Guides, gear recommendations, and outdoor painting resources to help you feel more confident getting outside and painting.
From getting started and solving common problems to building confidence with technique, planning, and process, these guides are designed to help you make the most of painting outdoors.
Practical steps for how to clean an oil painting at home: careful dusting, very light soapy spot cleaning for stable work, tests to try, and when to call a conservator.
12 May 2026
Practical strategies to loosen up outdoor oil painting: choose fewer durable brushes, make decisive loaded marks, manage paint in cold or heat, use scumbling and soft edges, and learn when to stop.
11 May 2026
Practical tactics for golden hour plein air painting in the UK. Plan, premix, block large to small, and use small panels, a headtorch, and warm layers to capture fast shifting light.
4 May 2026
Choosing gear for plein air painting isn’t just about quality. It’s about weight, portability, ease of use, and whether it suits the way you actually want to paint. Our reviews and comparisons are here to help you choose well.
A practical UK guide to choosing the best brushes for oil painting outdoors. Learn which shapes and bristles to carry, starter kit picks and simple field care to keep brushes working.
27 Apr 2026
Practical comparison of pochade box and French easel for UK plein air painters. Covers weight, setup, stability, palette space and which suits your medium.
22 Apr 2026
A practical UK guide to oil paints for plein air. Covers student versus artist grade, best brands, a six colour starter palette, alkyds and water-mixables, plus cold weather and transport tips.
22 Apr 2026
Explore opportunities, events, selling advice, community connections, and practical resources for painters who want plein air to become a more meaningful part of their creative life.
A practical guide to UK plein air painting workshops. Learn formats, costs, where to find events, how to choose a tutor, and how to get more from a day or residential retreat.
13 May 2026
Step by step advice on how to enter a plein air painting competition in the UK. Find events, prepare kit, manage weather and judging, and make the most of the day.
11 May 2026
Practical plein air portfolio tips to edit ruthlessly, form a clear series, photograph work accurately, and present a focused selection to galleries and online audiences.
6 May 2026
Alongside practical guides and gear advice, we also explore the artists, places, habits, and creative thinking that make plein air painting such a rewarding way to work.
Monet's plein air painting teaches outdoor artists to return to one subject, work in series, rotate multiple canvases, and embrace changing light and weather.
7 May 2026
A clear comparison of Constable vs Turner, showing Constable's careful observation and Turner's luminous feeling, their rivalry, influence, and where to see their works.
3 May 2026
The Impressionists made plein air painting central to modern art by taking paint into the landscape, using new materials and fast techniques to record specific moments of light.
23 Apr 2026
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PleinAirPainting
