Open-Air Painting

If you haven't done it before, I would highly encourage it.  Paint in the open like the masters of old.  It is incredibly scary because people are passing by, watching, commenting, critiquing... and the light is constantly changing.  The sun just won't hold still for you.  

So this weekend I went out to a large park with a lake in Fresno and painted for 4 hours.  It was so exciting and yet peaceful.  The geese gliding by and honking at me.  The sun was warm and not too much wind to blow my paper around.  It was a perfect day.  Many of my painting friends worked in oils and acrylics, but I really like the versatility of watercolor. It is portable, dries fast, economically and ecologically sound.  I picked a likely spot, settled into my lawn chair, sketched out my design and proceeded to lay in color.  It was wonderful fun.  The very next day the painting sold... unframed.  I call that a success.

You must decide what to paint from a large landscape full of possibilities.  I find an empty slide sleeve and use it for a "view finder."  Then once you decide on the small piece of the world to paint onto your paper, sketch it out and take a photo to remind you of the light and shadows at the time.  Get one of those watercolor travel kits.  They have plenty of colors, a little travel brush and the Winsor and Newton travel kit even lets you buy little square paint replacement cubes, so if there is a color the kit doesn't come with you can buy it separate and insert it into the kit.  I did.  I like the Hooker Green better than the Emerald green so I exchanged them.  I three hours I had most of the painting done and stopped for lunch with friends.  Then I finished the painting after lunch.

My friends from the Society of Western Artists paint in the open twice a year.  You should maybe think of finding someone to join and try it.  You'll love it.