Sometimes creative people speak a language that is completely incomprehensible to mere mortals. Well, for example, what actions can you expect from an artist when he says: “Today I’m going plein air”? This means that he will dress more simply, throw a backpack with a small supply of provisions over his shoulders, take a sketchbook with him and go into nature to perform sacred acts, that is, to write sketches. Well, it turns out that! Well, these artists love to let in the fog...

The meaning of the word "plein air"

Let's see where this came from interesting word, and what exactly “plein air” is. Like many other words in the modern Russian language, it was borrowed from a foreign language. It turns out that this expression comes from the French en plein air, which means “on outdoors"If you go further in your cognitive research and look into Dictionary, then you can read there that plein air is:

1. Reflection air environment and natural lighting in painting.

2. The natural outdoor environment in which the painter works.

Let us add on our own that in our time not only a master of painting, but also a person engaged in creative photography can be considered an artist. In this case, everything that is said about plein air in relation to drawing has the same relevance to photo shoots in nature.

What do you need for plein air painting?

Since this article is addressed primarily to those people who are interested in the basics of painting and want to know better what plein air is (professionals have known this for a long time), we will try to talk about the materials and paints that are best suited for plein air painting.

1. Of course, you definitely need to buy a sketchbook, small and light. It will contain a palette, paints, brushes, a palette knife and a solvent. Also, cut sheets of primed cardboard will fit perfectly here, on which it is best to write sketches in the open air. An unfolded sketchbook with extended legs is used by artists as an easel.

2. When choosing paints, it is best to give preference to oil paints. They are the easiest to work with. Watercolor and other painting materials will require special skills, so we do not recommend using it for beginners. After all, you are going plein air! What is this if not pleasure? Why complicate your task?

3. The best brushes are those made from natural bristles. Will be required as flat tools different sizes, and round. Don't forget to take plenty of rags to dry your hands and arms.

4. Established artists always take a special large folding umbrella with them to the plein air. Take them as an example! In clear weather it will protect you from sunburn, and in cloudy weather it will protect you from rain.

The best examples of plein air painting

Now that you know that plein air is painting in the open air, and are fully equipped for the activity similar type creativity, you can hit the road. But before you start sketching in nature, we advise you to study the creative experience of the best impressionists.

It was they who were the best to unravel all the secrets of plein air painting. Artists such as Pissaro, Frédéric Bazille, Auguste Renoir, and among the Russians, perfectly comprehended the laws of the changing light play of colors and were able to convey this on their canvases. Look at reproductions of their paintings; a novice artist can learn a lot of useful things from them.

Curious facts

It turns out that before outdoor painting became fashionable, artists prepared their own paints in their workshops. Thanks to the widespread passion for plein air, they began to be produced in tubes. After all, in this form they were very easy to carry with you.

Another interesting fact: plein air is not only painting in nature, but also music. Yes, yes, when concerts are held outdoors.

Photo session in the open air

Nowadays, almost everyone has a camera. In any case, at least ordinary soap dishes. But not everyone has an expensive SLR camera. But if you have a great DSLR, then you might be up for a real, professional plein air photo shoot. What it is? The same as plein air painting, but instead of paints, brushes and canvas, a camera is used.

Just think how beautiful nature is! And how sometimes you want, while walking through the forest or along the edge of the surf, to take a piece of this beauty with you. Not everyone can become a painter, but almost anyone can learn how to use a camera. But don’t think that a photo shoot in the open air is a simple matter. A photographer must know and be able to do a lot in order to get great photographs. You may even have to sign up for some photography courses first. But the main thing, of course, is practice. We wish you creative success at work in the open air!

The warm season is a real paradise for an artist, because you can get out of a cramped studio and paint in the open air.

What is plein air?

For beginners who are not yet familiar with the term "plein air", it is necessary to clarify that this word came to us from French and means drawing outdoors, outside the walls of the room. Initially, plein air served exclusively for creation. Later it developed into an independent movement. This is how impressionism and other famous techniques were born.

Needless to say, painting in the open air is accompanied by many pleasant moments. Fresh air, birdsong, rustling leaves, sound of wind– all this creates a special creative atmosphere. Plein air gives the artist a feeling of harmony and unity with environment. This way the artist can feel part of what he is painting, take a closer look at the colors and textures, and feel the dynamics of the landscape, which is impossible to achieve indoors.

For both beginners and professional artists, plein air painting is simply an invaluable experience.

Besides fresh air And free space, painting in the open air has another undeniable advantage - natural light . The same object, for example an ordinary apple, looks completely different indoors and outdoors. Dull and pale in the room, it is filled with new colors and dancing highlights in the open air. Accordingly, a drawing made from such nature will be more lively and vibrant.

It is especially useful for better color perception to capture the same object or landscape in different time days, in sunny or cloudy weather.

Landscape, portrait, still life in nature...

Most often, landscapes are painted in the open air. (in fact, this is where plein air painting began, and this is how impressionism was born). Where, if not on the street, can you catch all the beauty of nature, all the riot of colors and fullness of life.

The practice of painting outdoors is also widespread. Natural daylight makes the sitter’s face more alive and expressive, and the landscape in the background gives a feeling of freedom, space and volume to the composition. It is worth choosing such locations for a portrait that will highlight the individuality of the sitter: his nature or occupation.

Many artists love to paint outdoors. Worth paying Special attention on items that form the basis. In nature, it is worth drawing exactly those objects that relate to it. direct relation (flowers, fruits, vegetables and so on). The table and drapery convey only contours, highlights and shadows, but in such a still life there is no soul, only dry technique.

