Most of my recent work is done "en plein air", a French term meaning "in the open air". This is different from studio painting, which is usually done from reference (photos, sketches). Plein air paintings are done on location, using your surroundings as reference. It can be challenging, because the light changes considerably as the day wears on, and rain, wind, heat, cold, and biting insects can certainly hinder the process. When painting in public places, visitors stop to observe and ask questions, which I enjoy, unless the conversation/questions take too much time away from painting.
I usually try to complete a painting in one session, though sometimes I will revisit a site to complete the work. Often, some final work is done in the studio, once I've had a chance to let the painting and my eyes rest for a day or two, and can view the work more objectively. Here are some photos of me working en plein air. I'm using a painting rig I built that attaches to a camera tripod. Everything fits in a backpack so I can more easily hike to painting spots.
Photo Credits: 1. Deb Araniti 2. Patrick McPhee 3. Patricia Bellerose 4. Me
