The reference photo is of a deep, dark Norwegian forest. It’s from a hike up in the hills above a sheep farm. The ground was wet with bogs and wildflowers in abundance. Wonderful summer memories galvanized this watercolor tutorial. Norwegian folklore is full of old tales about trolls who roam the deep forest after dark and live in mountain caves during the day. The renowned artist Theodor Kittelsen created magical illustrations with trolls and misty forests. He illustrated the whole gamut of Norwegian mythical creatures. Let’s get on with our watercolor.
Snowy Pine Tree With Watercolor. Step By Step Painting Tutorial.
The holidays are coming to an end but the year is just beginning. I decided to make a snowy pine tree in the first tutorial of this year.
Snow, small, cold, and fluffy. It does not always happen. Sometimes winter is without snow, and then it seems something is missing in these not quite sunny days. Winter is a pleasant time with hot coffee or tea by the fireplace. The time when the firewood crackles and the smell of fresh frosty air don’t leave the room even for a moment. Winter is cold and frosty. But these are also the most important days of the year, its end and beginning. Time to think and feel the change. A time of joy and fun.
Nature can surprise and delight us. There are many possibilities and mysteries in it. It is probably difficult to imagine something even more beautiful than a pine tree covered with snow. It is not just a symbol of eternal greenery and life. This is purity and beauty, the power of nature, and its incredible beauty. Special depth of colors and magic of the weather. This is the magic of nature, the depth of its sacred shapes, and the beauty of its simplicity.
If the holidays aren’t letting go, check out the wreath and bauble.
So let’s dive in!
Supplies you’ll need:
1. Watercolor paper 300 gsm (140lb)
2. Professional watercolor paints. You’ll need these colors for a painting: sap green, Prussian blue, and white (or you can use gouache). You can use any shades of these colors.
3. Professional brushes. Here you need a size 4 round.
6. Washable tape
Here’s a step-by-step tutorial.
1. Grab sap green and paint a straight vertical line for the trunk.
2. Grab sap green with lots of water and paint the top of the tree. Paint strokes and dotting for branches and needles.
3. Grab sap green and apply the second layer.
4. Grab a mix of sap green with Prussian blue and apply shadows.
5. Grab white watercolor and apply snow on the branches.
6. Swipe the belly of your brush across the base of the trunk for gradual bleeding to create shading.
That’s all. Happy painting!
If you painted your work according to my tutorial, send me your work. I’ll add them to the gallery. You can also tag me on social media and I will post them there. I love seeing your works.❤️
Find out full instructions for this tutorial, as well as a bunch of other tutorials and bonuses (references, guides, feedback on your work), and also become part of my Patreon community!
You can also check out other related tutorials >>
If you love my tutorial, drop your comment below. I love to read them.
The Norwegian Wood
The reference photo is of a deep, dark Norwegian forest. It’s from a hike up in the hills above a sheep farm. The ground was wet with bogs and wildflowers in abundance. Wonderful summer memories galvanized this watercolor tutorial. 
Norwegian folklore is full of old tales about trolls who roam the deep forest after dark and live in mountain caves during the day. The renowned artist Theodor Kittelsen created magical illustrations with trolls and misty forests. He illustrated the whole gamut of Norwegian mythical creatures. 
Let’s get on with our watercolor.
After outlining the landscape, paint the sky blue. Avoid painting around the trees by painting the whole square blue. Let the blue dissolve gradually below the tree line. Use water and a sponge to facilitate a smooth gradient. Many of my watercolor tutorials have a free outline that you can download from One Tree Art Club. Learn how to trace and transfer to watercolor paper.
Step 2: Paint the shed and meadow
When the blue watercolor is dry, paint the shed with two kinds of brown. 
Use at least two kinds of green for the meadow. Whatever you have in your punnets will do. Add some ochre and yellow as well. The point here is to avoid a flat green color since the meadow is full of various colors. Look closely at the photo, and you will be amazed at the colorful richness of the pasture. 
As you can see below, I have painted only the top part of the pine trees with a distinct form. Here is how you paint the pines: 
- Use a pretty wet and sharply pointed brush, and paint a straight, vertical line.
- Starting at the top, paint uneven horizontal lines that stick out from the center line. Each tree branch is longer than the one above.
- To paint the uneven branches, use a moderately wet brush. Paint in a free and loose way. Take cues from the photo, but paint without looking at it.
- The first two trees have merged into each other. Fill in the body below with wet paint. Let the paint flow into the still-wet meadow below.
Now that you have painted the first two trees, keep going and finish the rest.
Add a dash of black to darken the flowing body of paint on the lower part of the forest. As the paint slowly dries, it forms patterns. Extend the random shapes with more pine trees before the paint is dry.
To get this effect, use plenty of water for the body. The pigments will separate into random patterns when it dries.
Step 4: Watercolor a realistic shed
Redraw the outline of the shed with a dark brown colored pencil. Paint another layer of brown colors. Use black for the shadow while the brown is still wet.
When the brown watercolor is dry, paint white lines with white gauche. For the boards, use a dry brush to make them look scruffy. For the crisp white lines, use a moderately wet, pointed brush.
Enhance the shadows with a dark brown colored pencil.
