Awake at Night: Painting Nocturnes
When painting nocturnes in urban areas, I’ve had all kinds of encounters with ...
Plein Air Painting Tip: Plan By the Seasons
The energy surge, delight and awe, I experience when I'm surrounded by nature's colors is such a visceral experience. Here's why I ...
Hsin-Yao Tseng’s Unending Ambition for Plein Air Painting
Go "behind the easel" and learn Hsin-Yao Tseng's plein air painting techniques, which are driven by his unending ambition to make better paintings.
The Light is Changing 🍁
Soon, the maples in Maine will be on fire — scarlet, amber, gold so bright it almost hurts to look at it — and a small group of painters will be standing in the middle of it with brushes in their hands and nowhere else to be. I want you to be one of them.
Anatomy of a Peculiar Painting Composition
Andrew Borg wanted to capture a “sensation” rather than an “expression” when he set out to create this unusual painting composition.
From Illustration to Fine Art: Marc Anderson’s Path to Painting
In this episode of the Plein Air Podcast, Eric Rhoads interviews artist Marc Anderson about his path from freelance illustration to fine art and the discovery of plein air painting that changed the direction of his career.
How Plein Air Painting Shaped John Lasater as an Artist
In this new episode of the Plein Air Podcast with Eric Rhoads, explore how plein air painting shaped John Lasater’s artistic journey—from the highs and lows of the competition circuit to learning composition through feeling, study, and community.
Watch: Painting Fall Foliage with a Palette Knife
"Fall foliage is my favorite time of year to paint in the White Mountains," said Melanie Barash Levitt. In this classic Art School Live interview, Melanie paints a fall landscape using only a palette knife.
Artist Spotlight: Shaun Frankfurt
As a plein air painter in Chicago, I was fascinated by the calligraphy created in the sky by the EL and other metal structures, with the negative space being as important as the positive...
Happening Now – Plein Air Live!
Right now we're seeing up-close-and-personal presentations during Plein Air Live, an online art conference unlike any other.
7 Principles for Painting a Forest Without a Single Leaf
The unique challenge of the forested landscape is translating all that chaotic beauty into a coherent design. In scenes that include millions of leaves and needles, thousands of branches, hundreds of species of plants, and numberless blades of grass, where do we begin? Rick J. Delanty explains.
Q&A with Cindy Baron: Artist, Visual Historian
Cindy Baron is nationally recognized in both watercolors and oils, painting the grand landscapes of the western mountains and coastal shorelines. Enjoy an exclusive interview by John Hughes about Cindy's path in art and her insights on painting techniques.
The Beauty of Neutrals – A Watercolor Tip
Neutrals, when used correctly, evoke a feeling of mood and quality of light that is unequaled. Your work can be ...
Clyde Aspevig to Receive Montana Governor’s Art Award
Help us congratulate Clyde Aspevig, who is being recognized for both his mastery of painting the Montana landscape and his lifelong contributions to the tradition of Western art.
Paint These Beauties When You Find Them!
Lisa Stauffer, PSA-Master and IAPS-Eminent Pastelist, shares the story behind her painting of a barn that caught her eye from the highway.
What Years of Plein Air Competition Taught Jason Sacran
Arkansas painter Jason Sacran reflects on nearly a decade of competitive plein air events—what it taught him, what it cost, and how illness reshaped his approach to painting closer to home.
The 2027 Winter Escape for Artists
Join PleinAir Magazine publisher Eric Rhoads for our exclusive winter “Publisher’s Invitational” Event and enjoy a week of sun, paint, and pure relaxation.
6 Things Your Future Artist Self Will Thank You For
Inspiration for Fall Color Week - a private painting retreat with PleinAir Magazine's Publisher, Eric Rhoads, October 11-18, 2026.
How I Create Flowing, Organic Lines with Watercolor
Inspiration from Cindy Briggs.
How Light Affects Your White
Understanding how to paint the light is a common conversation topic for plein air artists, and it’s one that came up during a special talk led by ...
Daniel Gerhartz on Capturing Light and Atmosphere
Check out this free plein air landscape demo featuring Daniel Gerhartz, who is on the faculty of Plein Air Live this month!
On View: PAPNM 18th Juried National Exhibition
The public and collectors are invited to view and purchase the artwork throughout the exhibition at the gallery and online.
Create a Visual Narrative: An Urban Sketching Spotlight
I try to record something from every outing (even if it’s just a simple line drawing of the view when I park my car), so I carry my tools and sketchbook with me everywhere I go. But I also plan dedicated outings where I might sketch for a few hours or the whole day. In either case ...
The Life-Like Plein Air Paintings of Jeremy Sams
Is there a “special secret” to creating great paintings? Maybe — see how Jeremy Sams came to plein air, what his advice is for others, and more, in this exclusive Q&A.
Should You Plan Your Plein Air Painting?
Plein air watercolor artist Stewart White has a background in illustration and design, which shows in his paintings and his teachings. The following is his Q&A on the benefits of travel for artists, the use of edges in a painting, and thoughts on planning a plein air piece.