Lin La Mer

It must be spring - it hasn’t felt like around here, but it must be. I have been getting e-mail ads for 'plein air everything' from every art supplier I have ever bought anything from. I’m not much of a landscape painter, but plein air is a lot of fun to do with our great group of EAFA painters. It’s an adventure every week. Where are we going, how do we get there, who will be there and will it rain?

Oh my, what part of this panorama do I try to capture! How do I do this before the light changes? Painting under these conditions has helped me with my studio painting. It forces you to decide quickly what you will paint and you must paint faster than when you’re in the studio. It has helped me put together a still life set-up, decide on lighting, and assemble a color palette, even when I do underpainting it gets me thinking about the palette I will use for the painting. Plein air also provides you with a group of people to give you honest critiques. Everyone is interested in giving you feedback to help you become a better painter. Another big plus is getting to know people you may not have otherwise met.

In short, if you haven’t done plein air yet, give it a try. You will have fun, meet people, and learn new skills.

Happy Painting,

Lin La Mer
EAFA President

Last Updated on Wednesday, 11 April 2012 00:44