Mark Mehaffey - En Plein Air: Acrylic: Expert techniques and simple step-by-step projects for creating dynamic landscapes in the open air with acrylic

French for in the open air, en plein air has become the accepted term for painting out of doors.

Artists have been painting outdoors for ages. Most agree that it was the invention of the collapsible zinc paint tube by John Goffe Rand in 1841 that really jump-started the plein air movement. Prior to that, artists had to grind their own pigment into linseed oil and then keep the resulting mixture in glass jarsvery inconvenient for carrying paint around. This changed with the invention of the capped tube. It became relatively easy for artists to carry a portable easel, a palette, a handful of brushes, and some tubes of color into the great outdoors.

The popularity of Impressionism and its practice of painting outdoors to capture the light and atmosphere of contemporary life gave rise to plein air painting as a movement. Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and their contemporaries all saw the benefit of painting from life outdoors. From the Barbizon School in France to the Hudson River School in New York, artists have discovered and rediscovered the value of painting en plein air.

Today there are thousands of painters worldwide who either work both in the studio and outdoors or are solely dedicated plein air artists. Some view painting outside as a hobby, and some use it as a tool to inform their studio work. There are also many professional plein air painters who view working outside as their ultimate goal. Galleries and other venues are now also dedicated to showing and promoting plein air work. There are hundreds of plein air events, some tightly juried; some invitation-only; and others that encourage anyone to sign up, come along, and paint. Plein air painting has become so popular that Eric Rhoads, publisher of Plein Air Magazine, has coined the movement The New Golf.

Some artists have gravitated toward painting outdoors because they grew up fishing, camping, or hiking and view painting outside as an extension of those activities. Others enjoy traveling to new locations and the social interaction of changing scenery and painting with other like-minded artists.

Whatever your motivation, there is no better time to start than now. Read along, learn some techniques, try out new ideas, and follow the demonstrations provided in these pages. Then get outside, practice, wear out some brushes. I guarantee it will be fun!

Working Outdoors

The first thing you need to do is decide where youd like to paint. The majority of my plein air work is done within two miles of my home in Michigan, where the landscape is a mix of old and new housing and farmland. In this rural setting, I find many interesting things to paint: gravel country roads, farm buildings, farm equipment, woods and fields, cars, runners and walkers, and vistas and close-ups.

In most parts of the world, you have tacit permission to set up and paint in public places.

I usually dont ask, but if Im told to move out of the way or set up in another area, I always smile and agree. If Im in the middle of a painting, I take a photo of both the view and my work and finish later. You also have tacit permission to set up on almost any public roadway as long as you dont impede or block traffic; however, I have been asked to move further from the road by local police when I am too close to traffic.

One of my favorite places to paint is a gravel road not far from my house. It was also the preferred place for a local patrol officer to stop and catch up on paperwork. He loved one of my paintings of that road and bought ita nice surprise that can happen when painting locally.

I love to travel and always take my painting supplies with me. It is wonderful to be invited to paint at what isto me, at leastan exotic international destination. When traveling abroad, I always research the customs of that country to make sure I dont offend anyone or break any laws. Painting is an international language. Everyone understands the effort needed to make a painting!

Ultimately, I never trespass to paint. If I find a private location I like, I always ask permission first. No one has ever said no. Every now and then, if I complete two paintings on private property, Ill give one of them to the owner. They are always appreciative, and I always get invited back. Double-check to make sure youve not left any paper towels or equipment behind.

Early Morning Lily

Materials & Supplies

Brushes

A wide range of brush types and sizes is available. Choosing the right brush for the right task makes a difference in your painting experience. Remember that skimping on brush quality can leave unintended marks from frayed, unwieldy bristles or stray hairs that get stuck in the painting.

Brushes come in three basic hair types: soft natural-hair, soft synthetic-hair, and bristle brushes. Choosing the right brush for the right task makes a difference in your painting experience.

Soft natural-hair brushes are made up of the hair of an animal such as a weasel, badger, or squirrel. High-quality naturals hold a good amount of moisture and are an excellent choice for watercolor. Some oil artists use natural-hair brushes for detail work, but most acrylic artists avoid them because they are delicate and damage easily.

Natural-Hair Brush

Soft synthetic-hair brushes are made of man-made fibers such as nylon and polyester filaments. They are ideal for acrylics and serve as an excellent alternative for watercolorists when natural-hair brushes are cost-prohibitive.