A Plein Air Series of Unfortunate Events

Eden's Bridge, 5x7

I am a planner and love my lists and checklists. Last week I thought I had packed and planned everything that I would need for my Ohio art trip and plein air event...Nope! I had three unfortunate things go wrong on plein air day.

To set the context, the night before the plein air event I did not sleep well. And, I knew the plein air would take place on a day colder than I cared to go outside-- a mere 35 degrees! Brrrr!

The plein air event lasted one day from Morning Check In and Canvas Stamp to  framed painting drop off to the gallery by 4 PM.

A few things did go right: the sun was shining (this always helps and I like the light effect) and I had my thermal pants, hand-warmers and toe warmers. All of this helped make me comfortable with the weather. Also, the park was a lovely location and my fellow artists were very nice.

The first thing I did was get my canvases stamped, getting 2 5x7 (studies) and 2 8x10 canvases stamped. I parked in the lot, grabbed my canvases out of my plein air backpack (which is heavy so I left it in the car) and got the 4 canvases stamped.

Making It Work, The Set-Up

1. As I was setting up, I realized that I had forgotten my chair (unfortunate #1). Okay, I can overcome this obstacle -  I found a picnic table where I could sit.

2. Next, I went to set up my easel and tripod, after I few minutes I realized there was a problem. The tripod would not connect to the pochade box. I had grabbed my old camera tripod not my pochade tripod--so I had the wrong plate on my pochade (unfortunate #2).  Since I was determined,  I removed the plate on my pochade and placed the pochade on the picnic table (not ideal but it could work). Still, I cannot I believe that I forgot this most important equipment!

I had to start painting, so I decided to start with a quick study, a little 5x7. I liked the light on the bridge and the snow on the bush. Despite the cold and a few setbacks, I was finally painting!

3. After I finished my little quick study and checking the time, I decide to do a larger painting with an 8x10 canvas. I was 25 minutes into this new painting when I realized that the canvas seemed a little large for an 8x10 (unfortunate #3). Third strike! I had inadvertently gathered 2  9x12 cavases from my car and gotten those stamped--I did not get any 8x10 canvases stamped. Ugh! I had a car full of 8x10 canvases-how did this happen? Why is this so important? Well, I bought 2 frames for the wet paint out, a 5x7 and an 8x10; however, I was painting on a 9x12 canvas!

Needless to say, I had a decision to make. It was noon, to meet the deadline I had to stop painting by 2 pm. Did I gather my gear and drive back to the venue to get an 8x10 canvas stamped (I had many of these in my car) or do I make it work with the one canvas that I can frame-the 5x7?

WET PAINT WALL. Greenwich House Gallery,
my little Eden's Bridge painting is in the top middle.

I decided to make it work with the 5x7 as I re-evaluated my little study. I went back in and finished the study--adding more paint for the snow and more light on the bridge and adjusting the water just a bit, now the painting was a little gem that I liked enough to put into the show.

Since I like options,  I turned around and painted the opposite view with the remaining 5x7 canvas. I like this little painting but it is not as nice as the first. At 2 pm I stopped painting and signed my canvases and pack them up with my gear. Then I drove back to the venue to frame my first little 5x7 painting, it looks good in the large gold frame. Next, I drove to the gallery to drop off the painting for the Wet Paint wall. Whew! I did it!

On this day, I must say that I tried very hard to stay positive. My heart hurt, I was disappointed in myself--how could I not get the right tripod, the right canvases stamped?

One other important item of note: this was my first plein air painting day since October. I know this worked against me. Typically I keep my plein air supplies in my trunk but they went into the basement this winter (and despite many basement trips I still missed gathering up the right supplies). Last year I plein air painted every week from Spring through Fall, and I never had any of these issues.

I learned my lessons and to end on a positive note, my goal was accomplished: one painting on the 'wet painting wall' at the gallery. Next time though I know that things will go better.

Fair Weather Painter?

Today the winds are bone chilling and it is a balmy 35 (feels like 25) --brrrrrr!

Even though it is sunny, it is ridiculously cold--deceptively cold. My desire to paint outside in this weather is zero, even with a scarf, boots and puffy coat, the wind went right through me. And in two days I am supposed to be outside plein air painting. I am hoping for sun and more warmth and less wind--wishful perhaps.

I would not be having plein air thoughts except I am signed up for a paint out in a few days. Oh my, I have hand warmers and thermals and still think I may freeze. Wishing and hopeful for warmer spring days.

As  prep for the paint out, I am making my list and gathering my supplies. Right now my supplies include fingerless gloves, winter hat, and lots of layers and hand warmers.

In addition, I thought I should do some paint quick studies (these are from photo references). The first painting I did is a nocturne. This reference is from the parking lot of the fire station. I like the dark trees and the bright lights, it was late night and snowing when I snapped the photo. Also, I like the car under the light and snow.

The next painting was from a foggy day reference, there was lots of grey. I like the color of the far trees.

Still Learning Nocturnes

Walled Lake Nocturne, 5x7

Hmm... I am still working on painting nocturnes, something that has been on my mind a lot lately.

One problem is that I like to work from photos that I have taken and I do not have many nighttime photos. I guess that taking more nocturne photos should be a new goal (although my iphone might not take the best nighttime pics).

I like the sky here, it really was orange and pink and blue --ablaze in wonderful colors. The trees were dark outlines and there were a few house lights (the yellow dots) along the shore. The water was fairly deep blue and next to the water was a path that was similar in color to the water (as most was in darkness). To me the best part is the orange-pink bright against the dark trees.

Landscapes on a Foggy Day

Foggy Day, 5x7

Foggy days are very low in color, very grey, how should I approach painting them?


Recently we had a super foggy day with very low visibility. I used the weather as an opportunity to go to the park and take some fog filled reference photos. There is so much white and grey and everything is so muted--how should one approach painting a foggy day?

My sky is a very muted purple blue. The far trees are muted green and the water is light blue green. The darkest colors were the vertical middle trees which reflected in the water. Really the only color in the painting is the foreground brush of umber and ocher. And yes, the white ground is snow, it was a cold rainy foggy snow-on-ground day! Brrr! My husband says this painting should give you goosebumps from the cold.

I have many more fog reference photos, I will definitely try to paint a foggy landscape again. I still believe that there are more muted nuances to capture...