Malcolm Dewey - An Artists Guide to Plein Air Painting

I s it worth the trouble?

Besides the pleasure elements suggested above there are significant benefits for the artist.

Notes from the field become part of an ongoing experience where each painting contributes in some way to the next. (Gavin Brooks)

• Colors outdoors are different when photographed. Personal observation trains the artist's eye to take note of accurate colors.
• Picking out composition when facing the vast panorama is daunting at first. The artist quickly learns techniques to isolate strong compositions.
• Selection of elements necessary for composition and disregarding others will develop the artist's eye.
• The ability to observe shadow areas filled with life rather than underexposed darks in photos is an added benefit.
• You will learn how to simplify a scene.
• Identify shapes and values better.
• Learn to mix colors from a limited palette of colors.
• You will learn all these skills under the pressure of time and the changing weather that this implies.

E ssentials include:

• Paint: a smaller palette makes outdoors work more intuitive than fiddling with many tube colors. Try titanium white, cad red light, cad yellow light and ultramarine blue. Add to this alizarin and pthalo green. If you prefer the luxury of more colors then burnt sienna may make your life easier. There is no need for more than this.

• Brushes: a selection of size 6-8 of flats and filberts will do the trick. Keep your painting surface to approximately 20cm x 25cm. Bigger surfaces? Then a size 10 or 12 will be handy for laying in larger shapes. Bristle or finer hair is all good. Add a rigger for a few details like branches, telephone wires and such. It is also useful to draw your initial shapes if you are so inclined.
• Add a palette knife that is flexible enough to paint with too.

Mediums:

• To save space I am happy to have basic odorless white spirits. Get best quality - it does make all the difference. You may wish to add a little premixed medium like linseed oil mixed with spirits to aid with initial lay in of colors with thin layers. A ratio of fifty/fifty will be suitable. Also a medium to speed drying such a Liquin may be helpful. You can get by with just the white spirits.

Containers:

• These make life outdoors so much easier. A few plastic containers that have reliable screw on lids will help to hold the white spirits. A second container for any other medium will do. A plastic bag for trash is necessary. A plastic brush container will keep your brushes out of harm during transportation. No bent bristles please!