Pleine Aire Painting in Spring

The best places to paint are not in a studio!! Pleine aire painting is my absolute favorite, and the colors of spring always tempt me to go outside to paint. Some years it’s too rainy, or too cold. Other years I am just too busy working. Yesterday, May 5th, 2022, it was warm- 67° F, with hazy sunshine, and hardly any wind. A perfect spring day! So I tossed my canvas bag of watercolor supplies into the back seat, and headed toward the country. I thought I might paint the hills, which are dappled in the bright yellow greens of tiny leaves, white blossoms, and red maple buds- an impressionistic dream. But instead I wound up at the creek. I only saw a few other people, who kept to themselves, what good luck.

If only I had not forgotten my easel! I looked around for something to sit on. Nothing that gave me this view. So I piled up a few flat rocks, and made a low seat. It was okay for a little while, but when you get lost in the painting zone, an hour goes by before you know it. I could barely stand up! But it was worth it. The birds sang for me, a woodpecker flew into the tree in my picture, and the creek was racing by, lapping gently on the stones near my feet and pounding the rocks in the current. The beauty of painting outdoors is you get a good nature fix and all the fun of making art, rolled into one great experience.

I used a piece of Fabriano cold press 300 lb. watercolor paper, which I measured for a standard mat opening before I left the house. I clipped it to a piece of foam board, which is light and easy to carry. I decided to leave most of my gear in the car. I used a small Winsor and Newton travel palette (that has served me well for many years), and one sable paint brush. Less is more: fewer decisions to make.

Usually I sketch with a pencil first, but this time I thought I would wing it. I started blocking in a few big shapes of color to lay out the composition. Watercolors are a lot more workable than most people think. I move and change things as I go, as I see fit. You might notice areas where I lifted off paint, or moved a tree branch. This paper makes it easy to layer the washes. After a bit, I suddenly remembered to take a photo of the first stage. Here it is:

I have taken my classes to this spot before, but I hardly ever paint there. Usually I go there to get my toes wet on a hot day, or watch for hawks and blue herons. So it was a real treat to finally paint that view of red roof peeking through the trees.

One of my revered painting teachers at PCA, Warren Roher once encouraged me to refine my pleine aire paintings “when you get back to the studio”. I paraphrase here, but this I what I recall him saying: “Once you are away from the scene, you are no longer tied to what you saw. Then you can feel free to make adjustments that strengthen the painting, and make it work on its own.” I find he was right.

I like to do that as soon as possible, while the impression of the place and the day are still fresh in my mind. One word of caution, don’t overwork it, and keep it fresh. I’m not really sure how I feel about this watercolor yet. I’ll tack it to my studio wall and look at it for a while, before I decide if it is really finished. What matters the most to me, however, is that I got to sit by the creek for a few hours, soaking in my surroundings and splashing colors on paper. Great medicine for the soul. I highly recommend trying it!

I try to remember to pause and take photos of my paintings in progress. It’s a good way to see it from another perspective, and it forces me to take a break (and check the time!) Please enjoy a few more photos of the day…