By Wayne Chunat
Painting en plein air is a life changing, artistic experience. It’s an open-ended artistic exploration without predefined guidelines or specified locations. The artist embarks on this journey with an open mind, ready to embrace the spontaneity and surprises that come along with painting outdoors. Painting en plein air is dictated by current inspiration and immediate surroundings. This allows you to discover and highlight the beauty in varied landscapes, from urban settings to rural vistas, coastal scenes to mountain peaks, and everything in between.
You will:
1. Work quietly, capturing fleeting light and changing shadows. These are opportunities to deepen your connection with the landscape and push your artistic abilities.
2. Be faced with environmental and artistic challenges, but know the rewards are great.
3. Improve your observational skills; have a willingness to adapt and respond to the immediate context.
4. Share your painting experiences with fellow artists and engage your viewing audience as
you capture a moment in time. Connect directly with audiences in real-time, on site as you paint: share the experience and progress through photos and videos, live stream painting sessions, or post completed works with commentary about each experience. This direct engagement allows the audience to become part of the journey, fostering a community around the art and its creation.
5. Have the opportunity for artistic expression and growth. Don’t limit yourself to specific techniques or color palettes. Keeping your options open allows for innovation and personal style development as the project progresses. The flexibility in technique means that each piece might encompass different approaches, such as impressionistic brushwork, detailed realist depictions, or even abstract interpretations inspired by the moment.
Plein air painting promises to be a captivating artistic endeavor characterized by spontaneity, exploration, and direct engagement with followers and art enthusiasts alike.
What are some things you’ve learned about plein air painting? Share them with us in the comments below!
Editor’s Note: Join us for the 6th Annual Plein Air Live online art conference, featuring Kathleen Hudson, Kevin Macpherson, Kami Mendlik, and many more! The event takes place November 6-8, 2025, with an Essential Techniques Day on November 5. Learn more at PleinAirLive.com.
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