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Posted by color codes · via artbypatwattam.com · 98 months ago
My Gear at the Plein Air Event
Plein Air Painting - Boy! It's Hot Out There!
So, I am not known as a plein air painter. I live in Louisiana and it is HOT outside! But last week I participated with 35 other invited artists to the Botanical Gardens First Invitational Plein Air Art Event to raise money for these wonderful gardens at Independence Park in Baton Rouge! Such a beautiful setting to try to get on site early before it got too HOT, to paint before we lost the light, dodge the rain, the gnats, bugs, etc! Made me REALLY appreciate my art studio!
Some things I learned!
1. Regular bug/mosquito spray does not deter the gnats. Heavy woods OFF was the best but nothing really stopped those pesky bugs. My paintings had a few gnats stuck in the oil!!
2. You need an umbrella! Not for the rain, but that helps, but for the sun. You have to keep the sun off your panel so you can see the color and not be blinded by the light. It also keeps you cool. I was glad I had one - I had only tried to use once before! When I finished one day - when I just got too hot - another artist was sitting in the bright, hot sun with no umbrella. I loaned her mine. Always help fellow painters. Or if you are really smart you will find a shady place to start!!! I wasn't that smart. LOL!
3. Keep your pallet simple. The fewer colors of paint the better. I know some people go ahead and mix up their 'greens' so they don't waste too much time on site mixing colors.
4. Bring more panels than you think you need. I hated my 2nd painting and saw something else I wanted to paint but I didn't bring any extra panels. I thought 1 panel a day was plenty! I forgot how much I change my mind!
5. Bring water and snacks - but mainly lots of water. The people at the Botanical Gardens came around with water and snacks. Thanks so much!
6. Did I already say "get there early'?! The first day I arrived at 8 am. I had traffic to deal with, and getting all my gear together that morning. Should have gotten it together the night before. 2nd day I arrived a little after 7 am. Next time I will be there at 6:30. Did I mention how hot it was?!
7. You need an easel that you like. I have 3 plein air easels and they all have their good points but my issue is that I'm messy and I need space. I need a LOT of space to mix my paints and make a mess. So, my heaviest one is my fav. Thank goodness it fits in a rollerbag. Speaking of roller bag, mine also has a drop down seat. I don't sit in it. I carry a portable chair with me. I use that little drop down seat as a little table. Like I said, I need SPACE!
8. You need lots of paper towels. You need a trash bag. You need brush cleaner in a metal can - not a glass one (one of the artist broke hers almost as soon as she arrived!). And you might like a medium that helps your oil paint dry faster.
9. You need friends to paint with and encourage you. Like I said, this is not my forte but I can see going out to a beautiful setting and starting a painting and then coming back to my studio to turn it in to something good or to use as a study for a larger painting. The Associated Women in the Arts that I belong to were so helpful. Members of the Baton Rouge Plein Air Painters were also very sweet to encourage me!
10 Don't give up! it's sort of fun, in a crazy kind of way - when you are in the heat! I can totally see trying this in the spring or fall when it's cooler but these people do this EVERY WEEK!!! LOL! I might join them a few times this summer. You never know - I might show up!
Some things I learned!
1. Regular bug/mosquito spray does not deter the gnats. Heavy woods OFF was the best but nothing really stopped those pesky bugs. My paintings had a few gnats stuck in the oil!!
2. You need an umbrella! Not for the rain, but that helps, but for the sun. You have to keep the sun off your panel so you can see the color and not be blinded by the light. It also keeps you cool. I was glad I had one - I had only tried to use once before! When I finished one day - when I just got too hot - another artist was sitting in the bright, hot sun with no umbrella. I loaned her mine. Always help fellow painters. Or if you are really smart you will find a shady place to start!!! I wasn't that smart. LOL!
3. Keep your pallet simple. The fewer colors of paint the better. I know some people go ahead and mix up their 'greens' so they don't waste too much time on site mixing colors.
4. Bring more panels than you think you need. I hated my 2nd painting and saw something else I wanted to paint but I didn't bring any extra panels. I thought 1 panel a day was plenty! I forgot how much I change my mind!
5. Bring water and snacks - but mainly lots of water. The people at the Botanical Gardens came around with water and snacks. Thanks so much!
6. Did I already say "get there early'?! The first day I arrived at 8 am. I had traffic to deal with, and getting all my gear together that morning. Should have gotten it together the night before. 2nd day I arrived a little after 7 am. Next time I will be there at 6:30. Did I mention how hot it was?!
7. You need an easel that you like. I have 3 plein air easels and they all have their good points but my issue is that I'm messy and I need space. I need a LOT of space to mix my paints and make a mess. So, my heaviest one is my fav. Thank goodness it fits in a rollerbag. Speaking of roller bag, mine also has a drop down seat. I don't sit in it. I carry a portable chair with me. I use that little drop down seat as a little table. Like I said, I need SPACE!
8. You need lots of paper towels. You need a trash bag. You need brush cleaner in a metal can - not a glass one (one of the artist broke hers almost as soon as she arrived!). And you might like a medium that helps your oil paint dry faster.
9. You need friends to paint with and encourage you. Like I said, this is not my forte but I can see going out to a beautiful setting and starting a painting and then coming back to my studio to turn it in to something good or to use as a study for a larger painting. The Associated Women in the Arts that I belong to were so helpful. Members of the Baton Rouge Plein Air Painters were also very sweet to encourage me!
10 Don't give up! it's sort of fun, in a crazy kind of way - when you are in the heat! I can totally see trying this in the spring or fall when it's cooler but these people do this EVERY WEEK!!! LOL! I might join them a few times this summer. You never know - I might show up!
