Albert Handell on Gray Tones
Learn how to find out if two colors are the same value with this advice from a master pastelist and oil painter.
Bringing Sanity to Direct Painting
How do you become an accomplished landscape painter? Keep reading to discover the most important habits you should practice.
Top 16 Unexpected Plein Air Art Supplies
Add some of these unexpected “supplies” to your stash to make painting more convenient, more fun, and perhaps, even more interesting.
3 Secrets to Winning Art Competitions
Time and time again, past winners of the PleinAir Salon tell us that the secret to winning is to ...
6 Ways to Silence Your Inner (Art) Critic
Don’t let your inner critic sabotage you — instead, learn how to cultivate it into self-compassion. See how in this guest post from an artist / psychologist.
How to Paint Landscapes: Details vs. Design
When you first arrive at your next plein air site, keep this advice in mind and you’ll be in a good position to create an effective landscape painting.
7 Tips for Painting the City
Just as you wouldn’t explore a new city without a map, don’t start your next cityscape without a plan for where you want to go and how you intend to get there.
Step-by-Step: How to Paint Like Van Gogh
ICYMI: Dena Peterson had the honor of being one of 125 international artists selected to work on the movie “Loving Vincent.” Here, she shares what she learned by studying Van Gogh’s work.
Learn to See and Interpret Light, Before Attempting to Paint It
In order to better understand the properties of light for your next landscape painting, practice this assignment from John Hughes.
How to Paint Beaches: Nail the Illusion of Distance, Light, and Atmosphere
The key to an effective plein air beach scene is to keep it simple — and that goes for your equipment, your palette, and your subject.
Painting Landscapes Outdoors? Plan for Spontaneity!
“The best plein air pieces start with a well-thought-out plan that is then executed spontaneously with an intuitive hand.” Follow Peggy Immel’s three steps before starting your next landscape painting.
Plein Air Painting for Dummies
If you’re new to painting outdoors (or know someone who is), take advice from these 11 artists, including the most obvious but overlooked things you should know, and what “plein errors” to avoid.
How Joseph McGurl Paints a Landscape in Oil
Preview Joseph McGurl’s newest art video workshop in this exclusive announcement on how to paint better landscapes.
How to Use “Concept” to Create a Successful Painting, From the Start
As artists we must decide what we want the viewer to take away from our creations and determine how best to communicate it.
A DIY “Micro” Pochade for Painting Outdoors
How one outdoor painter is making the most of plein air with this artist hack.
The Benefits of Repeatedly Painting the Same Location
With keen observation and awareness, we can identify opportunities for a successful plein air painting.
Ways to Use Rhythms in Your Next Landscape Painting
“Almost everything presents rhythms and patterns once you begin to discover them,” says Lori Putnam. “The real challenge for an artist is knowing when to emphasize the pattern or rhythm, and when to break it.”
Painting Basics: Understanding Value
“All of us, beginners and experienced painters alike, can benefit from a refresher course in the bedrock principles of value and color.” John MacDonald explains more in this overview.
5 Questions to Ask Before Painting a Landscape
Ultimately, when you paint a landscape, you’re painting movement. The air moves, the light changes; it’s never static. Light and atmospheric forces act upon the components of the landscape to create a story, and it’s up to you as the artist to pick the story you want to tell...
How to Paint Clouds en Plein Air
The unique challenge of painting clouds is that, unlike other landscape elements, they’re in constant motion. Learn how to choose the right moment for painting clouds en plein air.