I wanted to explore the aesthetic of the winter season. With white, blue, and brown color tones, winter gives off a range of emotions, everything from loneliness and solitude to hope and unity. Originating since the beginning of time, the beauty of the winter aesthetic is largely owed to the extreme color contrasts caused by the white background of the snow accompanied by the gray sky.
The winter season lets natural colors appear brighter and more vibrant simply due to the lack of contrast in the background. The branches of trees lacking the bright green colors of leaves on them, the absence of the usual color contrast of the blue sky with the brown dirt, and the ability to spot a unique bird from even a few miles away leads to a sense of peace. The lack of such background contrasts allows visuals to appear as though they are more detailed.
During the wintertime, people tend to enjoy staying more indoors, usually near a fireplace, to avoid the freezing temperature of the environment and this leads to a different aesthetic caused by winter which tends to be associated as calm and cozy. The winter aesthetic also has major ties to the holiday of Christmas, which, in itself, has emotions such as unity and hospitality bound to it.
While moments in the winter season are enjoyed indoors, it’s certainly not a low energy season. This time of year includes activities such as sledding, skiing, snowboarding, ice-skating, to name just a few. All these sports themselves have their own unique aesthetics associated with them.
Since the beginning of time, the stillness of the frozen air and the endless hills of powder create an unforgettable landscape. Though the days are short, they are filled with tremendous natural beauty.
References:
Featured image: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/304204149815546915/
Image 1: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ARobin-Stimac-1280×969.jpg
Image 2: https://www.yourhealth.net.au/articles/mythbusting/does-being-cold-actually-give-you-a-cold/attachment/cold-winter-landscape-with-snow-and-sunset/
Image 3: http://clipart-library.com/clipart/1772559.htm
Image 4: https://jingdaily.com/olympics-plans-300-million-skiers-boost-winter-sport/
Image 5: https://www.massagemag.com/massage-for-winter-sports-33754/
Image 6: https://aminoapps.com/c/simply_aesthetic/page/blog/winter-aesthetic/YEkk_xJUbu1DLxxa2V66o3Xno03pK38oZd
4 Comments. Leave new
I really loved how you described how the winter aesthetic feels and the core behind what makes the winter aesthetic it’s own. For me winter has always been about self reflection and I’m curious as to what you think as to why the winter aesthetic achieves such a wide range of emotions?
Stephen, thanks for your comment. Different from all the other seasons, I think winter brings both excitement (from the holidays) and sadness(shorter days). I think, especially in a place like Colorado where wintertime lasts pretty long, people go through an array of emotions from start to finish. Usually, winter starts with excitement with the new snowfall and Christmas/New Year approaching, but after the holidays are over, there are few things to look forward to. Another reason that leads to the gloomy side of winter could be SAD(Seasonal Affective Disorder) where low exposure to sunlight leads to a drop in Serotonin levels which drastically affects your mood.
I am a big fan of the winter aesthetic and I agree that it provides calm emotions and beautiful sights. I also enjoy skiing in the mountains and agree that it makes a great aesthetic style. However, I feel like you could have explored one of the design styles encompassed in the winter season more thoroughly.
Zack, thanks for your comment. I was initially planning on going through one design style specifically but decided against it because I thought having several styles would’ve encompassed what I was trying to convey better.