After a heavy Arizona snowfall, I headed toward Payson to gather painting references. This short video takes you along beside snowy banks, running water, and trees, with a brief look at what catches my eye as a painter.
Look for snow that holds together
While speaking to the camera, I point to the snow behind my shoulder. I am interested in the way it is clumped into larger, simpler shapes. Nearby areas are more broken up, and I compare that difference as I look around. Even on a reference trip, I am already thinking about which patterns might be useful in a painting.
Enjoy the reference trip
The rest of the video shares views of the snowy landscape and creek. You can see rounded caps of snow over rocks, dark water between bright banks, and bare branches against the winter scene. This is a short field visit and a glimpse of the subjects I found, rather than a studio painting demonstration. I wanted to record the unusual snowy setting and bring some of that experience home as reference.
For a related lesson, see grouping snow patterns.
