PleinAir Magazine

Get your PleinAir Magazine digital subscription today and join tens of thousands of artists and collectors who have joined a new plein air movement. Rooted in a deep history, each bi-monthly issue, edited by Kelly Kane, chronicles important events and spotlights today’s master artists, their techniques, the collectors who follow them, as well as the historic artists who came before them.

PLEIN AIR HERITAGE

PleinAir Magazine

BURNING QUESTIONS ABOUT PLEIN AIR

IN THE MEANTIME

WATERCOLOR SHOWCASE • To paint with a medium that draws its magic from the unpredictable nature of water, an artist must be bold, confident, and adaptable. The reward is paintings that express a freshness and luminosity unique to watercolor. On the pages that follow, we showcase a host of watercolor artists whose work exemplifies the range, craftsmanship, and versatility possible with this alluring medium. Enjoy!

PLANES, TRAINS, AND AUTOMOBILES

ART IN THE TIME OF COVID-19 • As the globe continues to come to grips with the pandemic, how are artists responding?

A BREATH OF FRESH AIR • This Idaho oil painter communicates the sense of a scene by respecting and replicating the value differences between elements. Color is secondary, even as it charms the viewer in much of his work.

DEMONSTRATION: Giving the Painting What It Needs

HER OWN PRIVATE NEW YORK • This Texas oil painter went to New York City for two months and found an oasis up on the roof, surrounded by the iconic water tanks of Manhattan.

TAKING IN THE VIEW • Davis details two days she spent sketching and painting on the roof of her building.

BEGINNING FAST AND LOOSE

THE INVISIBLE LANDSCAPE • When this Michigan artist is on location, she’s guided by her gut and the unforgettable lessons of her father.

ARTIST’S TOOLKIT

WHY WATERCOLOR IS PERFECT FOR PLEIN AIR • Six top artists reveal how they make the most of the medium outdoors and why you should consider adding plein air watercolors to your collection.

WATERCOLOR WISDOM • Painting outdoors with watercolor requires adaptability, speed, and, above all, devotion.

DEMONSTRATION: Getting a Glow

DIFFERENT BUT THE SAME

DEEP IN THE HEART OF WEST TEXAS • The self-titled Rattlesnake Gang make an annual sojourn to paint in Big Bend National Park. Fresh off the trail this year, they share stories of inspiration, camaraderie, and adventure.

TELLING THE STORY OF YOUR SUBJECT • The structure of every good painting centers around a few essential elements — color, value, shape — but it’s the layers of detail and unique marks that bring the scene to life.

TOP OF CLASS • Steve Diamant, founder of Arcadia Gallery, gives high marks to these paintings from the February-March competition.

Realists…Your Tribe is Waiting!

Watercolor After Dark

THE JOY OF SEEING • This champion of alla prima, representational painting sums up the quality that has driven a lifetime of plein air work in one word — honesty.

DEMONSTRATION: Creating Distinct Color Worlds • The step-by-step progression of Apple Blossoms, a small canvas painted in a few hours in Putney, Vermont, allows us the privilege of looking over Schmid’s shoulder.

CONTEMPORARY LUMINIST • Joseph McGurl uses sight-size drawing to put the viewer into a scene.

CONTRASTING EDGES

ARTIST’S TOOLKIT

THE RECIPE FOR A WINNING PAINTING

DEMONSTRATION: Using Relationships to Convey Movement • “I’ve mostly avoided painting chickens, roosters, and anything that’s a little too prosaic,” Marshall says. “But these beauties had a certain elegance in their stance and feathered finery; I couldn’t resist.”