How to become a ‘Plein Air’ Painter – at least, this is how I did it!

How to become a plein air painter? 

How did I do it? 


I began tentatively using watercolour, which is the hardest medium of them all. To be profficient you need bags of confidence, and you don’t have that, until you get good! It’s a vicious circle. 
I noticed early on that my lack of drawing skills were letting me down. Later on, a year or two later, I found that I had been doing three drawings for every watercolour attempt, and I was filling sketchbooks quickly.
But I never wanted to bother with sketching. I just wanted to paint.

In truth, sketching and drawing skills must come first. You’ll never make a good painting if the drawing is letting it down.

 

My mother was a mentor to me, and I couldn’t have progressed without her help and advice. Although there were times when I wondered why I kept sending her pictures to be ‘torn apart’ metaphorically.
Starting with watercolour, I was determined to master that first, before trying other mediums. Having met so many others who switched mediums with each passing season. Needing to improve my drawing skills, I knew I had to spend more time practising. After all, If I’d chosen to learn the piano or violin, I’d be practising every day for an hour or more.

How did I became a plein air painter?

Very soon I began to go out to paint ‘from real life’, with the local Art Group. But that was only six or eight times a year. Not nearly enough for me, so I started  looking for subjects in the countryside myself. Sometimes I’d drive for miles, looking for the illusive, chocolate box image. Then I would be worried by all the people who would pass by, and their comments.  Sometimes I’d come home without a painting or sketch. Later on with more experience, I began to enjoy exchanging banter with passers by, and rarely heard negative comments.

Learning to enjoy the process, was key!

Learning to enjoy being out there ‘in nature’ in a field or boatyard, or by a country lane, soon became second nature.
After a while even my mother’s critiques seemed to mellow. One day she even said “well there’s nothing wrong with the drawing” Pardon! Say that again, “You are good at drawing.” Eureka moment!, so I have taught myself to draw, ah that’s why the critiques have mellowed and her advice is now better understood.

What was the hardest part?

The hardest part I found, about learning a skill is how to assess my own work? You will need a mentor, or a teacher who knows you want the truth. Especially if it’s painful.
A positive critique, includes, praise for the good points, and conversation about the composition, including how it might be improved. Where the focal point is, light and shade, design, colour choices and tonal values.
Each time a work is completed, having this conversation is really important, and good fun, and you will learn loads in the process.

 

 Now I was trying to sketch or paint on a daily basis, weather permitting. I’m not painting three or four each day, like the true professionals, I do try to do one or two on a good day.
Having learned to enjoy the ‘process’ of painting, and not to worry about the ‘outcome’ this was achievable. It is important, because there is not much I’d rather be doing than painting or sketching. I knew that the outcomes would improve in time and with practise.

Taking part in competitions

By now I was a participant at ‘plein air’ events and competitions, in the Norfolk Broads, in Wexford Ireland, and in London. I have been very lucky to meet many artists, far more advanced than I am and have learned from working alongside them, watching them work, discussions afterwards and on Facebook. 

Get yourself a teacher or mentor!

At this time I met a good friend and mentor, Steven Alexander, who is way more advanced than I’ll ever be. So the question now is, ‘will I live long enough to get as good as I’d like to’?

A Quick Summary:

Q) Do you like to sketch or paint? Q) Is the idea of being outdoors enjoyable? Q) Are you fed up with copying photos?

Q) Maybe you are worried about passers by, or negative comments?

If you answered YES to all four questions, Congratulations, you need to get out and paint or sketch.

Ah, but what about those negative comments?  Don’t you think that Joshua Bell or Nigel Kennedy heard them when they first began to play the Violin? Did they let comments from non musical ‘passers by’ stop them in their tracks? As a child, our neighbours children were learning the violin, and it was rarely pleasing to the ear. I do hope they continued.

So What are you going to do? Dream about being an accomplished painter or sketcher, or might you try to start the journey? Remember the saying “Today is the first day of the rest of your life”.

Despite all the book and DVD titles, it won’t be quick or easy, but if you learn to enjoy the process, it will be very rewarding.  Next Time: How I love to go painting or sketching with others –