DEMONSTRATION

A snowbound stream

Barry Herniman shares his nostalgia for winter snow with this evocative watercolour scene

A Snowbound Stream, watercolour, 17¾x15in (45x38cm) A cold, snowy scene to get your teeth into. I have utilised the pure white of the paper for the pristine snowy areas.

Years ago, it was great to wake up in the winter months to a fresh fall of snow with a rising sun peeping up through the trees casting a warm glow over the scene. Sadly, these wonderful experiences are few and far between, so I rekindle those memories by doing some paintings that evoke those special moments.

Because I want to produce clean, vibrant passages of pure watercolour I always choose my favourite brand, Schmincke Horadam artists watercolours which have served me so well during my artistic endeavours.

With the ever-expanding array of different brands there are some super paints out there but beware there are some ‘not so super’ ones as well. My advice to budding watercolourists is ‘buy less but buy the BEST!’ Schmincke paints suit my painting style, and I know how each of the pigments will behave on the paper which gives me the confidence to throw colours together to get a desired result. You may find a different brand suits you better, it’s all about experimenting.