Plein Air Vineyard

"Richard's Vines"
Original Plein Air Watercolor by Michele Cooper
Size: 8x10

What a fun day I had!
There's a new winery and vineyard preparing to open in October. It's not too far from where I live and today I decided to go out and see what the sunshine, warm temperatures and summer light had to offer.

Here I am on location with the subject (tiny in the distance from this viewpoint).


I finished the painting about 99% in the field and then brought it back to the studio for a few little tweaks.


This is my "Plein Air Car Kit" ready for action. When the weather is this nice, the passenger seat turns into a nice shady mobile studio. No easel necessary. I stand outside in the shade and paint away.

When the weather's not so accommodating, it all works just as well while sitting inside the car.

Want to put together a kit of your own? Click the link for a description of the zip up kit and its contents. (I used the Yarka 12 pan set from the Starter Kit today.)
My Watercolor Starter Kits for Beginners have everything but the sponge, cup and water bottle. See here for more information.

Plein Air Sidewalk

 This is the view out the south window of my studio. We have been having some fantastic sunny weather here in the Pacific NW.  I'm sitting at my desk, working on ......desk stuff....and the urge to go out and paint is irresistible.



 I've spent some time making a contour drawing with a 2b pencil on 140# D'Arches watercolor paper.

Whew! these black pants are burning me up! No time!

Now for the rest of my setup! I have so many outdoor painting kits, you wouldn't believe! Just search this blog for descriptions of a few (watercolor outdoor kit, and/or plein air).

So what do I use for painting 4 feet away from the studio? A camp chair, cardboard box, folding palette, two or three brushes and a water container. I just flick the excess water off my brush into the bushes, no need for a sponge.

Gotta stop, haul everything back into the studio, shower, change and zip off for my night class at SVC. Weather's supposed to be good tomorrow, so I'll take this up again then. I'll update this post with the finished painting as soon as it's done.
Stay tuned! :-

It took a while, but here is the finished painting.

Pencil Box Kit for your tiny Altoids palette

This little slide pencil box from Staples will hold an entire mini painting kit, including a full size #8 round brush, pencil, sponge, paper towel, Altoids mini palette, extra tubes or pans, etc.

Add a small watercolor sketchbook or block and a water bottle and the whole kit fits into a handbag or small waist bag or fanny pack.

Here's another way to Travel Light with Plein Air Watercolor.

Travel Light with Plein Air Watercolor

Yesterday, I took the most minimal kit I could think of:
Hat, spray bottle with water, Kilimanjaro paintbook (bound with both watercolor and sketch pages) , and my zip up kit with the 12 color Yarka pan set, brushes, pencil, etc.
Put keys, camera phone in your pocket, find a log or rock to sit on and have a great day learning from nature.

Except for the Yarka pan set, here's a peek inside the carry case.

Just in case this one is not compact enough, try this pencil case set.

My New Urban Sketching Kit

Inside, All loaded up

I must have at least a dozen sketch kits. In fact, I have posted many of them here on this blog.

It's different, though, if you are going to be in the city and want to blend in. You can't be carrying easels and backpacks with camp stools strapped on when you're in a crowded market, bus, or coffee shop.

Contents of my new Urban Sketch Bag

So I've taken the mini-elements from some of my most compact set ups and I'm trying out this chic, cross body city bag for a few times. I took it all out so you could see what's in there. Zoom for details.
Update: My tiny water container and spray bottle were still in the bag! These are the missing elements. :)

Something exciting happened:
Seattle Urban Sketchers posted my sketches from the SAM-USk workshop here!

My New Smaller Bag

And I was able to maneuver around Pike Place Market and 2nd Ave sketching on that Saturday, while carrying this, the plein air bag that I take on trips and out to the countryside! ....with an umbrella and a camp stool added in, no less! (Thank goodness I left the easel at home.)
Imagine what I could accomplish now with this trim, new urban setup instead! Can't wait for my next urban sketching outing to try it out!

Jamie Wyeth on Watercolor vs Oil

I have to admit that I usually favor watercolor over oil simply because of the clean up situation....so much easier with watercolor.

Imagine my glee when I heard this podcast of an interview with Jamie Wyeth! Seriously, though, what a privilege to be able to "sit down and converse" like this with him, just as you and I would after a day of painting. (Click on the link above and then listen to Episode 1.)

During a recent painting expedition on Whidbey Island, there was one situation where the light created a "ready made" oil painting on the cliffs at Ebey's Landing and I would have given anything to have my oil kit there that afternoon.

I painted a watercolor, framed it, it was accepted in the Plein Air Juried show and sold, all within 18 hours!

I am posting my photo of the location. What do you think?

After I hear your opinions, I may post a photo of my version of the scene in watercolor. Shall I?