Description
En plein air (French for ‘outdoors’), is simply the act of painting outdoors.
Painting a scene from within the scene itself is a wonderful experience for anyone who appreciates landscape. I work en plein air a lot because there is an immediacy and energy that cannot always be summoned in the studio. Aspects like the temperature and elements that are often ‘invisible’ can play a part in en plein air painting, adding life and energy to the finished work.
Simply the act of wandering through or foraging in a landscape helps hone observation and align with its essence. En plein air might well also mean ‘to get to the point’! As light and clouds move across a landscape, changes happen constantly and quickly. If you’re recording a scene, you’ll have to move fast and this is so beneficial because it helps to sharpen your observation, your priorities and your technical skill in making colour and marks. The ever changing scene will challenge even abstract painters to respond decisively. For these reasons, I beleive painting en plein air is one of the best exercises to loosen up and grow your skillset as a painter.
Over two days, I will aim to share my process and approach to painting outdoors through demonstration and suggested exercises which will focus on observation, composition, colour and content, plus I’ll give you some practical ideas on how you might approach your work.
Whether you’re just starting out or have some painting experience, this weekend is designed to be enriching and productive.