Painting Outdoors: The Best Medium for Plein Air at the Beach
There are many methods to choose from when it comes to painting outdoors at a potentially tricky location like the beach. Gabriel Stockton is a proponent of watercolor, and here's why.
15 Ways Plein Air Painting is Evolving
As the time-honored practice of painting directly from nature enters a new era, artists are reimagining its traditions to reflect a changing world — one more connected, inclusive, and dynamic than ever.
Art, Impermanence, and the Southwest
Discover the evocative work of Natasha Isenhour, an artist who captures the soul of New Mexico through her powerful southwestern art.
Plein Air Painting of the Week: “Dubuque Lanes”
Discover how artist John Paul Marcelo was inspired by the unique challenge of nocturne plein air painting for his nostalgic look at Americana.
A Revelation: Her First Time Painting With Pastels
After years of navigating the delicate balance of watercolor, Allison Krajcik found herself craving a more forgiving medium. And pastel didn’t just change her technique — it expanded her artistic mindset.
It Pays – Literally – To Persevere
While taking part in the Paint Maui Invitational, we encountered various weather patterns, including wind and rain. I had to work fast, but ...
The Real Key to Colors that People Love
"When someone tells me, 'I just love your colors,' I, of course, appreciate the compliment, but I think the real key lies in ...
The Forgotten Essentials: A Memoir of Persistence
Working through adversity with persistence, patience, and grace can make us better artists - and better humans, too.
Art Snippet: Magic In Contrasts
One moment you’re looking out over sweeping, rugged terrain; the next, you’re caught up in the lively color and energy of ...
Painting of the Week: “Shaping the Land”
This was the 6th or 7th painting I had completed in a week, so I was exhausted, but also warmed up. Sometimes good work comes from being tired because ...
Art Inspiration: Sorolla’s Garden
Like many of his fellow Impressionists in France, Spanish artist Joaquín Sorolla designed extensive gardens around his home and studio in Madrid (now the Sorolla Museum) as a reflection of his own creativity and works of art in themselves.
Taking Care of Your Artistic Self Is Your Responsibility
At the most critical junctures, few, and sometimes no one, will believe ...
A Classic Mistake Almost Ruined My Tuscan Painting
Hot and tired from lugging my gear through the steep hillside town, I decided that I would stop and paint the next remotely suitable scene. Suddenly I came across the perfect spot…
Step-by-Step: Edit the Landscape for Better Composition
A strong composition is achieved through intentional design, not a happy accident of random shapes. If we look closely, nature gives us all the information we
need. We just have to organize the pieces to create visually pleasing paintings.
Ned Mueller Receives PleinAir Magazine Lifetime Achievement Award
Ned Mueller has not just painted the world; he has enriched the lives of all who know him. His work is a monument to a life lived with integrity, passion, and an endless curiosity. Watch his PleinAir Magazine Lifetime Achievement Award presentation here, and ...
Build a “Visual Library”
In this issue of PleinAir Magazine, you’ll meet Ellie Wilson — a painter who has accumulated what she describes as “piles of plein air paintings,” and arrived at a philosophy that every artist, at every level, needs to hear.
Art Snippet: On Simplifying Your Shapes and Massing
Painting from life will teach you how to see and paint light on forms and will make you learn to bring order to what is a seemingly overwhelming amount of detail and information in nature.
Plein Air Painting an Imagined Figure?
The following is part of a series that spotlights an artist who loves painting outdoors. Today's feature is on ...
Painting On Location and Visual Veracity
Artist Don Demers shares his insights, motivations, and creative process for his maritime and landscape paintings.
5 Compelling Pastels by Jill Stefani Wagner
For this dedicated painter, artistic growth comes from seizing on a compelling scene, painting with speed, then looking ahead to the next experience.