Plein air painting has long been a cherished practice among artists. It's the act of painting outdoors, capturing the spirit of the landscape directly.
But what happens when we merge this traditional art approach with modern technology? We get digital plein air painting. It's a relatively new frontier, blending the old with the new.
This guide explores the world of plein air painting in a digital environment. We'll delve into its benefits, techniques, and how you can get started. Whether you're a seasoned artist or a curious beginner, there's something here for you.
The Evolution from Canvas to Tablet
Traditional plein air painting has roots in the 19th century. Artists would venture into nature, armed with easels, brushes, and paints.
Fast forward to the 21st century, and the scene has changed. Digital devices now serve as or augment the canvas and paint.
An early disclaimer: Digital tools will never replace traditional tools, nor should they. Artists now also use tablets and styluses to capture the beauty of the outdoors. And yes, there are ways to combine traditional brush and canvas with a digital environment. But that is a topic best saved for a future discussion.
This shift to digital plein air painting has opened up new possibilities. It's a fresh take on an age-old practice, offering unique advantages.
Advantages of Going Digital in Plein Air
Digital painting offers several benefits over traditional methods, many of which are applicable in the studio, as well as in the field:
Undo: With a simple tap, artists can erase errors and try again.
Tools and Palettes: A vast array of brushes and colors available. Digital artists have an entire art store at their fingertips. They can switch between brushes (or create their own brushes), adjust color tones, and experiment with different textures within the same work.
Easy editing: Artists can tweak their work at any time, adjusting light, color, and composition as needed. The artist can ‘version’ each iterative save of their work, and fallback to any given version, should they become horribly lost (as I do) in their creative effort.
Layers: Most digital art software offers the ability to separate the conceptual layers of a painting (sketch, value studies, background, foreground, focus areas/detail, etc.) into physical layers . There are a number of advantages to this approach - that quick sketch or those value studies that you did, and love, never get lost as the painting progresses. You can always revisit it.
Environmental friendliness: Digital art eliminates the need for physical materials, reducing waste and the impact on nature, not to mention the impact of our exposure to heavy metals in common oil paints and volatile organic compounds in solvents often used in traditional oil painting. Counterpoint: Digital devices must be disposed of at some point, and present their own environmental challenge.
Digital art is more expensive up front, but less expensive in the long run.
Digital plein air offers these advantages:
A minimal number of tools are required in your back-pack as you venture out into the field.
Your tablet, your stylus, your battery pack, a light-weight chair or stool, and a camera of your choice, to capture reference images.
You might also want to consider a tripod or other mounting device for your tablet, unless you are happy holding the device in your lap.
Disadvantages Of Going Digital in Plein Air
You must/should invest in high quality hardware and software to pursue the digital route (plein air or studio). This does not always equate to expensive hardware and software. There are excellent, cost-conscious, solutions available. And if you decide to stick with digital, you can always upgrade later. These might be one-time expenses, balanced against the ongoing expenses associated with replenishing physical oil paints, brushes, solvents, mediums, and canvas stock.
Working with electronic devices in the field runs the risk of damage to these devices from dust, rain/snow, or any accident that could introduce moisture to the device. Worst case, this could result in the loss of all of your work.
Essential Gear for the Digital Outdoor Artist
To start with digital plein air painting, you need some essential gear. The most important is a portable digital tablet. This could be a dedicated tablet with a stylus or a laptop with a drawing pad. Hardware is available for Windows, iOS, or Android. The choice of operating system is largely a personal preference.
Think about the size of the drawing area available to you when selecting a device. Find a happy medium between the size of the drawing area and the overall size and weight of the device that you will carry into the field. Find your ‘Goldilocks’ device.
Pricing for a good quality digital tablet is all over the board. The industry standard device for digital artists is made by Wacom. They provide entry-level to professional devices across a broad price range. Other companies, such as Huion offer very solid devices at competitive prices. Shop around. Read user reviews.
