Home › Forums › Explore Subjects › Plein Air › Discussion: Does anyone use watercolors outside?
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May 12, 2012 at 3:54 pm #989687
I have tried pastels and charcoal outside with fairly good results, but my primary medium is watercolor. I have watched artists paint with oils and acrylics outside with marvelous results. With my watercolors, I don’t know where to start. I usually paint on a slightly tilted surface. Using an easel outside and painting watercolors terrifies me! For those of you who have done it…how did you start? Can you post some tips please?
Thanks for this website and all of the knowledge posted on it. I have learned lots!
May 12, 2012 at 5:56 pm #1162464Plein air painting with watercolours is fun! A minimum of equipment is needed and stowage of completed paintings is simple as they are already dry.
For sketching I use a small Cotman Pocket Plus palette and waterbrush and I usually paint on a sketchbook on my knee. My sketching gear fits in a pouch designed for travel accessories.
For larger works I use a watercolour pad, folding palette, travel brush and water container. All my gear fits in a back pack/seat.
Doug
We must leave our mark on this worldMay 12, 2012 at 6:21 pm #1162483Doug, thanks for posting your experiences! Maybe I’m not a good enough artist to do plein aire…and maybe I’m spoiled with comfy chairs and a tilted place to paint …with no bugs in my hair etc, etc. I’m going to try it. I have made up a limited palette for outdoors and will trim down my usual number of brushes.
May 12, 2012 at 7:05 pm #1162476Joseph Zbukvic’s book, ‘Mastering Atmosphere & Mood In Watercolor’, is very good on technique and explaining how to paint outside. He uses a tilted setup. ‘Trouble is–he is so good it is intimidating.
Oops–I was going to recommend you get this book but apparently it has turned into a collectors item! I paid $27.99. Amazon is selling them new, starting at $500, and new from $197.95! Wow!http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Atmosphere-Mood-Watercolor-Ingredients/dp/1929834179
This seems to happen to all of the top art books! If the demand is high enough to drive the prices through the roof, why don’t they keep them in print?
[FONT=Book Antiqua]Ian , the [FONT=Arial]hopeful aspirer.
Any C&C I may make is based on the theory that even the act of disagreeing with one of my lousy suggestions may still spark an inspired idea.May 12, 2012 at 7:44 pm #1162469I actually use my oil Guerrilla Painter box (9×12) and work in the lid with it tilted up. Mostly, I don’t use very liquid washes but more of a controlled wash and dry brush technique; this seems to work well in the arid southwest where washes tend to dry almost instantly!
Michael Chesley Johnson AIS MPAC PSA
www.MChesleyJohnson.comMay 12, 2012 at 11:36 pm #1162474>>>I paint outdoors with watercolors often and there are several great instructors you might look into such as Mel Stabin, Alvero Castagnet and Joseph Zbukvic, (and there are others just as good if you look a bit).
>>>I use the Open Box M easels. I have the older version of their watercolor easel but generally prefer to take out the newer large oils easel and do watercolors with that.
When traveling abroad I use one of my Sun Eden Tilting Adaptors as a easel.
>>>I use Bogen tripods with large ball heads and the quick-release fitting.
>>>I take out smaller palettes that come with a cover. I use tubed watercolors.
>>>I carry several plastic bottles of water instead of one. If I kick my water over I don’t need to go home, just go to the car for another.
>>>I tape 11×15 sheets of 140# paper to a sheet of plexiglass. I have several plexis along and so can leave the paper in the back window of my car to dry before removing it from the plexi. I also have one, large, thicker plexi for 15×22 sheets.
>>>Have a box of tissues and an old towel along.
>>>Many tell you to paint with the paper at a 22 degree angle but I like to set it amost vertically to facilitate running a bead down the paper.
My advice… just go do it. The first time paint in your back yard to ensure you know what you need along.
Have fun, DaveMay 13, 2012 at 8:07 am #1162480I paint out doors every week. Here is one of cardoman pickers, in Keral I did in India in February
and another of a street scene in Kochinand here is a phot of me painting that scene. you can just make out a shelf I made, which sits on the canvas supports of the easel and is secured with a wingnut. It proved invaluable.
best wishesRobin
May 13, 2012 at 10:48 am #1162471. . . . Using an easel outside and painting watercolors [B][I]terrifies me[/I][/B]! For those of you who have done it…how did you start? Can you post some tips please?
It terrifies you?! Wow! Pretty strong stuff there! My suggestion is to take a long and calm look at this whole set up.
If you don’t want to wrestle around with an easel right off the bat, just take a small wc block. a travel pan set of paints, a wide-mouth jar[/URL] for rinse water (or a collapsible water bucket), and a sandwich out to your local park and set up on a picnic table.
Relax! Enjoy! (This is supposed to be fun!) After a while I am confident your terror will go away, because it’s so much more fun to paint from life out in the world.
Jan
May 13, 2012 at 11:03 am #1162465Find a corner and get comfortable and enjoy the moment:
Doug
We must leave our mark on this worldMay 13, 2012 at 1:09 pm #1162484Thank you all! You pros make everything look so simple. But, I am going to try it….as soon as it stops raining here.
Thanks again!
May 20, 2012 at 1:15 am #1162481Yea about 70 – 80 per year
A tip : If you start on location – take photos beside
if the weather /light / sun is changing it helps you to finish it at homeAll Critics & Comments accepted Egon
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http://www.miklavcic.co.at/aquarelle_watercolors_akt_figure/2018/index.htmMay 24, 2012 at 5:20 pm #1162477Paulette
You find it terrifying?!!! Just look at your local gallery – How many artists can actually do it? I have visited some major watercolour exhibitions in this country and I see about 95% studio paintings, 5 % plein air. Why? Because its too difficult.
The only tip I can give you is practice, practice and practice. I started using watercolour paint outdoors nearly 30 years ago, and I still cant crack it. Nevertheless I cant give it up, its a pain I love to experience
For me, watching a great outdoor watercolour painter on a DVD has nothing to do with learning, its purely entertainment. I dont think you can be taught, you just have to do it. Over and over and over again! No tips. Just paint
Chris
May 24, 2012 at 5:23 pm #1162466I paint plein air because it is fun!
The results don’t matter so much, it is so good to paint what is in front of you and enjoy the fresh air and the countryside.
Doug
We must leave our mark on this worldMay 25, 2012 at 12:29 pm #1162472May 25, 2012 at 1:26 pm #1162473A few days ago I sat and painted on a bench at a bus stop. I had a block in my hand in front of me and a small watercolour box and a couple of water cups beside me on the bench.
This is what I used.
I also have a larger set up.
And a realy small one for my purse.
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