Latest Articles
Artists and Conservancy: Never Underestimate Your Impact
As an artist, what role can you play in the conservation and preservation of land, cultures, and buildings?
Happening This Week: 2026 Acrylic Live
Watch and interact with world-renowned artists as they demonstrate their skills at Acrylic Live, Wednesday through Friday, with an Essential Techniques Day on Tuesday. We'll see favorites such as Anne Blair Brown, Charlie Easton, and ...
Painting Tutorial: Water-Mixable Oils in Action
In this demonstration from PleinAir Magazine, we see how Beth Bathe uses water-mixable oils to create the tonal landscape painting, "Pipkas Cottage."
Now I Get It
"I always wondered why artists painted a series when there were tens of thousands of themes one could explore - until ..."
Head to the Beach: Florida’s Forgotten Coast en Plein Air
Located on a 100-mile stretch of scenic coastal towns on the Gulf in North Florida, Forgotten Coast en Plein Air is a 10-day invitational event taking place March 20-29. Invited artists include ...
Paintings That “Feel” Like Landscapes
By almost completely abstracting the landscape, Scott Gellatly distills the experience of nature to its essence, and, perhaps more important, he ...
Do You Have the Right Gear for Painting in Snow?
Popsicle Painting Part 2: From the backpack to shoes, the “day pack” makes all of the difference for plein air painters, including this one, who loves to combine skiing with his brush time.
15 Ways to Elevate Your Work
"Why do artists do it?” asks painter Russell Jewel. “Why do we bare our souls to the public and risk one person’s opinion?” His words capture the tension every artist feels when entering a juried event — the balance between vulnerability and ambition. But what makes a painting rise above the rest? What qualities make a viewer stop, linger, and fall in love? We turned to some of the art world’s most experienced judges, collectors, and curators to find out.
5 Thoughts Every Artist Has
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by color, confused by perspective, or frustrated with your tools, you’re not alone. Inspired by John Pototschnik's teachings, let's break down five common artist frustrations and the simple changes that can transform your painting experience. ✨
Painting On Location: In Service of the Heart
Imbuing her work with the lessons of art history, this Maine oil painter takes advantage of amassed techniques and skills to stay in the moment and express her feelings about a scene.
In this art critique session on Art School Live, Eric Rhoads shares practical painting advice: learn about composition grids, value checks, S‑curve flow, and small edits that boost contrast, depth, and focal impact—plus a Van Gogh study.
Sixteen invited plein air artists enjoyed painting colorful sunrises with warm temperatures and afternoon breezes during the 20th Annual Borrego Springs Plein Air Invitational. This year's winners are ...
It's a good time to clear the air on some etiquette involved with making master copies in art museums, as well as related issues. Learning by doing and seeing how others do it has always been a great way to gain practical knowledge, but ...
A word of advice from plein air painter Carla Bosch, who will be joining us at the 2026 Plein Air Convention & Expo!

















