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I’m not an outdoor painter.  I prefer to paint in the controlled, quiet, no-pressure solitude of my studio.  But in an effort to improve my landscape painting skills, I decided a few years ago to learn the very challenging skill of painting ‘en plein air’ .  I’ve taken classes, joined a plein air painting group, asked numerous questions of my more capable plein air artist friends, watched YouTube videos, read articles and more, all in an effort to learn how to:

 

 (1)  Transport what seems like an entire studio of painting supplies to a beach, farm, park, garden, or other outdoor location

 (2)  Complete a pleasing painting from start to finish in less than 3 hours ……and in public (yikes!)

 (3)  Somehow get that wet painting back home without smearing oil paint all over myself and my car.

 

I’m getting better at it, but it’s a slow and frustrating journey. 

 

The challenges of painting outdoors are many.  I’ve had sand blown into my mouth while painting on the beach.  I’ve been startled by a herd of cattle approaching from behind the trees.  I’ve gotten too close to a cactus and spent hours afterward pulling thorns out of my backside.  I’ve had my easel, palette and canvas come crashing down from a blast of wind.   I’ve gotten a good start on painting a lovely boat only to have it pull up anchor and sail away.  I’ve trapped helpless Insects in blobs of paint, dropped wet paintings face-down on the dirt, and I’ve struggled to finish a painting before the light changes while trying to make small talk with chatty onlookers.

 

But I’m getting there.  Over the last couple of years, I’ve purchased a great plein air setup and supplies, all of which can now fit neatly in a backpack.  Yay!  Now I can actually walk comfortably with all my supplies on my back to a good spot to paint without having to pull a wagon or carry two armloads of heavy gear.  I can set up my easel in seconds and get to painting in a fraction of the time it used to take.  After much practice, I can actually finish a small painting in a couple of hours  - no small feat for someone who used to take 30 minutes just to decide what to paint .  I’ve even got a sweet little device that lets me transport wet paintings home safely – no more Ultramarine Blue fingerprints on my car!  And now I don’t get distracted by curious onlookers commenting on my progress (or lack thereof.)  I just take a deep breath and carry on.

 

My plein air “masterpieces” are hardly anything to brag about, but I now realize the value of a little plein air study as being critically important for doing a more finished piece in the studio.  The true colors, subtle effects of lighting, depth and other details are just not evident in photos, and a plein air study is an indispensable reference for getting those items just right.  And the best part is that I’m starting to actually enjoy it!  The beautiful locations, camaraderie of other artists, and the freshness and immediacy of creating something on the spot is so rewarding.

 

So I will continue to work on improving my outdoor painting skills one struggle at a time.  And as I experience the pleasures of plein air I will, like the true  plein air artists out there, try to take the pitfalls in stride.  No pain, no gain!