It might be cold outside at this time of year but it is just as important for you and your children to soak up the natural benefits that nature has to offer, and explore the great outdoors. As always looking at the natural world around us, can provide us with a huge amount of inspiration for creative projects, including our arts and crafts.
Here are our top 5 sources of inspiration that the outdoor Winter world can offer us…
1. Look up at the sky for Winter Art Inspiration
The shorter days of Winter gives us lots more opportunities to see some of the most beautiful skies. The later sun rise and early sun set mean that we get to see them without having to wake up too early, or go to bed too late. The longer, colder nights give us more opportunities to stargaze and watch the cycle of the moon.
2. Study natural objects up close
Landscapes can be more baren and there is less colour to enjoy in the Winter time. I see this as a great opportunity to take a closer look at the beautiful things that nature still offers to us. We have a small microscope at home – it wasn’t too expensive either! When we are out and about walking, we like to collect natural treasures that we find along the way. We like to take a few things home with us to create arts and crafts with, and we also like to take an even closer look, under the microscope.
3. Trunks and twigs
Bare branches and fallen leaves leave the trunks exposed, so take advantage of this clear view to study the shapes of tree ‘skeletons’ during the Winter. What can you see in other parts of the natural world, and your own body even, that resemble the inter-winding network of branches and twigs in the trees? Have a look at the back of your hand, your inner wrist and the patterns on the back of a leaf. Rub your hands across the bark and feel the textures. Have a look at the different types of mosses that you find growing on the tree trunks.
4. Snow and Ice
Soft crunchy snow and smooth crackling ice. The colder temperatures often give us the beautiful ice and snow that provides us with a huge source of inspiration for snow and ice themed arts and crafts. Look closely at frost covered leaves and look at tiny intricate patterns that form in frozen puddles.
5. Low light
When the sun is out and the sky is clear you will find that the light is much lower in the Winter time. This is because the Northern hemisphere of the Earth leans away from the sun, meaning that the sun appears lower in the sky, creating the angle for lower lighting. This creates much longer shadows that stretch out across the ground. Have a look at your shadows on your next Winter walk. Shadows are created by objects that block out the light from behind them when the rest of the area is exposed and lit. A shadow creates a silhouette of the person or object which is an outline of them. Shadows can also be cast from buildings, hills and mountains, meaning that a whole area is in the shade of that object.
We want to hear from you!
We would love to know what inspires your creativity during the Winter months. Send us an email or get in touch with us via our Social Media platforms and let us know.
