Sitting or Standing?

Aston Knight painting in a stream, circa 1900. Charles Scribner's Sons Art Reference Department records, 1839-1962. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Among plein air painters, the question to sit or stand often comes up.

The argument for standing is that it's easier for the painter to step back once in a while to get some distance on the painting. Problems with design can be seen more easily a few paces back, as well as issues with drawing, value and color. Sitting comfortably on a stool or in a chair, inches away from the work surface, the painter tends to focus on smaller things. The painting can rapidly descend into the realm of hyperrealism with too much detail. Sure, you can get up—but it can be difficult to extricate yourself without knocking over the easel.