Editorial

We love to hear from the Plein Air Today community! The following is part of a series that spotlights an artist who loves painting...

"I want my paintings to be so vibrant they pop out of the frame," says Steve Browning. "I enjoy seeing brush marks on the surface, and the way a painting can come to life with just a few strokes."

The following is part of a series that spotlights an artist who loves painting outdoors. Today's feature is on Lyudmila Tomova Clark, who is inspired by the grit - and in this case, kind and quick consideration - of fishermen.

Meet Persian artist Shokoufeh Shadabi, who paints miniature landscapes as her form of artistic expression.

Everyone says "paint what you see," but here's how Don Demers approaches a scene. Bonus: In "Painting Rocks and Water in Plein Air," you get to spend a full afternoon at his easel, learning how he works...

Near the end of his life, Paul Cézanne increasingly translated his deep feeling for nature into a series of color patches so abstract that, in hindsight, they seem to anticipate the abstract art of a far later era. One of his last works ...

"Whenever space opens in my crazy schedule, I grab my materials and head outside to paint for a few hours,” says Sue Barrasi. “On this occasion, I drove to a charming site I’d filed away in my memory for when the time was right..."

As Buddy Odom stepped in to help grow the career of his wife, celebrated plein air painter Kathie Odom, he took his cues from the artist herself. Along the way, they identified five art marketing secrets to success.

Plein air painter Christine Code shares her approach to painting clouds and skies, and how she "found a sweet spot between chasing and sticking to a composition."

Like most mornings, which start with a walk in a beautiful rural setting, I became immersed in the feeling of life in every blade of grass and droplet of dew that caressed the unfolding scenes before me as I reveled in the experience.

A witness to two rare lunar events, this Florida transplant embarked on a quest to capture the ocean’s shifting colors under the light of the moon.

Looking for a new spot to spark your creativity? Whether you're planning an inspiring trip or considering a big move, finding an artist-friendly community is key. We've crowdsourced a list of cities and towns across America—some famous, some small—that are drawing artists for their vibrant scenes, unique offerings, and stunning landscapes.

"The working process is intense and concentrated . . . and it IS work." Plein air painter Harry Stooshinoff shares his inspiration for continuously painting the landscape.

“As artists, it is our responsibility to show up and do the work, creating our best work with minimal concern on how others view our work.”

There’s a moment — every plein air painter knows it — when you stand at the front door with your kit carefully packed … and your resolve already starting to waver. The light looked better an hour ago. The wind has picked up. The canvas you pulled out has a ghost of a failed painting on it. And some part of your brain suggests, with the best of intentions, that ...

Mary Longe explains why you should consider a competitive plein air event, including the various types, common elements, and what not to do.

As an artist, what role can you play in the conservation and preservation of land, cultures, and buildings?

"I always wondered why artists painted a series when there were tens of thousands of themes one could explore - until ..."

"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.

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.