Why Outdoors?
By Lorenzo Chavez
I am often asked why I like to paint outdoors or in plein air. The reason has evolved over the course of 35 years. Initially it was a way to grow as an artist wishing to paint landscapes in Colorado.
The best professional landscape artists I consulted with advised that I take my French easel out into nature to study directly from life.
From this simple but timeless approach to painting landscapes outdoors grew a love for and need to commune with and study the natural world and to enjoy painting the quickly changing effects of natural light in all seasons.
This resulted in a far better understanding of the natural elements of light and atmosphere, natural color and values as well as the feeling of the environment I am studying.
Eventually I felt the need to share the many insights gained in the field with others which led to my teaching plein air workshops throughout the country starting in 1993. This sharing of my passion for landscape painting outdoors has been a great pleasure and an ongoing journey.
Thorough out the years I have set up my French easel for Pastel or Oil painting box in many locations and seasons and times of day and night across America and overseas and I have had the pleasure of studying incredible beauty.
My love for this simple act of painting from life to more fully understand light and the natural elements has not diminished but has grown to a deep and passionate love of the process and a need to be in the environment and feeling and wanting to communicate the intangible life force that pulsates through the landscape.
I am still amazed and enchanted by this way of painting.
10 TIPS FOR EXPERIENCING NATURE AND PASTEL PAINTING IN PLEIN AIR
- CLOTHING – Dressing for the ever-changing weather of nature means dressing in layers. This is essential if one wants to experience firsthand the many feelings and moods outdoors in all seasons and times of day and night. Be prepared for all types of temperatures and conditions. Hats are of prime importance in any weather. Bring good gloves for cold weather. A good pair of outdoor walking hiking shoes is a must. Also, it’s best NOT to wear sunglasses while painting that way we see color as it truly is.
- EQUIPMENT/SKETCHBOOK – Remember, less is more. One will be able to walk around and explore nature’s bountiful inspiration more easily using light-weight outdoor painting gear, easels, canvas boards or pastel panels. Use an organized pastel palette with plenty of Secondary and Tertiary colors arranged in values. Have a small sketch book with you and some type of drawing implements, from pencils to markers. Again, always consider the weight. I have found having organized and designated plein air equipment ready to go at a moment notice really helps to stay inspired and ready for plein air practice. Keep the painting equipment in your car always ready to use so you’ll be able catch the elusive effects of light and the movement of clouds and water at a moment’s notice.
- BUGSPRAY/SUNBLOCK/WATER – Always have these items in one’s car or backpack and the sunblock you use should be a high SPF. Bring bottled water to drink at your painting location. Nature is alive with wildlife and insects they keep us on our toes and add to the exciting experience of painting the life and landscape around us.
- SCOUTING LOCATIONS – Go to places that inspire you or have a deep meaning to you or places you want to experience. Go with an open mind and heart, be willing to let nature be your guide and teacher. When setting up to paint, find a place where you feel comfortable, safe and inspired. Look for interesting arrangements of shapes and varied light and shadow shapes. Always consider the dark light design by painting mostly shadows or mostly light in the shapes never light and shadows that are of the same proportions. Keep details to a minimum, a plein air sketch is a shorthand poem of your experience. Paint for yourself first and foremost. Enjoy the process more than the product.
- SEASONS – Paint in all season and weather conditions to get a true sense of local color and conditions throughout the year. This experience helps one gain a good feeling for the seasons and the differences of the experience of the season that we could use for contrasts of mood and temperature and its effect on our use and understanding of color temperature of warm and cool and vibrant and muted.
- BEST TIME – Any time during the day or night is the “right” time to paint, but the best lighting conditions are early morning sunrise to midmorning or late afternoon into sunset. Painting all lighting effects is important for our understanding of how color is affected by light and shadow or overcast light or nighttime and atmospheric perspective.
- WEATHER – Always be on the lookout for the weather forecast. Don’t get caught unaware. Be close to your set up if wind is present so you can prevent your painting equipment from being blown over. Dramatic weather creates some of the best contrasts of color and values.
- STORAGE – You will need a place to store wet oil paintings and to keep pastels safe during transport. Take good care of the studies you create, they all have value as memories and the information of what you experienced by communing with nature.
- REFERENCE GATHERING – Photos are good only as reminders of the first-hand experience of being there and studying the landscapes. Keep a camera with to you and easy to get to for sudden lighting changes, moving clouds, water, wildlife and humans moving through your subject. Take photos while you are walking to the painting location and while walking back to your car the additional references can be added as a total experience of the place leading to better compositions.
- SKETCH OR STUDY – When going outdoors to paint, consider these two approaches: a study is an intellectual look at objects as they truly are (usually close studies of rocks, trees, clouds, vegetation) and a sketch is a broad view, an impression of big shapes and a value and color study done loosely, a poem of the scene, the spirit of place. Spending quality time studying nature and being a student of nature is a way to better understanding and results in better artworks of truth and love.
