Painting Out in the Wide World

"Watcher"
"Touch of Violet"
watercolor

These little landscapes represent my first ever plein aire painting experience (this class has generated a lot of firsts.)  After packing up my folding chair, palette, paint box, brushes, drawing board with paper attached, water jar and a gallon of spare water, I joined my class at a local wildlife preserve to practice three-tiered landscapes.  I discovered several things:

• It's all about the layers, baby!
• Clouds move quickly...
• A perfectly sunny day with only a slight breeze is a blessing indeed...
• Sunny days can be deceptively chilly...
• It is impossible to paint with mittens on...
• It is impossible for me to paint exactly what I see fast enough so the word for the day was "interpret."
• Another word for the day: "relax."
• Insect guts make an indelible smudge mark when snuffed out in the middle of their trek across your painting...
• Wildlife preserves have a lot of wayward insects...
• Scout your location ahead of time to reduce what you need to carry into the field.  (I was seated on the observation deck right next to the bathrooms and consequently, a source of water - no need for the jug o' water.)
• Try to burn images into your head so you can continue to "interpret" when you get home...
• The world is filled with A LOT of shades of green...