What plein air watercolor is
“Plein air” is French for “open air.” Plein air painting means working from the subject outdoors rather than from a photo in a studio. Watercolor suits it well because the kit is light and the paint dries quickly. The same qualities that make it portable also make it demanding: the light changes, the wind picks up, and washes dry faster or slower than you expect.
The goal of an outdoor session is usually not a polished masterpiece. It is to record light, color and atmosphere quickly, and to learn from what the scene actually looks like. Many painters treat field paintings as studies and finish larger work later at home.
What you need for plein air watercolor
Start small. A heavy bag is a good reason to stop going out. A workable beginner kit looks like this:
- Paints: a compact palette or pan set. A limited palette (a warm and a cool version of each primary, plus a couple of earth tones) is easier to carry and makes colors in a painting look related. See travel watercolor painting for more on compact kits.
- Brushes: two or three. A medium round, a larger round or flat for washes, and optionally a small rigger or detail brush. Travel brushes with caps protect the tips. See types of brushes for watercolor painting.
- Paper: watercolor paper suited to wet work, in a block, a pad or taped to a board. Paper that is too thin will buckle. Cold-press paper in a heavier weight is a common choice. See the best watercolor paper.
- Water: a small container for rinse water and a bottle or second jar for clean water. Collapsible cups are handy.
- A pencil and eraser: for a light sketch. If you need help with this step, see how to draw for watercolor painting.
- A rag or paper towels for blotting brushes and lifting mistakes.
- A seat or easel: a folding stool, or a small lap easel, or simply a board on your knees.
- Sun and comfort items: a hat, sunscreen, water to drink, and layers. A small umbrella or a wide-brim hat also keeps direct sun off your paper, which helps because glare makes it hard to judge values.
You do not need all of this at first. A pocket set, a water brush or one round brush, a small sketchbook and a rag is enough for a short outing. For more on small kits, see travel sketching for beginners.
Choosing a spot and a subject
Beginners often walk too far looking for the perfect view. A better approach is to pick a spot quickly, sit down and let the subject come to you.
- Look for a simple big shape: a tree mass against sky, a building against a street, a band of water and shore. Details can be added later.
- Choose a position with shade for you and the paper if possible.
- Pay attention to safety and permission. Avoid blocking paths, stay clear of traffic and unstable ground, and check whether a location requires permits or has rules about easels.
- Be aware of the time of day. Light changes noticeably in an hour or two, so you can decide early which lighting moment you are painting and stay with it.
A simple plein air workflow
A repeatable routine makes the session less overwhelming.
- Observe for a few minutes. Decide what first caught your eye. That is your subject; everything else can be simplified or left out.
- Make a small thumbnail. A couple of quick sketches in a notebook help you choose the composition and where the lightest and darkest shapes will sit.
- Sketch lightly on the paper. Keep the pencil work minimal. Place the horizon, major masses and any key shapes.
- Paint the lightest large washes first. Sky, water and broad areas of ground usually go in first. For ideas, see how to paint clouds in watercolor and watercolor techniques for painting water.
- Add midtones. Build trees, buildings or hills with shapes that are slightly darker.
- Add darks and a few details last. A few well-placed darks give the painting contrast. Stop before it gets overworked.
- Step back. Look at the painting from a distance and decide whether it needs anything else. Often it does not.
Painting the scene in the same order each time means you spend less energy deciding what to do next and more on observing.
Dealing with wind, sun and changing light
Outdoor conditions are the main difference from studio work.
- Fast drying: in hot or windy weather, washes dry quickly and edges harden sooner than expected. Work in smaller sections, mix more paint than you think you need, and keep a spray bottle or extra water handy if you want to keep areas workable.
- Slow drying: in humid or cool weather, paint can stay wet for a long time. Carry a small towel and be ready to wait or switch to another area.
- Wind: clips or tape hold paper down. A weighted bag or a board that sits stably helps too. Keep your water containers where they will not tip.
- Bright sun on white paper: glare can make colors look darker than they really are. Shade the paper if possible and judge your colors with that in mind.
- Shifting light: if shadows move, decide early which direction you will paint them and stay with that choice, or take a photo as a reference for the light you want.
- Fading paintings: some pigments are more lightfast than others, and any watercolor can fade if displayed in strong light for long periods. Choose lightfast pigments for work you plan to keep, and keep paintings out of direct sun.
Using a photo or notes to finish at home
Many plein air painters bring a small sketchbook for color notes, or they take a photo of the scene. These are useful for reminding yourself what the light was doing, but photos tend to flatten values and shift colors, so use them as a supplement and not a replacement for what you saw.
If you want to work larger from your field studies, see large scale watercolor painting.
Easy first subjects
- A single tree and its shadow
- A row of buildings on a street (try an easy watercolor cityscape)
- A pond, harbor or stream
- A sky with a strip of land
Short sessions of 20 to 30 minutes are a good way to build confidence, and a daily painting challenge can turn that into a habit.
Frequently asked questions
What do I need for plein air painting?
A small palette, a couple of brushes, watercolor paper on a board or in a block, water, a pencil, a rag, something to sit on, and sun and weather protection. You can start with far less.
Who are some famous plein air painters?
Painters associated with outdoor work include Claude Monet and other French Impressionists, as well as John Singer Sargent and Winslow Homer, who painted outdoors in watercolor. Many contemporary artists also paint outdoors regularly.
Will watercolor paintings fade in sunlight?
They can. Fading depends on the pigments and how long the painting is exposed to strong light. Paint labels often carry lightfastness ratings, and framing under UV-filtering glass and displaying away from direct sun are common precautions. See how to mount a watercolor painting for glazing options.
What is the golden rule of watercolor?
It is often described as working from light to dark, and preserving the white of the paper, since you cannot easily make a dark area light again. It is a guideline rather than a strict law.