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Plein Air for Beginners

If you’re new to painting outdoors with watercolor, pastel, oil, or acrylic, start here with advice from seasoned plein air artists.

Painting outdoors - tips for beginners

Tseng’s Tip for Beginner Plein Air Painters

To achieve free, direct handling, Hsin-Yao Tseng says it's impor­tant not to ...
Plein Air Convention & Expo

FREE: The Ultimate Plein Air 101 Guide for Artists

If you’re an artist, chances are you’ve already practiced plein air painting and maybe don’t even realize it! Some artists paint en plein air for years before realizing they’re part of the world’s largest art movement.
Mike Hernandez, painting with gouache en plein air

Plein Air Painting with Gouache in Winter

Can you paint outdoors with gouache when it's below freezing? Mike Hernandez shares his tips here.
How to paint landscapes - OutdoorPainter.com

The Visual Tools You Need to Create Atmospheric Perspective

Master these elements to give your paintings a powerful sense of atmospheric depth.
Backpacks for plein air painting

The Best Backpacks for Plein Air Painting

There are as many backpack brands and styles as there are colors in the western sunset, so what’s the best backpack for artists who paint en plein air? We asked, and you answered! (Bonus: Watch a free video from Eric Rhoads on how to pack a light plein air backpack.)
Practical Perspective: 3 Ways to Show Point of View in a Painting

3 Ways to Show Perspective in a Landscape Painting

Perspective is more than just the way a road appears to get smaller as it recedes into the distance - learn more in this guest blog post from Michael Holter.
Michael Chesley Johnson, “Down by the River,” 9 x 12 in., pastel, en plein air

Painting the Landscape? Do Not Overlook This Step

When it comes to painting the landscape, there are many common mistakes that artists - especially new plein air painters - make...
Plein air landscape painting critiques

Plein Air Society Starts Online Painting Critiques

"Artists that have trained their ability to look beyond the detail ... are able to make stronger, more captivating art."
watercolor studio from plein air study

A Study-to-Studio Watercolor Demo: Oak Creek at Briar Patch XXII

Watch step by step as Julie Gilbert Pollard creates a plein air study with watercolor, then takes it into the studio to paint "Oak Creek at Briar Patch XXII."
The 10 Most Common Mistakes Painters Make | OutdoorPainter.com

The 10 Most Common Mistakes Painters Make

Tackle these common issues to start making better paintings sooner rather than later with this painting advice from John Cosby.
Gene Costanza painting on location

5 Quick and Dirty Tips for Artists

Plein air painter Gene Costanza shares his five quick tips for artists on composition, color, and more.
Sketching From Life - OutdoorPainter.com

Two Important Reasons to Practice Sketching From Life

Watercolor artist Shuang Li explains why sketching from life can have a big impact on your next painting.
Eric Rhoads, plein air painting for beginners

Q: Is a Plein Air Painting a Study or a Finished Painting?

One of the benefits of attending Plein Air Live is that it’s so full of tips, techniques, and even conversations about what it means to ...
Landscape oil painting demonstration

4-Step Plein Air Oil Painting Demonstration

For plein air beginners: See how oil painter Anthony Salvo paints "Sparkling Cliffs, Inspiration Point," in four basic steps that you can apply to your next landscape.
plein air painting in Spring flooding

Plein Air Painters: Pay Heed to Rising Water

A cautionary tale about the danger of flash floods: Just because it’s dry where you are, you could still be downstream of a perilous storm.
Oil paintings by Cynthia Rosen | Tips for Painting Outdoors

Cynthia Rosen on Painting Outdoors: Advice for Artists

Captivated by her landscape paintings, I invited Cynthia Rosen to share with us some of her general tips for painting outdoors.
art supplies for plein air painters

The Hottest Plein Air Art Supplies of the Season

We always need more art supplies - like, always. Here are some the most popular colors, surfaces, paint brushes, frames on the market now. You're welcome!
How to paint landscapes - Michael Chesley Johnson - OutdoorPainter.com

How to Paint Landscapes: Dominance in Painting

Michael Chesley Johnson gives you three questions to consider before you dip your brush in the paint in this guest post on how to paint landscapes.
Rule of Thirds for painting landscapes - Michael Chesley Johnson, "Canyon Trails," 2018, oil, 12 x 24 in., Private collection, Plein air

Plein Air 101: The Rule of Thirds for Painting Landscapes

Learn how to determine the center of interest when painting landscapes by studying these three examples showing the Rule of Thirds.
drawing architecture landcapes - Thom Rozendaal

Architectural Subjects: To Paint or Draw?

When this artist approaches architecture as a subject in the landscape, certain factors determine if the resulting art will be a drawing or a painting. See why...