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PLEIN-AIR ARTWORK (PAINTING OUTDOORS)
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of my greatest pleasures is to paint 'plein-air', which is basically
painting outdoors whilst viewing the subject you are painting (as
opposed to painting outdoors from a photograph!).
Painting this way can worry artists who do not like the feeling that passers-by might stop and pass comment on their work. I have had this with comments like "Interesting!!" or "Hmm, keep trying!" But I love the freedom plein-air gives me, of being close to the real subject I am painting under natural light and with all the sounds and smells that go with the subject and not working from a photograph remotely. I also love the feedback and comments I get from the passing public and the fact that I can talk to them about everything I am having to consider in my artwork - shadows, light, perspective etc.
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| Equipment | |
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| You only
need basic light-weight equipment to paint plein-air. I have two basic
sets of equipment - left, a small A5 Moleskine watercolour sketchbook,
pencil (propelling), permanent ink pen (for pen and wash), small
watercolour set and palette (Winsor & Newton) with a couple of
brushes, child's water container and a small storage container to hold
water, all contained in a small picnic cool bag. I keep this in the boot
of the car so that I have some equipment with me for impromptu art
sessions away from home. Right - An A4 Moleskine or Hahnemuhle sketchbook, Cloverleaf palette, W&N roll bag with a selection of brushes, pens and pencils, a small lantern type water container and water in a drinking bottle all transported in an artist's rucksack and chair. Also essential is a sun hat and Chloe our lovely Westie. |
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| Examples | |
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| At the lock at Bradford on Avon | At the Barge pub on the K&A canal |
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| At Biddeford | At Steeple Ashton |
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| At the Pottery, Lacock | At the Chamberlain's House, Lacock |
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| At Harwich - a Lookout Tower | At Coverack, Cornwall |
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| On the Broads - the Swan Inn, Horning | At Ranworth Staithe, Norfolk Broads |
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| At Porthdinllaen Beach, Wales | At the Trussocks - the Sir Water Scott on Loch Katrine |