Freezing Forest

Freezing Forest by Martin Howard (2005)

Watercolour, 50.8 x 40.6 cm, 140 lb Fine grain paper.

Gyllbergen, Borlänge, Sweden.

The Freezing Forest! Yes it certainly was freezing! It can get down as low as 30 degrees below freezing point where I am in Sweden. One of the first things that I noticed about the winter in Sweden, was the total lack of colour. Almost as if everything was either black or white. When painting winter scenes, I have found how even the slightest colour, can be put into the painting to bring it to life. When there's a clear blue sky, it reflects on the snow and the whole landscape is full of colour. That was the case with this scene and the sun shining through the trees, casting long shadows, enabled me use even stronger blues. The sunlight also allowed me to add a little warm glow to the trees on what was otherwise a very cold day. 

Into The Forest

Into The Forest by Martin Howard (2005)
Watercolour, 50.8 x 40.6 cm, 140 lb Fine grain paper.
Hönsarvet, Borlänge, Sweden.

Soon after I moved to Sweden, back in 2005, I started painting with watercolours again after a break of fourteen years. I don't know why it took me so long to pick up a paintbrush again after 1990, but I blame it on having children and a wonderful life while they were growing up. I think it must have been the change of scenery that was the catalyst. By the time, I reached the autumn of that year, I think I had painted about twenty paintings, mostly landscapes. As I began to think about Christmas presents to send to my family back in England, I hit upon the idea of having a calender printed using my landscape paintings. It was a little struggle to find a painting that could represent each month, but I did it. Unfortunately, that meant that I had to put in one of my least favourite paintings and leave out one of my best landscapes (in my opinion). This is that landscape. It is an autumn scene from the forest, about 15 minutes walk from my home, right next to a good friend's house. This is the first view of the forest that I see as I make my way into the forest from the roadside.