CHAPTER 1

PAINTING OUTDOORS

Painting outdoors can be exciting and very rewarding – there is nothing to beat the feeling of bringing home a successful painting at the end of the day. Naturally there are many challenges in doing this without all the conveniences and comforts at hand in a studio, whether equipping yourself with the right kit, finding a subject, managing to paint without a handy work surface or table, or coping with the weather conditions – but this book covers all these challenges, and should provide you with at least a basis for your own ventures into the great outdoors.

Let’s begin with what you might call the psychological challenge, the one which so many would-be painters find off-putting. This is the worry about being out there in public, on display, the target of curious or critical passers-by. Even some well-seasoned outdoor painters will often try to find hidden corners, tucked away from the prying gaze, and probably most of us, given the choice, would prefer to get on with our work without being bothered. One of my Wapping Group friends, for example, is notorious for hiding himself away in obscure corners because he hates to be watched while at work, so his subjects are often not the obvious ones. Others like to settle down in the most sheltered and comfortable spot they can find before then painting whatever happens to be visible from that point. But if you are out in the open, people generally are surprisingly courteous and non-confrontational, nor are they critical. They usually pause for quick look as they pass by. More often than not they will have a kind word for you, but no more than that; you rarely have to have long conversations if you don’t want to. Having a sort of business card handy to give out, especially if it shows one or two of your pictures and maybe provides a website to look at, gets over your basic information and very much shortens these conversations. For myself, I enjoy chatting to people, and you get used to the repetition, since the questions and comments are mostly the same.