An Artist's Guide to Plein Air Painting Oct. 2015 | Page 4

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WHAT IS PLEIN AIR PAINTING?

Plein air painting means painting outdoors - in the open air to be
precise. Outdoor painting developed from the impressionist
movement from the mid-19th century. Innovations like the paint
tube in the 1840’s made it possible to take paint outside the studio.
Added to this innovation was the impressionist movement that
exploited these innovations.
Portable easels and palettes made outdoor painting possible without
too much trouble too.
The fame of pioneers like John Constable proved that real life scenes
had appeal to the new class of art admirer. It was not long before
outdoor painting became fashionable. Although Constable was not
an impressionist he did paint the famous Hay Wain. This painting
depicted a romantic view of an everyday farm community at work. A
romantic notion that admired by the new urban class.

Figure 1: The Haywain by John Constable

An Artist’s Guide to Plein Air Painting

Malcolm Dewey