Winter Art Prompt Ideas
The sun begins to edge its way up and over the mountain range a touch earlier each day, quietly hinting that spring isn’t far away. The subtle shifts in the season are alluring and exciting but we still have a stretch to go in full winter mode before we can throw open the windows and declare that spring is here.
Wintertime can be a challenging season and as it begins to draw to an end I can find myself searching for inspiration, looking for that spark that will cascade through setting alight a series of ideas. So I have created this list of art prompt ideas that may help both you and I to keep creating through the darkest months and help us to notice and appreciate the little details of winter.
How to use the winter art prompts:
Use the prompts as you wish either by selecting one to work on when needing some inspiration or use it as a daily challenge to try and complete each one. Use your chosen medium, any one could work for this list whether it be photography, drawing, painting, digital art or even sculpture!
Winter Art Prompts:
In Nature:
Dried seed head - thistles, sedum, grasses, lunaria, hydrangeas.
Bare branches or twigs
Cone
Acorn
Dried leaf skeleton
Winter landscape
Interesting rock
Design a snowflake pattern
Winter flower - snowdrops, hellebores, daphne, viburnum, wintersweet, witchhazel, crocus.
Autumn leaves in various states of decay - a lone autumn leaf left on bare branches. On my walks I see Hornbeam leaves still clinging onto branches but all curled around themselves looking so sculptural.
Tiny drips frozen overnight under twigs.
Texture found in nature
Bonfire
Create a still life of found natural objects
Natural curiosities that you have found - I found a beautiful little paper wasp nest hanging underneath my potting bench.
Hint of Spring to come - buds swelling on branches, first little early bulbs pushing through the soil.
Something covered in snow
The form of a beautiful tree
Reflection in water - lake, river or puddle!
At Home:
The view out of your window
The folds and drape of a woolen blanket
Burning candle
Your favourite cosy winter meal
Your house in the winter
Jars of preserves
Firewood stack
How would you capture the feeling of being cold?
How would you capture the feeling of being warm?
Steaming cup of a warm drink
Reading - a pile of books or an open book
Self portrait - could include a hat, scarf and a warm coat!
Your favourite winter hobby - card game, knitting etc
Your favourite seasonal fruit
Your favourite seasonal vegetables
A quirky, shapely pumpkin or squash
Garlic bulb
Bunch of onions
Set up a still life from produce and objects from your kitchen
Your hand holding your pencil as you draw
Decorative object in your home
Indoor plant
Below is a printable PDF, divided into 2 sections; nature and home, each on a separate page so that you can print whatever one appeals to you or hopefully you want to give them both a go. It is an A4 document but if you are printing on US Letter paper then head to your print settings and select ‘fit to page’. I hope you enjoy them!
