Learning to Paint en Plein Air

When the sun is shining and the air is warm, I need to be outside. So, once again, this summer I tried to paint a landscape, but this time I had instruction from the fabulous Damon Lehrer. I have attempted en plein air before, but without much luck, skill, or natural ability. I have never been inspired by landscape paintings, except perhaps by those of the impressionists. The vibrancy of colors, the thick paint, and the atmospheres in Renoir and Van Gogh give me delight. Also, Turner's insane skies make my head spin and my heart leap. Otherwise, pastoral scenes are not my thing. I prefer to investigate interesting faces and figures.

With suggestions, assistance, and instruction from Damon, I think I have improved. During the last two weekends, we worked at the Wright-Locke Farm in Winchester. The top two paintings are from Damon's workshop.

The following shows my progression from starting from the most recent to my first, which was 5 years ago.

2017

2015

2010

Some things for me to remember:

distance 

sharp, straight lines in focus area

consistent palette (relatable)

I used oil primed linen toned with cadmium red, cadmium yellow medium, and ultramarine blue.

And I went back to QAA for figure drawing. One hour pose, charcoal on paper.