En Plein Air Painting / Cliffs – Watermens Gallery – Sophi Beharrell
Had a most wonderful morning painting “En Plein Air” on the Cliffs of St Agnes.
It is a frantic race to capture the energy and atmosphere of the subject before conditions change.
Love working quickly, a much looser style for me but fun to do!
Painting outside is a very liberating way to work, the everchanging conditions make you think quickly about the colours and stick to them. Like a camera taking a photo, you are trying to give the viewer a taster of what you were thinking and seeing the very day you painted that view.
Quick brush strokes and varied colours will help to capture the feelings you had at that moment , like saying goes “Less is sometimes More”.
Are there any courses for Painting outside on location?
I get asked all the time at Watermens Gallery in Falmouth by my customers and fellow artists “Are there any courses I can take to paint outside (En PleinAir) ?”
There are plenty and often by incredible artists however, sometimes the best way to learn is to just get out there and have a go.
On the other hand you bounce ideas off each other, it is very inspiring being with like minded people and you make great friends when out in a small group but stay true to YOUR OWN style, don’t try to paint like someone else, it should be like handwriting, everyone is different and hence it should flow.
A programme called “Watercolour Challenge” was a really fantastic way to see a group of artists all painting the same view but seeing it through their own eyes the results were so different but so interesting.
So, therefore, choose a course and learn some tips and techniques but at the end of the day it will be through your eyes that determine what you want the viewer to feel and imagine as you did when painting it.
I decided to select acrylics to complete this painting because they dry quick enough which allows me to work fast they also give off a bold pop of colour that truly reflects the conditions at the time, bright zingy Summer colours.