In nature, still life takes on volume, taste, smell and color. In addition, when going plein air, it is not at all necessary to drag the entire still life with you. Nature itself provides the artist with a lot of objects for creativity.

Sometimes nature presents an artist with an invaluable gift in the form of a ready-made still life: a rotten stump, a fallen apple... You need to learn to notice the beauty in the little things.

What does an artist need in the plein air?

The main attribute of painting outside the studio is the sketchbook. It combines all the charm and practicality of a small suitcase where you can put everything you need for creativity.

It would be a good idea to take a small folding chair with you. But you shouldn’t get too carried away with drawing while sitting. In this position, the image is somewhat distorted, the ability to fully capture the surrounding nature is lost, and the viewing angles of the drawing itself are narrowed.

In the open air you can work in the most different techniques – oil, watercolor, pastel. It all depends on the preference and skill of the artist. But regardless of the chosen material, you need to take only the essentials with you to the plein air.

There is no need to drag all the brushes with you (three brushes of different sizes will be enough), tubes, bottles, and so on.

Limiting yourself to color scheme, you will learn to mix and combine colors, getting more and more new shades.

Regarding canvas or drawing paper, there are certain rules here too. It is better to stretch the canvas on a stretcher in advance and carefully prime it. If paper is preferred, you need to take care of a hard tablet on which the paper can be secured for convenience using regular or double-sided tape. Depending on your skill level, choose cheaper paper (for beginners) or more expensive paper (for experienced artists).

Often, artists prefer to engage exclusively in the creation of sketches in the open air, and later turn them into full-fledged works of art in the studio. In this case, you just need to take your camera with you so as not to miss a single detail when creating your future masterpiece.

But still, the whole beauty of the plein air lies precisely in the fact that the work reflects, as it were, a momentary impression and mood. After all, an artist can see the same object, the same landscape in completely different ways depending on his mood.

A certain feeling of incompleteness, understatement and slight negligence is exactly what gives a special mood and charm to works done in the open air.

Despite all the delights of plein air, there are still some nuances. The weather can make its own adjustments to an artist’s work. Lighting can also sometimes be inconsistent - a cloud covering the sun can confuse all the cards for the artist and complicate color rendering. Well, the wind, of course, does not add comfort. Much also depends on the place chosen for the plein air.

But, strictly speaking, plein airism does not require painstaking long drawing of the smallest elements. It must be understood that the essence of it is to have time to capture the fleeting state of nature while the sun is shining, while the wind is blowing, while the shadow is falling in the right direction. A spontaneous change in wind direction or a sudden change in weather can give a picture a new meaning, add new emotions and colors.

Anyone who has studied at an art school, attended a drawing or photography course, has probably heard the word “plein air” more than once. What it is, and how it differs from ordinary fine art, the teachers had to explain in detail. This article is intended for those who are not familiar with this concept.

What is "plein air"

Not all artists create their paintings while sitting in a studio. And not everyone has the opportunity to draw from a photograph, especially since the camera cannot convey the volume and sense of space, no matter how hard it tries. To solve this problem, there is plein air - painting in nature. Moreover, the object of creativity can be anything: plants and landscapes, city panoramas and individual buildings, portraits, sky and much more that can come to mind.

Plein airs for artists are another opportunity to test their strength, feel and transfer it all to canvas. The main thing is to learn to draw quickly, before the light changes. Often, sketches and sketches are created in the plein air, rather than full-fledged paintings. Photographers also work in nature. For many of them, plein air is the main direction in creativity.

How difficult is it

Painting en plein air is much more difficult than painting in the studio. The weather can change at any moment - the wind blows away all the art supplies, insects get in the way, and the sun quite quickly changes its position in the sky, radically changing the lighting. It would seem, why bother so much, because you can photograph the scene and draw all the houses. But it's not that simple. Any artist will answer that paintings drawn from a flat photograph will themselves look flat. And the artist’s task is to create a sense of space. No matter what they say about plein air (that it is, for example, a waste of time, effort and nerves), not a single master worth his salt will refuse the opportunity to create in nature.

Story

People have been painting in nature for a long time, but plein air as a painting style appeared only in early XIX century, thanks to the work of the Englishmen Richard Parkes Bonington and John Constable. implying quick drawing in nature, it appealed to many. It was picked up by such famous artists as Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Baptiste and Jean-François Millet. Later one of the most famous artists Claude Monet became the man who painted nature from life.

In Russia, plein air was especially popular with late XIX until the beginning of the 20th century. K. Korovin, I. Grabar and V. Serov regularly created outdoor works. The famous master of landscape Isaac Levitan also created many stunning sketches in this genre.

Currently, drawing in nature is often included in the compulsory program of higher and secondary art schools. educational institutions. And professional painters organize international plein air. This is a group outing intended for the exchange of experience and knowledge between artists from different countries.

How to prepare

You have discovered the concept of “plein air” - what it is, where it came from and why it is needed. Now all that remains is to find out how to plunge into the world of plein air painting yourself.

You will need a sketchbook. This is a special folding suitcase in which you can carry brushes, paints and other accessories. It is installed on a tripod and replaces the artist’s easel. Don't forget pencils and paints, paper, an eraser, water in which you will rinse your brushes, and a container for it.

Surely, you will need warm clothes, because the weather can change at any moment, a hat and insect repellent. You need to take preparation seriously, otherwise the desire to create will disappear within half an hour after starting work.

So, what have you learned about plein air? What is in nature, the original one which appeared in England at the beginning of the 19th century. It remains popular to this day. Now you yourself are ready to start painting in nature along with the greatest artists of the 19th and 20th centuries.