En Plein Air

Wikipedias description of this painting technique is...

• En plein air (French pronunciation: ​[ɑ̃ plɛn ɛːʁ]), or plein air painting, is a phrase borrowed from the French equivalent meaning "open (in full) air".

In a few weeks I hope to be posting several beach themed paintings that will be accomplished through this method. Some will be painted from the photographs that I take on our upcoming trip.  There are many wonderful sites to see and things to paint in Florida.  

One subject that I may not be able to paint in plein air are the Blue Angel planes.  Beginning in March of each year the Blue Angels fly in Pensacola on Tuesday and Wednesday.  If you are there when they fly on Wednesday, you may visit the pilots and see their planes up close after they land. 

The great thing about Florida is that you don't have to look very far to find something interesting to paint.  Even our favorite restaurant on Santa Rosa Island, Flounder's is interesting enough to paint.  The entire back side of the restaurant is open air.
  
Pensacola has a unique space under a bridge where people are encouraged to paint the space.  Sometimes the space is repainted daily. You just never know what will appear on the bridge.



Now for the painting part.  A plein air painter should be aware of a few things when painting outside.  Things might come up that would not if you were painting at home.  First, you could get hungry or thirsty.  If I am painting outside, away from home I try to pack either a lunch or snack and something to drink.  There is nothing more distracting than your stomach growling or if your throat is dry and you are stuck somewhere without these comforts.

Second, have something available that you can sit your project, water and paints on.  An easel, small portable table, or lawn chair are all items to make this adventure work out.  If the area where you are painting is shady, that will help.  The perfect easel is out there, you may be lucky enough to find a portable easel that not only holds your project but your paints and water.  If not then be creative, improvise.  I have seen some interesting bits of plastic duct taped to portable easels.       

Third, your painting tools should be portable.  My water jar has a lid to prevent accidents.  The brushes I bring fit snugly into my brush bag.  The paper for my projects also fit into my bag.  
      
This seems like a lot of work to get ready to paint outside.  After a few trips you will know exactly  what you need when you paint outside.  You could even keep a bag packed and ready to go when you have time to go outside.  Its worth it.  The last plein air trip I took yielded some knowledge for me in how branches are shaped.  Give it a try, go outside and paint.

Misc. items to consider:
Sun Block
Hat
Umbrella


Additional information about plein air painting:
http://pleinairmagazine.com/

Blue Angels:
http://www.navalaviationmuseum.org/attractions/blue-angels/

Jerry's Artarama portable easel page:
http://search.jerrysartarama.com/search?w=portable%20easels

Youtube.com video by Jerry's Artarama:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8JTfYl-7RI&feature=youtu.be&a

Graffita Bridge, Pensacola, FL:
 http://www.pnj.com/story/news/local/pensacola/2015/04/06/graffiti-bridge-etiquette-lack-thereof/25378849/

Flounders
http://flounderschowderhouse.com/