An Artist's Guide to Plein Air Painting Oct. 2015 | Page 6
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completed in the studio. It seems clear that many were completed
indoors.
The preferable approach is:
that the subject must be outdoors.
Research and prepare the painting onsite.
The painting must have progressed at least halfway to
completion outdoors.
How difficult is it to meet these criteria? Weather permitting there
should be no real trouble for the average artist to complete a painting
outdoors. The painting size of 20cm x 25cm is small enough to make
completion possible. A certain touch-up or two in the studio might be
necessary, but that's about it. As with all things a bit of preparation
makes this experience a pleasurable one.
GETTING STARTED:
What are your objectives?
Having an idea about what you want to achieve goes a long way to
helping you on the correct path. For example if you want to produce
several finished works to sell then you need to have your preparation
in good shape. If you are looking for a few quick preparatory studies
that may go on to become studio works then you will need only a
basic kit. All these approaches are valid as they fall within the
concept of painting from a real and authentic subject.
This guide is for someone looking to paint outdoors for pleasure. You
would also like to complete at least one painting with a few sketches
and studies for later work in the studio. View a slideshare on the
benefits of plein air painting:
http://www.slideshare.net/MalcolmDeweyFineArt/so-you-would-liketo-paint-plein-air
An Artist’s Guide to Plein Air Painting
Malcolm Dewey