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Extreme Plein Air

Extreme Plein Air

William Wood - painting in an airplane

En Plein Air, In the Air

How plein air painter William Wood was tasked with a challenge of great heights, and the difference it will make for science.
Jack McGowan shares his advice for plein air painting in winter conditions

Do You Have the Right Gear for Painting in Snow?

Popsicle Painting Part 2: From the backpack to shoes, the “day pack” makes all of the difference for plein air painters, including this one, who loves to combine skiing with his brush time.
Watercolor sketch - Jemaa el-Fnaa Square, Marrakesh

Plein Air Watercolor – From Marrakech to the Mountains

Tag along with this popular watercolor instructor as she guides you through Africa’s largest urban market, an ancient mountaintop fortress, and the sandy beaches of a popular beach resort, and introduces you to the people and cultural traditions of Morocco.
Paint the Way 'Cross the USA - by Bike

Biking to PACE?!

In conjunction with PACE 2022 (the Plein Air Convention & Expo), and the excitement of the convention returning as an IN PERSON event, I...
The brown bear that Bill Davidson encountered while plein air painting in the Tetons

How One Artist Survived a Bear Encounter

What should you do if you see a bear while plein air painting in the wilderness? See what Bill Davidson did to survive his encounter.
Plein air painting in bad weather

Plein Air Painting … in a Pod

You may know Sharon Bamber from her incredible 1,000-mile expedition of walking and painting the Way of Saint James in Spain. Here's her brilliant solution to painting through the snow and rain.
Stock Schlueter and Paul Rickard, "on top of the world"

Bhutan: A Painter’s Dream

Stock Schlueter shares a day-by-day adventure of traveling to the remote land of Bhutan to paint en plein air for an entire month.
International plein air painting

Video: Painting the Wilderness of the UAE

Follow Dubai-based plein air artist Matt Ryder as he heads into the deserts and mountains of Fujairah, Dubai Creek, Wadi Shawkha, Mleiha, and many other beautiful locations.

Going to Extremes: Plein Air Painting in a Rail Yard

An artist shares how he followed his muse and made his way into a rail yard to paint a burned out and abandoned train car.
Granite Group plein air painters

The Granite Group Hikes Again

Painting scenes such as the ultramarine blue lake, a snow melt pond at the foot of a mountain, and more, the Granite Group had an "epic" adventure this year.
Paul Kratter sketches the unique shapes of the trees at the Mala Mala Game Reserve.

Into Africa: Painting with Gouache en Plein Air

Follow along as Paul Kratter shares his plein air adventures of painting with gouache on safari.
plein air painting vacation - New Zealand with Eric Rhoads

An Exotic Location for Plein Air

Join us for a painting vacation this September > This is a very exclusive trip for those who expect the best possible experiences.
The first wash of the plein air painting, on Sky Pond

Extreme Plein Air: Painting an Active Volcano

Blobs of fiery lava the size of school buses were belched into the air — our faces were warmed by the heat and the sonic boom of the blast was uncomfortably loud...
Left: Kip Bradley painting en plein air; Right: Kip's painting of the marsh

A Muddy Marsh Adventure

Plein air painter Kip Bradley is painting six marsh locations around Savannah, Georgia over the course of a year to document coastal changes.
Painting vacations

My Best Day of Painting Ever

Was I going to work on one good painting in a short amount of time or was I going to do multiple paintings to see what I could accomplish?
painting outdoors with children

Plein Air in Babywear!

We've seen some pretty incredible ways to paint outdoors, but this Plein Air Today reader showed us how she takes it to another level. Bonus: Includes her advice for painting when you have a baby on board!
Extreme plein air painting - Amanda Morettini - OutdoorPainter.com

Why I Paint Landscapes From the Side of Cliff

This 23-year-old painter has figured out how to take her easel up the side of cliffs and through the branches of giant redwoods to dizzying heights. Here’s why.

Chasing Fragile Dreams

Come walk with me as I remember one of my dreams and how I chased it. It is a dream that led me, along with my painting gear, all the way to the southern tip of South America.
Bicycle and plein air painting

Painting My Way ’Cross the USA — By Bicycle! Part II

In 2019, Lewis Williams began painting his way from California to Maine - by bicycle. Here, he gives us an update on his journey, including the biggest bonus, which came unexpectedly.
Jack McGowan painting in winter in plein air

Popsicle Plein Air Painting

Who says you can only paint outdoors in warm weather? If you put together the right equipment and have a bit of adventurous spirit, this is a way to find new inspiration. Here's how one New Mexico artist does it.