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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.

A common scene at the Plein Air Convention - artists of all levels and backgrounds painting together

Do You Know These 19 Outdoor Painting Tips?

Which of the following painting tips will you put into practice? Share your answer in the blog comments for your chance to win a 10-tube set of Sennelier Finest Artists' Oils, and a variety of paint brushes from Raphaël!
Ginny Good painting en plein air

Just Do the Preliminary Sketch – and 25 Other Painting Aha Moments

Do you remember the first time a painting concept clicked for you? For these Dreamliners, the big "aha" moment came during plein air workshops, painting travels, and even at Streamline events such as Plein Air Live, the world's first online art conference. Keep reading to see if you've shared some of these special moments!
Christine Lashley, "Evening Lights Charleston," 2023, oil, 36 x 60 in., Available from Principle Gallery Charleston, Studio from plein air studies

11 Tips for Going From Study to Studio

Christine Lashley is an American artist known for her colorful and dramatic oils. Here, she shares her 11 tips for using your plein air study for a refined studio painting.
Plein Air Tips - Carrie Curran, painting the Indiana Dunes

18 Plein Air Tips for Beginners

Check out this helpful list of tips from Carrie Curran, who lays out what you should do before painting, advice for sketching your scene, and steps for success.
landscape painting compositions - There are few, if any, straight lines to be found in nature. In this illustration, I’ve exaggerated the concave and convex shapes.

How to Avoid Painting Pitfalls

Keep your compositions fresh and lively by applying the mantra “same same, bad bad.”
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.
how to carry wet canvas panels - Eric Rhoads painting alongside others during the 2023 Plein Air Convention & Expo

What’s the Easiest Way to Carry Wet Panels?

The easiest way to carry wet panels (such as a wet canvas) is to ...
Plein air landscape painting

Plein Air Painting and the Need for Speed

Do you feel pressured to paint faster when en plein air? If you're tempted to practice the "smash and grab" technique, you might want to think twice. Here's why.
painting nocturnes

Bring Duct Tape …

... and seven more plein air painting tips from Gavin Glakas.
Mark Fehlman, painting en plein air

Are You Talented Enough to be a Painter?

TLDR: Yes! But keep reading to see what these seven plein air painters had to say when I asked them for their responses to a question that all creatives hear in their minds at some point.
John MacDonald painting en plein air

Six Keys to Painting Trees with Character and Dimension

To avoid trees that look generic or pasted on, follow these tips for painting compelling contours, varied sky holes, and details at a range of distances.
Plein air painting with watercolor

Plein Air 101: Mistakes to Avoid, Advice to Heed

If you’re new to plein air painting, here are five mistakes you can avoid from the get-go. (A guest blog post by Brienne M. Brown, who shares her "then" and "now" paintings!)
On painting landscapes - mountains and composition

A Pep Talk for Beginners and Frustrated Art Students

If you weren't naturally handed a free pass to excellence or are coming to art late in the game, John Hughes has an encouraging message for you.
Plein air painting in winter

Plein Air Painting in Winter

The following is part of a series that will share tips and tricks for plein air painting in winter. Stay tuned for more!
Kathleen Hudson painting en plein air

What to Take When Painting en Plein Air: Kathleen Hudson’s Toolkit & Setup

If you're new to painting en plein air, or are experienced and curious about what others use on location, check out Kathleen Hudson's packing list, including her art toolkit and plein air setup.
How to paint landscapes - Color Value - OutdoorPainter.com

Painting Basics: Understanding Value

“All of us, beginners and experienced painters alike, can benefit from a refresher course in the bedrock principles of value and color.” John MacDonald explains more in this overview.
Color mixing for plein air painters

A Good Way to Screw Up Your Palette

How many colors should you use when painting en plein air? Eric Rhoads answers in this teaser from Plein Air Live.
Plein air painter Randall Cogburn

A 260-Mile Plein Air Relay

Is it possible to participate in two distant plein air events in the same week? This ambitious artist pushes the limits to find out. Bonus: Includes a list of tips for your next plein air event!
Opening Day Plein Air Class

How We Started a Local Plein Air Painters Group

Be inspired by the story of Jim and Annie Hames, who created a community through their local plein air painters group, inspired by PACE.
Advice for artists - William Schneider, "The Paint Out," 9 x 12 in., plein air

Broken Strokes for Different Folks

One artist shares the surprising and unusual methods he uses for creating effective values, edges, marks, and more.