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.
plein air painting - Matt Smith

Fun Day in the Field

An Instagram moment with plein air painter Matt Smith (@mattsmithpaintings), who is joining us at Plein Air Live!
Lynn Gertenbach painting during the Plein Air Convention

In Memoriam: Lynn Gertenbach

We are saddened to announce that impressionist painter Lynn Gertenbach has passed away. "Lynn was a ball of fire," said ...
Plein air painting - Zion National Park

Painting with Masters at Zion National Park

Go behind the scenes with an eclectic group of world-renowned painters who gathered together in Zion National Park for ...
Ange Nevicosi Staner - plein air painter

Reader Spotlight: Ange Nevicosi Staner

"I love working vacations," says Plein Air Today reader Ange Nevicosi Staner. "Last fall I had a great opportunity to enjoy a girl's trip to ...
Rich Gallego, "Mountainside View," oil on linen, 14 x 11 in.

Painting of the Week: Mountainside View

Rich Gallego has been painting the landscape since 1996. His longtime love of nature's wild places has taken him far afield from ...
plein air painting - Clare Bowen, “Sunrise, Old Newlyn Harbour,” Oil on canvas, 12 x 16 in.

Clare Bowen’s Addiction to Plein Air Painting

Plein air painting is an obsession for Clare Bowen, a UK artist who is on the faculty of the 4th annual Plein Air Live. Be inspired by this feature on the artist and her technique for painting impressionist landscapes in oil, and ...
Painting of mountains - 3. Greg Scheibel, "Autumn in the Rockies," 2022, oil, 27 x 33 in., Private collection, Studio from plein air studies

11 Mountain Landscapes to Peak Your Interest

Browse an array of examples of how to paint mountains in this portfolio of contemporary paintings.
Jessica L. Bryant painting on location; as seen in the article "Are You Loving Nature to Death" in the February/March 2023 issue of PleinAir Magazine

Pay It Forward

As 2023 kicks into gear, what will you do to share your passion for plein air with others?
Landscape painting by Matt Ryder

A Moment of Art Inspiration: Wadi Giants

"This is the start of the hike through Wadi Naqab in Ras Al Khaimah. These giant walls greet everyone passing through and give you a ...
John D Cogan, “Morning Virga,” 2017, acrylic, 16 x 20 in., Private collection, Plein air and studio

Get What You Came For

"When working in plein air, start with your most important elements," says John D. Cogan.
John MacDonald explains how to paint skies

Why John MacDonald is All About the Sky

Whether playing the lead or a supporting role in your paintings, understanding the nature of the sky and learning to paint it in all its manifestations is an important skill for any landscape painter.
Places to paint in San Diego

7 Plein Air Painting Places in San Diego

Whether you're looking for a quiet spot to enjoy the sunset or want to explore the beaches by day while plein air painting, these locations ...
Steve Clark painting his favorite location: the desert at Anza Borrego, California

The Desert is #1

A Plein Air Today Reader Spotlight
Landscape painting of the Tetons

Can You Finish a Plein Air Painting in the Studio?

Take a look as I walk you through a study that served its intended purpose as a plein air painting demo, but needed more refinements in order to make it a piece that I could be proud of and take to a gallery.
Painting nocturnes en plein air

Are Nocturnes Easier to Paint?

For plein air painters, there’s a positive aspect of increased darkness - the opportunity to practice painting nocturnes.
Ellen Howard painting at MaKerricher State Park

My Favorite Place to Paint: Fort Bragg

"I love painting the marshes in the morning and painting the ocean in the afternoon..."
Watercolor painting

The Beauty of Neutrals

Neutrals, when used correctly, evoke a feeling of mood and quality of light that is unequaled. Your work can be ...
Artists during a paint-out at a Plein Air Convention & Expo (2019, San Francisco)

13 Things to Try in 2023

As we head into a new year, I’d like to invite you to join me in the fear zone and try something new in your art world.
landscape paintings - Steve Gerhartz (b. 1971), “Birch,” 2019, oil on linen, 36 x 18 in.

Birch, Please

Lily Pad | West is presenting an exhibition of recent landscape paintings by the Wisconsin artist Steve Gerhartz, many of them created in plein air.
  1. Plein Air Podcast 243: Paul Kratter on Painting Trees and More