Step out into the world of plein air painting! Capture the outdoors directly to your canvas as you create a doorway to your world. Plein air painting is defined as the practice of painting outdoors, with the subject in full view capturing the landscape in natural light.
Let’s talk about it!
The Appeal of Watercolors for Plein Air Painting
First of all, what is plein air painting? Or should I say en plein air – means the act of painting outdoors.
Watercolor and outdoors are the perfect match. They are portable, easy to use, and allow you to capture the beauty of outdoor scenery. The blending and layering effects help you to achieve the beauty of landscapes as well as seascapes, and the ability to paint a glorious sunrise or the gentle sway of leaves on trees.
The mobility alone and the ease of setting up your art space are key to why plein air painting is popular. Its flexibility for travel is my favorite part. Whenever I go cruising on the open seas, I love to sit on my balcony with my paints, especially at sunset or sunrise.
I study the movement of the waves, how the water darkens by the horizon, and how the setting or rising sun looks over the water. Seeing it in real life and not a photo makes it a great study as well as practice for future paintings.
The overall best thing about plein air painting is that it gets you out of the studio, into nature and immerses you in your art. This is most welcome for those who live in a bustling city and want to get away into the peacefulness of nature, like a misty morning mountain, or a quiet countryside.
Essential Gear and Supplies
You can easily put together a portable watercolor kit. Have some sort of bag or backpack to put your paints, palette, water container, and brushes. Keep your brushes safe by placing them in a container that will keep the bristles from bending out of shape.
Your watercolor paper choices are whatever you love to paint on. There are many portable watercolor journals or whatever paper you choose. The more portable the better. Note that cold-pressed paper can absorb liquid faster and will dry faster, so you may have to paint a little quicker than you normally do, depending on the weather.
If you feel the need to use an easel, you will want to find one that is lightweight and compact. Plus you will more than likely need a seat to sit on. Again, portability is key. Camping stools work well for this.
Note that an easel is not always necessary depending on your needs. For me, I just use my lap/lightweight tray table. Remember those days when you sat as a family in front of the television with your TV dinners? Did I just date myself at my age? We had those metal tray tables that were lightweight and easy to use. They would be perfect for me to paint outdoors.
Consider the weather when you go outdoors for plein air painting. Dress for the weather conditions as well as consider if you need a hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, first aid kit, etc.
It may seem like a lot to take with you, but, throw as much as you can into a backpack, and you are set to go! Make an afternoon or evening out of it, but I recommend you try it at least once.
Planning Your Plein Air Adventure
If you are planning your plein air painting adventure, consider comfortable locations, as well as lighting, accessibility, and safety. Time is also a factor you will want to consider. You will want as much natural light and shadows as possible.
The best time to plein air paint, in my opinion, is when you are going on vacation to a place you want to remember always. Yes, photography does that, but the memory of sitting along the beach, or on a rock in the mountains, painting your artwork, are memories you will have every time you look at your finished piece.
Always take your watercolor supplies, like paint, paper, and brushes with you when you travel. I like to take along water brushes, so I don’t need to carry a water container. I fill several brushes with water and throw them in my watercolor travel bag, which is a tote bag where I keep my portable pan paints, brushes, and small watercolor notebook.
There is no need to go out and buy expensive supplies for plein air painting with watercolors. Go with what you have and only buy what you need, like water brushes if you want to use them, or a camp chair if you feel you need somewhere to sit. If you already have basic watercolor materials, you should be able to grab and go if you are just starting on your plein air watercolor journey.
Check your weather forecast and be prepared for unpredictable weather, including alternate plans and ways to protect your watercolor gear and your artwork. The last thing you want is to finish that masterpiece only to have it downpour and ruin a beautiful piece. Have weatherproof bags or covers for your artwork with you when you are plein air painting.
Techniques and Tips for Plein Air Watercolor
Before you take a brush to paper, you may want to make a quick sketch of your scene in case you lose the essence of changing light conditions. Especially if you are painting that gorgeous colorful sunset or a cloudburst decides to let loose.
Sketching does not have to be perfect, it is just to give you the idea of where you want objects placed, etc. Unless you are a seasoned sketch artist, perfection is not needed.
Let’s talk about techniques for managing drying times and layering in the unpredictable and variable outdoor environment.
If you are waiting for a certain area to dry, is there another area you can paint on your paper or canvas? Also remember when layering, you may need to have areas completely dry. You more than likely won’t have electricity to use your heat gun or hair dryer.
Fortunately, if you have a breezy, sunny day, it won’t take long. Just factor that in when you decide on the time of day you want to plein air paint and where you are painting as well as weather conditions. Also consider the breezy, sunny day when you don’t want an area to dry too quickly. This will mean you will need to paint at a quicker speed or not be distracted.
When it comes to color mixing on-site, you will want to match the natural hues of the landscape. Look around you and look at your paint palette. Premix those colors and make a swatch of what you did with a color name reference, so you can recreate them when needed. Also, before you leave the house or studio, be sure to have the right colors with you for the area you are going to.
Forest, mountain, or countryside – earthy tones will be in the palette. Seascape, sunset, or sunrise – a variety of blues, and rainbow colors for that gorgeous sky. Also remember, you can mix your primary and secondary colors to create a myriad of hues.
One last hint about color – if you need black or grey, mixing your color palette of the colors you are using for your masterpiece, is so much better than using lamp black. Try it once, you may not go back to using lamp black if you don’t need to.
Overcoming Plein Air Painting Challenges
Are you intimidated by going to the local nature park and fear the attention of passersby? Scout your location and find a secluded spot. If that is not possible, one strategy for dealing with the attention of others is simply letting them know you would love to chat, but you don’t want to lose your light or focus.
You could always smile and nod to acknowledge them without inviting them to stay. Or wear headphones! Even if you are not listening to anything, it mainly says “I’m in my zone”.
Other challenges you may face are:
Weather – you can’t control it, so either plan for another day, or do your best to work around it. If you find it isn’t working for you, find another location or reschedule. The wind is not always your friend when you don’t want your painting to dry too quickly or your watercolor paper is blowing around. You could also have a portable shelter or umbrella if need be as well as a rain/wind jacket. With that said, layer up as well if the weather patterns change.
Changing light – since many of us take our phones with us wherever we go, you could always photograph your subject first, and use that photograph to refer to if the light is not where you originally started. You could also take notes on where the light is what you see. As stated earlier, sketching first is a good idea.
Let’s not forget insects, as they are curious and will want to either nip at you or land on your painting. First of all, have that insect repellent. Choose a scent that says “I’m an artist, not a buffet.” Consider wearing long sleeves and pants with breathable material. Lastly, maybe have a citronella candle near you.
Now that you have the basics of plein air painting, I encourage you to try it if you never have. Even with all of the challenges you may face, the end result is rewarding with that masterpiece you created.
Just remember, safety first, but enjoy the process.
For more information on plein air painting, I recommend the following websites:
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Stay Colorful, Stay Creative, and HAVE FUN!
~Laurie
