How to Paint Your First Winter Watercolor Landscape
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Why Paint a Winter Watercolor Landscape?
Painting a winter watercolor landscape is one of the most rewarding ways to capture the quiet magic of the colder months. From soft snowy fields to frosty blue skies and peaceful reflections in icy rivers, winter scenes invite artists to slow down and explore the subtle beauty of limited color palettes and delicate contrast.
In this tutorial, I’ll guide you through the process of creating your own winter watercolor landscape, no matter your skill level. Whether you're just starting out or looking for a seasonal project to enjoy by the fire, this is the perfect way to embrace the spirit of winter through watercolor.
Materials You’ll Need
Before we begin, it’s important to gather the right materials. Choosing the proper tools will make your painting process smoother and your final piece more vibrant and professional.
Paper
I highly recommend Arches 100% cotton cold press watercolor paper (140 lb Rough). This paper is thick enough to handle wet washes and textured enough to hold onto pigment beautifully. It’s especially useful in a winter watercolor landscape, where soft blending and lifting are key techniques.
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Paints
For this project, we’ll use Winsor & Newton professional watercolors. These offer a rich pigment load and blend smoothly—perfect for achieving the soft, cool look of winter.
Recommended colors include:
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Winsor Blue – for skies, shadows, and icy water
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Payne’s Gray – for tree trunks, shadows, and dramatic tones
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Winsor Yellow – to add subtle warmth or hints of light reflecting off snow
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Brushes
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Round Brushes: Sizes 12, 6, and 2 – for layering trees, adding detail, and working on delicate areas
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Flat Brush: Ideal for river washes, sky blending, and snowbanks
Other Essentials
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Mixing Palette: For creating wintery hues and subtle blends
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Two Jars of Water: One for rinsing brushes and one with clean water for wetting your paper
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Paper Towels or Cloth: For blotting and softening edges
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Masking Tape: Optional, but useful for creating clean edges or reserving snow areas
Painting Your Winter Watercolor Landscape – Step-by-Step
Here’s a breakdown of the steps we’ll take together in this winter watercolor landscape tutorial:
Step 1: Tape Down Your Paper
Start by taping your paper to a flat surface. This keeps it from buckling under the wet washes and gives your finished piece a polished, clean border.
Step 2: Wet the Sky
Using your flat brush and clean water, dampen the top portion of the paper to prepare for the sky. While still wet, load your brush with a light mix of Winsor Blue and gently sweep from the top downward. The color should fade as you reach the horizon to create a soft winter sky.
Step 3: Paint the Distant Trees
Once your sky layer is dry, use a diluted mix of Payne’s Gray and Winsor Blue to add distant tree lines. Keep the brushstrokes light and broken—less is more in a winter watercolor landscape. You want the background trees to feel misty and far away.
Step 4: Add Snowbanks and River Reflections
With your flat brush, use a diluted gray-blue tone to paint the gentle shapes of snow-covered hills. For the river, allow your brush to drag slightly to give the illusion of reflected trees or sky. Lift out lighter areas using a clean, damp brush to simulate ice glinting under the light.
Step 5: Foreground Details
Use your smaller round brush (size 2) and Payne’s Gray to add tree trunks, fence posts, or shadows in the snow. These darker elements help create contrast and depth. Try adding a few dry-brushed lines to suggest twigs or snow-covered grass.
Step 6: Final Touches
Once your painting is mostly dry, go back in and define any areas that need more depth. Maybe your river needs a bit more darkness at the edge, or you want to add a splash of yellow to suggest early morning light.
These subtle adjustments are what elevate your winter watercolor landscape from a basic scene to a finished piece full of mood and emotion.
Tips for Success in Your Winter Watercolor Landscape
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Let your paper dry between layers: Especially in cooler scenes, the value of clean layering becomes even more important.
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Use the white of the paper: Snow is best suggested—not painted. Leaving parts of your paper untouched adds sparkle and realism.
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Limit your palette: A winter watercolor landscape thrives on simplicity. Too many colors can take away from the peaceful tone.
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Experiment with lifting: Using a damp brush or paper towel to lift paint allows you to create soft highlights, which is perfect for snowdrifts and clouds.
Share Your Winter Masterpiece
Did you follow along with this tutorial? I’d love to see your version of a winter watercolor landscape! Share your work by tagging me on Instagram @LetsPaintWatercolors or drop a comment on the video. Seeing your creations is one of the best parts of teaching and connecting through watercolor.
Final Thoughts
A winter watercolor landscape is more than just a painting—it's an opportunity to slow down, observe the quiet beauty of the season, and enjoy the calming process of watercolor. I hope this tutorial has inspired you to pick up your brushes and create your own peaceful winter scene.
Stay warm, stay creative, and happy painting!
– Bill Holkham