Whether you’re an illustrator, fine art painter, concept artist or a hobbyist, there’s no better way to learn how to see the environment and natural light than interpreting the landscape with paint onto a canvas or other substructure. Painting in Plein-air sounds romantic, but there’s quite a bit to consider. The following observations may help point you in the right direction.
Plein-air
Plein-air painting is derived from the French phrase en plein air meaning in the open air. This is the practice of painting outdoors to capture the scene in front of the artist, rather than a studio with photo references, sketches or other materials. While challenging, this method enhances your understanding because it’s a completely immersive experience with your mind, body and spirit. The end result is to create a direct, spontaneous and immediate representation of the scene, depicting the drawing & perspective, composition & design, value, natural effects of light & shadow, atmosphere and colors of the landscape. Plein-air painting encourages artists to observe and interpret nature firsthand, leading to a more genuine and authentic representation of the subject matter.
Tailgating Near Morrison, CO at Red Rocks Park & Amphitheater.
This is accomplished with the use of various materials:
-
- portable easel
-
- palette
-
- brushes
-
- oils
-
- acrylic
-
- watercolor
-
- gouache
-
- pastels
-
- Some even use digital apps on an iPad or similar device.
Creativity
Spending time in nature can be a powerful source of inspiration. The sights, sounds, and smells of the outdoors can spark new ideas and approaches to art-making. The unique experience of painting a specific place can also lead to more personal and meaningful artwork. Also, it’s flat-out more fun!
Landscape Painting Workshop at Red Rocks Park.
Time is of the Essence
With limited time and resources available and the ever-changing light and weather conditions, the very nature of Plein-air painting demands quick decision making and efficient translation of the landscape. In other words…don’t overthink it! Capturing fleeting moments can lead to unexpected creative expressions which are difficult to achieve in a controlled, comfy studio environment. This forces artists to adapt and develop problem-solving skills, ultimately making you more resourceful and versatile.
With an extended 4-5 hr painting session, the time of day and light can change considerably. Your mid-morning study can turn into a vastly different afternoon lighting scenario due to the sun’s changing position. I recommend 2-3 hrs max on a single painting with 12×16 in. or smaller canvases.
Endurance
The physical challenge of painting on-site is valid. It’s not digging a ditch but the energy and stamina this requires is considerable: finding a location, thinking, standing, walking back & forth with the easel, sweating, seeing. Be mindful of your body’s needs — fuel and hydrate. Repeat.
Mastering Scenario: You find yourself in a stunningly beautiful location. You’re motivated and inspired, you can’t wait to get started on your masterpiece. 2 hours later, your painting has hit the proverbial wall, not executed as you intended. Inspiration turns into frustration and you’re ready to snap your brushes. Fear not, we’ve all been there! No matter how accomplished you become, you’ll always get humbled. Every painting has a completely different set of problems and challenges to overcome and there’s no way to know everything. There’s always something to learn – even for experienced professionals. As my friend and colleague from Disney, accurately states “You’re not always going to hit a home run.” – Xiangyuan Jie
This is my problem with the he or she is a “Master” terminology, which I feel is unrealistic. A few thoughts to soften this loaded term:
Mastery as Process: True artists focus on the process of continuous growth rather than the end result.
It’s Always the Fundamentals: Understanding Drawing, Composition & Design, Value and Color.
Dedication and Effort: Talent is very difficult to quantify. The greater measure is realizing that achieving a high level of skill or knowledge requires significant effort, study, dedication, and consistent practice.
Passion and Purpose: Pursuing excellence often stems from a deep interest in the activity itself, fueled by intrinsic motivation.
Embrace Feedback and Critique: It’s very easy to fall into the pride/ego mind trap. Let go and be open to someone else’s point of view (especially in a class/workshop scenario). Everybody has a valid point of view to learn from.
Good plein-air painting takes time, patience and dedication. Hang tough, Rome was not built in a day.
Camera vs. Human Eye The camera is a useful tool for gathering some reference information for painting purposes: drawing, perspective, details, textures etc. But what it can’t capture, and what the human eye sees more clearly, are distinct nuances in light, shade, values, color or even subtle shifts in atmospheric perspective. To put it simply, lights can appear too light and washed out, darks can appear too dark while losing subtleties of value, color and reflected light. Photoshop or similar apps can adjust these issues — to a point. If you’re trying to paint using the reference below, you’ll notice this dilemma within the shadows.
When I took this photo along the South Platte river in Waterton Canyon (southwest of Denver), I was forced to overcompensate for the sunlit snowfields in the exposure setting. This in turn, under exposed the darks and shadows of the rocks and trees, essentially turning them black and losing precious value & color nuances. F.Y.I. the large oval is a tree.
While cameras and cell phone cameras have improved greatly over the years, the experience of seeing these nuances “up close and personal” is invaluable for recording information.
Logistics The logistics of painting on-location can be overwhelming — there’s a lot to consider: where, when, how to get there, materials, provisions, clothing, fatigue, safety etc.
Where: Do your homework. Is it manageable? Is there hiking required? Make sure you’re not on private property or in the case of Colorado (where I live), some state parks require a form to fill out for group gatherings — especially for workshops of any kind. Reservations are required for all National Parks.
When: Time of year is important. Spring, summer, autumn or winter have different sets of challenges.
How: Transportation.
Materials: How do you transport your materials efficiently? Backpack? Utility Cart?
Clothing: Layers, hats, gloves for chillier weather.
Bugs: Repellent
Safety: Most importantly, there’s safety in numbers. Go with a group of like-minded creative friends or a workshop.
Weather Keep and eye on the sky — you do not want to get caught in adverse weather conditions.
K.I.S.S. Keep It Super Simple. This emphasizes direct observation and rendering of the scene, with minimal details, paint layers, textures or manipulation back in the studio. There are literally tens of thousands (maybe more) bits of information to contend with in a given landscape scene, very challenging. How do we capture the essence and beauty of the scene before us? Squint — a lot. The intention here is to eliminate any unnecessary complexities: blades of grass, tree leaves, rock pebbles or textures etc. See the big picture first with blocked-in simple shapes & silhouettes, and then add form (light & shadow) and details in order to translate them clearly.
Value to Other Disciplines The fundamental skills you develop from plein-air painting provides a valuable foundation for growth and development across the broader spectrum of artistic disciplines.:
Children’s Books: Even with stylized illustrations, landscape fundamentals can aid in the quality and believability.
Sequential Art: Environments are large part of comics, graphic novels and the other media.
Story Boarding and Concept Art for Animation, Film and Gaming: World building with environments are critical to storytelling.
Fine Art and Galleries: Self explanatory.
Memories It’s amazing what you remember with each painting or situation — good or bad. So many painting experiences come with very vivid memories that last a lifetime: artistic triumphs & challenges, people, places, circumstances, weather.
South Valley Study Southwest of Denver – Halfway through this painting, out of now where, a flicker of light on my canvas with an immediate thunder clap. Too close. I got the hell out there and finished it in my studio. Keep an eye on the sky.
Clear Creek Study west of Golden, CO – Muggy with a thin overcast and subtle sunlight.
Indian Peaks Wilderness Northwest of Boulder, CO – Cold!
For more information about Plein-air Painting and Landscape Painting Workshops in the Denver, CO area, visit https://kooserstudio.com/Landscape-Painting/