Each month Leisure Painter introduces a photograph with advice on how to paint it from one of our regular contributors. This month Jem Bowden shares a photograph of a spring lane (see below) which he will be changing into a winter painting for this project.

‘This composition has enough elements for a good painting: a feature tree, a lead-in (the track), good depth (from foreground to far off hill) and a glimpse of a view to the side of a field beyond the old fence posts’ says Jem. ‘I decided it would be good to paint a landscape with snow half melted, which could include more colour than a pure snow scene. To make this convincing I needed to work out various elements.

‘I began making small sketches, trying out a composition where the distant land is still snow covered and obviously on higher ground than where it has melted. I also had the idea of introducing puddles, which will provide opportunity for reflections and therefore add interest. Being winter there would be little foliage so I introduced more trees to the composition, and decided to make the hedgerow on the left a moss-covered wall instead. I found another photo showing how ivy often covers tree trunks. I would also have shadows across the road, cast by trees, as seen in the same photo. Shadows in winter are longer, because the sun doesn’t rise as high in the sky. These are important details to feature in the painting, as they help convey reality in a convincing way.’

Jem shares more photographs for inspiration as well as his compositional sketches in the February issue of Leisure Painter. You will also find part two of Colin Steed’s project to paint boats at Blakeney, Norfolk in watercolour. Click here to purchase your copy.

In the March issue, out on January 27, Jem will share details of how he completes his project.

Readers are invited to send their versions of these painting projects to [email protected] for inclusion in the gallery. We invite the artist contributors to view the images sent in and to add their comments if possible.

Why not join in for 2017? You can see past project paintings, sent in by readers, by clicking here.