Watercolor painting outside or 'EN PLEIN AIR.' How to start.

Name: Watercolor painting outside or 'EN PLEIN AIR.' How to start.
Rating: 4.2 (36 reviews)

You will learn how to select a composition from a large view, how to plan, sketch and paint outside. I've made it easy.

Created byNicola A Blakemore

Last updated 8/2023

English

What you'll learn

Learn to extract a painting composition from a view.
Learn a reliable formula to plan any painting.
Learn how to plan an order of work.
Learn about essential preparation of details.
How to take measurements and scale down.
Learn how to select your colours.

Course content

5 sections • 27 lectures • 1h 49m total length

Finding your way around the Udemy platform4:06
A few words of encouragement from Nicola.0:30
My palette2:41
Keep it simple
You can get travel paint boxes, or take the one you use generally. I decided to use this palette as it is very lightweight and works very well.
RESOURCE.
Traditional colours I use
ESSENTIAL skill - how to measure and scale down a subject.7:16
How to measure and scale down any subject.
Master this skill and it will make your sketching easier and more satisfying.
Let's look at the set up for painting 'en plein air'1:48
Some of my students.
Here you can see how these ladies have set themselves up.
What is a view finder, make one and use one.1:12
View finder.
This is a simple tool you can buy or make for your self.
It helps you pick out your composition and you can mark it up into squares and even trace the object onto it.
RESOURCE
Two pictures to help you.

Let's look at the view.4:11
This painting is of a boat on the canal. Here we take a general look at the scene.
RESOURCE.
Photo of the scene.
Let's take a closer look at the boat.2:16
Boats can be quite tricky to get the curves and shapes believable.
How to construct a difficult subject.2:17
Here you will discover a useful tip for constructing not just this one but other difficult shapes.
Let's look at some colours we might use.4:14
Here I select some colours while I am there and even hold up the paper against the colour I wish to match.
The canal scene - 15:40
Applying the first layer of paint.
Here you will see me putting the first very light an d wet wash onto the paper.
Please note that I leave plenty of dry areas.
The canal scene - 2 speeded up0:51
Another layer of paint.
I have speeded this up. It will give you the idea of how to do this stage.
The canal scene - 3 speeded up0:49
Another layer of paint.
I have speeded this up. It will give you the idea of how to do this stage.
Fixing problem areas.6:59
It can be fixed.
Don't panic! Here I show how I fix a couple of things that didn't quite go according to plan. There is always a way to make things better.
Finishing off.4:14

A glimpse of me getting started.2:54
Narration added.
This is just here for your entertainment. being a one woman artist, sound and video technician is a bit tricky sometimes to get it all together. There was a bit of wind noise and light fluctuation. so I added the narration afterwards. It gives you a feel or the process.
My Sketch and the first layer of colours2:27
How I have created my composition.
For this painting I have chosen Canson, Moulin du Roy, 100% 300 gm 140 lb Grain Satin. This will enhance the lightness I want in the finished painting.
Always start with the end in mind. By that I mean imagine the painting mounted and framed and on the wall. What do you want it to look like.
With this one I want to have a very pale and watery appearance and I want the pencil to show through
RESOURCE
The photo
The sketch
Second layers of colour.11:45
Adding more colour and thinking about colour values.
Here I explain more about how I am working and the effect I want to get.
Back to the studio to do more.10:13
Finishing off.1:28

Break it up into layers of light and shade.3:41
How to simplify a composition.
Take a look at this video and see how to break things down to make it m ore simple to vies and see how to paint your subject.
RESOURCE
Photo of the subject.
'En Plein air' in a Paris park.6:27
This little video will give you an idea of how to go about painting outdoors. Don't feel inhibited, just relax and have fun.
All I aimed to do was to paint a representation of the trees in front of me. And that's all you need to think about. you are not taking a photograph you are painting a watercolour sketch, that takes the essence of what you are looking at and that pleases you.
'En Plein air' on a beach.1:21
Another short video made on the beach in Juan les Pins.
This is really just to show you another setting and again to help you pick out a part to paint.
NEW BONUS LECTURE - LEARN MORE -put your marker on my worlwide map of students1:01
Nicola talks to Artist Libby Page.16:17
This is the second of three interviews with artist Libby Page, where we talk about her work process and also about painting 'en plein air.'

Requirements

Students will require a sketchbook and drawing board or easel
A 2 B pencil and eraser
A chair to sit on
Watercolour paint and paper 300 gm 140 lb.
A waterbrush or watercolour brushes water and a container

Description

NEW BONUS LECTURE added August 2023

This is a must-do course for anyone who really wants to improve their painting techniques wherever you are painting.

WHY?

Because you will learn how to extract a composition from a view.
You will better understand a planning process that really works.
You will no longer feel intimidated when planning a composition.
You will improve your ability to focus and concentrate.
See how to select your materials and equipment to keep it simple.
Your confidence will soar when you have gone through this course.

Follow through all the video lectures and see how:

I gather information and solve problems on location.
Look at another subject as I paint it through to the finish. Then you can do the same.
Learn how to look at a subject in a simplified way.

This course is filmed on location and in the studio giving you an easy-to-follow method to put into practice. Remember you don't have to finish the painting in one go. Work as it suits you. Gather all the information and then you can paint in your studio if you prefer.

These studies will really help you understand a manageable way for working outdoors or 'en plein air' as we artists like to say.

Why choose one of my courses?

Because, as a self-taught artist I understand how a lot of people feel about their creative work, sometimes anxious, sometimes overwhelmed, and often that it's not 'good enough'. I will hold your hand as you overcome these fears as I offer a friendly, relaxed, and sensitive teaching style.

I also have years of experience teaching people of all levels both in person and via the Internet.

Do one of my courses and you will feel as if I am in the room with you every step of the way.

Enjoy your painting, love Nicola

Who this course is for:

This is for anyone who wants to learn how to get started painting ouitside
For anyone who wants to understand how to create a composition from a large view
Anyone who wants to better understand composition in painting.
It is for those who want an all round painting knowledge.

Watercolor painting outside or 'EN PLEIN AIR.' How to start.

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Introduction6 lectures • 18min

EXAMPLE ONE - Le Canal du Midi9 lectures • 32min

EXAMPLE TWO - a look at how one of my students tackles the sub2 lectures • 3min

My version of EXAMPLE TWO, sketch and painting process.5 lectures • 29min

Another way of looking at a subject5 lectures • 29min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: