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| "Over View of Color" 16 x 12 inches Acrylic on gallery wrap canvas. Available at The FIA Rental Gallery, Flint MI |
This Summer is the first time I decided to try Plein Air painting.
Venturing out by self the first couple times, I quickly learned some basic things.
1. Travel as light as you can, and use a easy to carry easel.
The first time out I took my paints, brushes, and a panel, with the idea sitting on the ground would be ok. Sitting on the ground is ok if you do not mind, grass and bugs getting into your paint.
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| Oil on canvas panel, 12 x 12 inches, "Just oOver the Bridge" Available at DPWs |
2. Find shade to set up and paint in. Make sure that the spot will stay shaded for the hour or two your working. The second time out, found a lovely spot by a stream, and set my easel up in near a tree for shade. The only problem with that I was at the edge of the shade and within a half hour I was in full sun with the shade moving away from my “perfect view”.
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| 12 x 16 inches, "Bare Tree" Available at DPWS |
3. Take water, and a snack. Racing out to paint before breakfast I soon realized I was hungry, thirsty, and already covered with oil paint, not a good time to walk into a deli and get food.
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| "Leaning Tree" Available at DPWs |
4. Wet lands have bugs, bug spay, even though I hate the smell has saved me from getting eaten alive.
5. When you find a beautiful area to paint, make sure it is still beautiful when you are done. Always have a bag for your trash.
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| Oil on canvas, "Willow in the Pond" Available at DPWS 6. This tip is from my latest out door painting day, “Wet Paint” at Applewood estate in Flint. Level ground is your friend. I have to say I had a perfect view on a hill, over looking a garden. Set my easel up, adjusted the legs for the slope of the hill and painted. While other artists had sore arms and shoulders, it was my legs that ached at the end of the day. I had thought about the easel, but not the fact my feet and legs would be getting a work out from the slope I stood on. |
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| Yep that's me, one happy camper:) |
7. When your painting, try and work on the picture as a whole, not just parts. With changing sun, and weather, there may be a point you need to stop and possibly finish the work at home. One painting I worked on, I focused mainly on just one area, leaving a good portion to finish off site.
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And did not even take a reference photo for later.
When I got home I worked on that painting off and on for the rest of the day, and just ended up frustrated.
8. When frustrated don’t be afraid to do an about face…paint over it and do something totally different!
12 x 16 inches, Acrylic on canvas,
Oh yes at one time this was a landscape, but I like this view better :)
Mary
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