PAINTING DIARY: en plein air

Showing posts with label en plein air. Show all posts

Tuning with nature

Tuning with nature is a landscape I painted two days ago en plein air at Ystradfawr Nature Reserve, looking towards Clydach.

Using softer and more natural tones, I aimed to capture a moment in time - conveying the energy of the wind and the vibrancy of moving grass and foliage.

I loved painting it and being there, in direct connection with the elements — especially as it rained, too.

89.
Tuning with nature
oil on panel
10 x 8 in / 25.4 x 20.3 cm
14th July 2025

Nature is so powerful — it lifts our spirits every time we truly pay attention.

More details of brushstrokes can be seen in this Instagram post

The picture below was taken at the end of the painting session.

The painting is available and can be fund in the shop of my website.

Summer garden

Summer garden is an oil painting completed in two sessions. It features a part of my garden I particularly like.

86.
Summer garden
10 x 8 in / 25.4 x 20.3 cm
oil on board
3rd July 2025

The inspiration came from the summer colours of terracotta pots and the lush green of large nasturtium leaves. Combined with the contrast between the stone in foreground (the steps and the door dog) and the wood in background (the fence), it created the perfect subject for my painting.

Here you can see the first three stages of the painting process:

stage 1

stage 2

stage 3

This time, I also used a palette knife for some areas of the painting, which I enjoyed.

Here are some details:

Brushstrokes

palette knife used in the sky and roofs

I’m quite happy with this painting. I like the summery feeling it captures and the energy of a summer afternoon.

You can purchase it on my website. If you’d like to leave a comment or ask a question, I’ll be more than happy to respond.

Ystradfawr nature reserve

Ystradgynlais Nature Reserve is an oil plein air painting, mostly done on the spot yesterday and completed in the studio today.

My main aim is to respond spontaneously to the subject in front of me, while also trying to simplify everything—avoiding minor details and getting to the core of it.

I like it when I can leave the task of assembling the picture to the observer, so that they can see what they want to see when viewing it from a distance. Nothing is detailed; everything is suggested.

83.
Ystradfawr nature reserve
8 x 10 in / 20.32 x 25.40 cm
oil on board
11th June 2025

During the plein air painting session

If you're interested in purchasing this painting, please visit the shop on my website.

Various studies

From 19th May to 10th June, I have been experimenting, studying, and wiping off.

My focus has been on tonal values and simplification through oil studies and pencil sketching. A couple of plein air paintings were done and wiped off because I wasn't confident enough to really see something new in them—and now I wish I hadn't done it. This is part of the learning process.

So, here is a mix of what I've been up to:

On 19th May, I painted this and then, in the studio, I decided to wipe it off.

Between 20th and 21st May, I focused on these four tonal value studies in oil on board:

four tonal value studies in oil on board

study 1

study 2

study 3

(Study 4 is in the first picture above)

Plus this little coloured study of trees and bushes:

From 26th to 30th May, I worked both in the studio and in the garden with sketches and an oil study.

A tonal value study adopting the sight-size technique for the first time
(not a great result, but I was curious to try it)

Tonal value preparatory sketch

During the plein air painting stage

Final version of the oil study

On 2nd June, I did two oil studies of a still life in the garden. The first was from direct observation, and the second was from observing the first study itself. Why? To try to loosen up my brushstrokes and be more spontaneous.

Work in progress with study 1

Study 1

Study 2

On 3rd June, I directed my attention to the Brecon Beacons National Park by looking through my window.

Here are two studies of the same panorama at two different moments of the day.

On 6th June, I did two more oil studies of flowers.

Tulips

Peonies and coffee cup

Finally, on 10th June, I went out for a plein air session and ended up with two paintings of the same subject because I wasn’t convinced by the first one.

This is the first painting, which no longer exists.

The second painting was finished the day after, and you can see it in my next post.

Crai reservoir

Today I decided to make the most of this glorious weather and so I went to paint the view of the Crai reservoir from a lay-by in the Brecon Beacons National Park.