Bringing the Everyday to Life

Painting on location (en plein air) is so important for the landscape artist.  Just as painting from a live model or a still life set-up is important for portrait and still life artists, respectively.  Basically, I think it boils down to painting and drawing from life help artists learn how to see.  A couple of years ago, I was in a workshop taught by Roland Lee and he said, "If you want to improve your art, paint on location as often as you can."  I took him at his word and began painting more outside, being a landscape painter.  I have learned that he is right.  I can see the improvement in my work just over those couple of years.  I am also a more confident painter, not completely mind you.  Just more confident than before and it shows in my work...

With my oldest starting kindergarten, I have more time to paint and I am using it.  I would like to do a series of blog posts where I share how I paint on location.  I am by no means an expert, but I enjoy it so much and would love to share my process.  I follow a basic pattern when I paint en plein air and I will post something about each step.  Today, I will give you an overview:

1.  The first step is a very critical step:  choosing a subject.  This is a difficult step for a lot of painters.  There is so much to choose from and you might be tempted to paint it all, but if you try... you will get frustrated.

2.  Then, I draw a quick value sketch in my sketch book.  Another very important step, especially for on location.  We will talk about why later...

3.  I lightly draw out my composition on my watercolor paper.

4.  The first wash (my favorite step)!  this is fun and free.  Very hard to mess this up, though it is really easy to mess up your painting later.

5.  Observation and contemplation.  While the first wash is drying, I am thinking and finishing the painting in my mind.  Though, the painting is hardly every as fantastic as it is in my mind's eye.  This is still a very important step!

6.  Finishing the painting.   This may seem like a lame way to end, but if the first 5 steps are completed, this step will just happen.  The painting will paint itself.  Well not totally, I will explain what I mean later.

I don't want you to get me wrong.  This is not a fail safe formula for getting a good painting.  This is just my process.  I get failed paintings and I actually am glad that I do, because I can learn from them.  Watercolor is not easy, but that is why I love it.  It challenges me everyday and I am hungry to try again the next day.  The more you paint, the more confidence you will gain in your self and the more of your paintings will be successful.  I don't know how many will read this, but learn with me if you want.  Also, I will be teaching a workshop next June in Utah on plein air painting!  Check out the information on my website:  http://briennembrown.com/workshops

Happy Painting!

Brienne M Brown

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