Next, you'll need digital painting software. There are many options available, from free apps to professional-grade programs. Again, do your research! You should know up front what style of painting you want to pursue before selecting any software to support your efforts.
Does your style lend itself more to raster-based or vector-based work? If you don't understand the difference, then let that be a homework assignment. It is an important concept.
Are you a ‘fine art’ painter? Do you prefer a more traditional landscape or portrait painting style?
Are you a ‘graphic artist’? Do you enjoy creating your own design elements as vectors? Â
Are you somewhere in between?
Valid choices for digital art software (non-exhaustive):
Corel Painter (Mac and Windows): Professional level software that is learnable by anyone willing to devote the necessary time. A definite learning curve is involved. Higher cost ($400+). Massively feature-rich. Plan on devoting time to reap the benefits. A great choice for fine artists. This is the software that I use 90% of the time.
Rebelle by Escape Motions (Mac and Windows): A relative newcomer that is garnering a lot of attention from the digital art community. In some respects, I prefer Rebelle to Corel Painter. Rebelle’s brushes are often more realistic than Painter. At $90 for the basic product, and $150 for the Pro edition (as of this writing), Rebelle should definitely be on your radar. Trial versions are available.
Procreate: Specifically targets the iPad. No Windows version available. Feature-rich and inexpensive (currently $12.99 in the App Store). A beginner friendly, yet powerful choice.
Adobe Illustrator: An industry standard vector based art/illustration tool.
Choose software that suits your needs, budget, and skill level.
Boys At The Beach
Before you Venture Out:
Scout your location. Check the weather.
How will you access the location? Can you drive in? Will you have to hike in? This can determine what you need to pack. Include plenty of water.
Pack only the essentials to keep your load manageable.
Think about your safety. Is there cell phone coverage in case of an emergency? Let a trusted friend or relative know your destination and communicate with them regarding your arrival and departure.
Check the weather forecast and plan accordingly.
Techniques for Capturing Nature's Beauty Digitally
Digital plein air painting requires an approach similar to traditional methods. The first step is to observe your surroundings. Look for interesting shapes, colors, and light patterns.
Creating a landscape, portrait, etc., in a digital workspace follows the same steps as the same project on traditional media.
Think:
Composition
Numerous sketches.
Value. Most important in my book. Remember the old saying: "Value does all the work, and color gets all the credit". Get the values right first. Worry about color later.
Having said that, capture colors that you see in the field in swatches on your device. Label them so that they make sense when you get back to the studio. These swatches are extremely important and you cannot replicate them back in the studio from memory or photos.
Take photos to be used as reference material back in the studio but do not trust the colors and values that these photos present. A photograph can and will lie to you about what you saw in the field. The human eye far surpasses any camera in many respects, so make sure to capture the important things: sketches (several), value studies (several), and color samples for each unique and important area of the work before returning to the studio.
Finish the work in the studio, armed with what you captured, and what you learned in the field.
Sun In My Eyes
Overcoming Digital Plein Air Painting Challenges
Digital plein air painting comes with its own set of challenges. These can range from technical issues to environmental factors.
Here are some common challenges and how to overcome them:
Battery Life: Carry a portable charger or power bank to ensure your device doesn't run out of power.
Screen Glare: Use an anti-glare screen protector to reduce reflections and improve visibility.
Weather Conditions:
Protect yourself. Think sunscreen and raincoats.
Protect your device from extreme temperatures, rain, and dust with a suitable cover or case.
Remember, preparation is key to a successful digital plein air painting session.
Conclusion: The Community and Future Trends
The digital plein air painting community is growing. Artists share their work on social media, inspiring others to try this art form. Online galleries also provide a platform for showcasing digital plein air artwork.
Future trends in digital plein air painting are exciting. Emerging technologies like virtual reality could further enhance the experience. This could allow artists to paint in virtual outdoor environments.
The digital plein air painting community is not just about art. It's about sharing experiences, learning from each other, and pushing the boundaries of what's possible in art, which melds nicely with what our traditional art brothers and sisters are doing, don't you think?
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