An Artist's Guide to Plein Air Painting Oct. 2015 | Page 18

P a g e | 17 Figure 8 Another Plein Air Adventure Assess the colors, composition, mood and the painting as a whole. How do they make you feel? Do you relive the moment? Do they surprise you now that you see them in the safety of the studio? I am sure that there is a certain vibe that you pick up from the plein air painting that is unique. I am often amazed by the impact such a small painting makes despite the short time spent painting it. Maybe I do a larger version or a similar version. Often the larger version fails to have the same vibe. Art is funny like that. Are your first few attempts failures? You may think so at first, but they are necessary for development – crawl, walk then run – such is life and art! To look, to see, to understand, to capture – however imperfectly – is to be part of the land in a way like no other. (Jan Blencowe) An Artist’s Guide to Plein Air Painting Malcolm Dewey