Plein-Air Painting Art Advice©
Posted: Saturday, September 10, 2011
by Arlene Wright-Correll
http://www.learn-america.com
This week’s “Art Only Spoken Here” question asks, “What are the benefits of plein-air painting?”
Plein-air painting—or, painting outside in the open air has its benefits and its trials and tribulations. In the artist’s world there are many pros and cons about plein-air painting and if you were only talking about it with me you would get only the con side of it. Plein-air painting to me is akin to picnics. I am not too keen on those either.
When the weather is conducive to painting outside then one has to consider having the right equipment. Your equipment should be light enough for you to carry through fields, across sand dunes, up hills or wherever it is you want to paint. You must also try not to forget anything and that means having a painting kit that is well thought out.
Whether you are an oil, acrylic painter or watercolor painter you must make sure you have your easel anchored down against the occasional strong gust of wind that might send your efforts flying.
Plein-air painting often gives the artist a chance to see all their colors in natural light and that is a benefit. An often not discussed plein-air painting hazard is people who have no problem in walking up behind you to watch what you are doing and to even offer advice! We can also add another unwanted item to people and that is people with dogs so one must not leave anything on the ground that their dog can walk on or urinate on.
Plein-air painting in oils or acrylics also attracts bugs and other flying critters and I suggest you just leave them there until you get back to your studio where you can easily lift them off with your palette knife. When plein-air painting try not to have the sun directly behind you for two reasons and the first one is your oils or acrylics will create a glare and the other one is you will probably be painting in your own shadow.
The plein-air painter is a special breed of cat who loves all the challenges the outdoors and its weather brings to their creations and often these painters find their paintings have more life than the same painting of a photo depicting the same scene and re-created in their studio.
I suggest you try plein-air painting in your yard at first and if you like it, just go from there.
May the Creative Force be With You….
Arlene Wright-Correll
If your birthday falls between September1st, & September 30th stop in for a visit at Avalon Stained Glass School & Creativity Center during our business hours and pick up your free birthday gift. There is nothing to buy and these birthday gifts will range from $10.00 to $150.00 so it might be your lucky day. Questions? Just email me at askarlene@scrtc.com
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)thanks for teaching your readers about a new kind of art!Marijo, thanks for reading my article. Arlene Wright-Correll
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