Keep on painting!
This is the answer to the question, ‘What do plein air artists do in winter?’
Well, you can hardly expect to stop because it’s cold outside! But there are many fresh challenges to face so here are some ideas,
- Daily painting or sketching
- A course, learn a new skill
- A new subject, still life
- wrap up warm and go painting.
Here is a still life of some linseed oil, but any small object will do.
I have been painting every day in January, not out in the cold, shivering, but in my studio in the warm. I joined the ‘Strada easel’ challenge, it’s open to anyone who wants to paint ‘from real life’ each day, using real objects, not photos. It uses all the same skills of observation, correct tonal values and colour choices that are required out in the open air. So it is good training.
At the same time, I also have been falling in love with Still Life painting. A genre that i never much liked and always felt to be ‘old fashioned’. Here is an old enamel jug with a Cornish ware jug and some fruits, all good subjects for sketching or painting.
Here is another, including glass objects, which requires some practice to achieve good results.
Drinks always make good subjects, whether you prefer a gin or tea and coffee, here are some ideas that I painted in January.
If you are keen to improve your sketching or painting, the subjects don’t matter. What matters is that you do as much as possible.
To become accomplished at any skill, requires regular practice interspersed with a little tuition from time to time. Flowers and fruits are popular subjects to paint in doors during the winter, here are some orange roses in an antique bowl.
