Plein Air in Oils

Explore the picturesque parks & architecture surrounding the Victorian Artists Society to develop your skills for painting en plein air.

The term begins with shorter oil sketches and an emphasis on capturing light effects in the simplest of terms, proceeding to longer format paintings as we advance. These more rapid colour studies have been utilised by landscape painters throughout history as a means of training the eye, to further their understanding of light, landscape and atmosphere and as the basis for larger paintings often executed in the studio.

Now, armed with a solid basis of fundamental skills, spending more time on a painting and creating focus through detail is not so overwhelming and is not a new hurdle but an extension of the challenges faced in our earlier studies. The transient nature of outdoor light being our main encumbrance, we will address tactics and best practices concerning longer session and multi-day plein air paintings.

This course is appropriate for all levels from painters beginning their foray into painting outdoors to more experienced plein air painters seeking a platform to advance their skills and understanding.