Primer for Plein Air: Part 4 / Setting a Goal
Don't go out without one!
You've got your easel and paint box sorted, your painting supplies all figured out—and you're ready to race out and paint something wonderful.
But wait! What's your plan?
I've found that not having a plan is the best way to invite failure. Sure, sometimes it's nice to just wander the landscape and let serendipity be your guide, but if you want to reach a specific place quickly, it's best to have mapped a route. Likewise, having a clear goal when you go out to paint will make you a better painter, faster.
In my career, I've identified four possible goals. I might:
Explore an area. This is what I do if I'm a stranger in a strange land. For example, my first time in Scotland I didn't know what to paint. So, rather than trying to make finished paintings, I just sketched things that were new to me, such as burns and little cottages. This is a relaxing way to paint (let's call it sketching, to take off some of the pressure) and it increases your knowledge of the terrain.
Gather reference material. It's like exploring, but with more focus. Again, taking my Scotland trip, I became enamored of the beautiful, ancient stone bridges there and wanted put one in a painting when I got home. I gathered references: color studies in gouache, pencil sketches and photos. Once home, where I had all the tools and materials at my disposal, I was able to create that larger work.
Work on a skill or problem. This is most often a workshop goal, but you can do it on your own as a type of self-teaching. For example, if you don't understand value relationships as they relate to aerial perspective, consider making some monochrome studies of both near and far shapes in the landscape. You really can teach yourself a lot by observing carefully with not just your eye but also your pencil or brush.
Create a finished painting. This goal can be wearisome task unless you are prepared for it. You have all your skills finely-tuned and know how to create a good design, manage color harmony and treat edges properly. I usually save this for plein air competitions or when I'm practicing for one. (Yes, you should practice for plein air events!) Many artists, however, enjoy the challenge of completing a painting on-location. But it does take experience, time and energy, and, in my mind, plenty of coffee and plenty of sleep the night before.
Now, these are separate goals, and you should pick just one. You might even come up with some other goals that you might find personally useful in your practice. Either way, you'll grow faster as a painter—and with greater satisfaction—if you do pick a goal before hitting the road.
But where will you go? Ah! We’ll talk about that next.
Next time: Location and Picking a Subject
By the way, don't forget that I offer several Plein Air Essential courses that will give you more guidance on getting started! They are online, self-study and self-paced. You can check them out on this page.