Dab lightly with your brush or flick the color off the brush with your finger to create snowflakes.
