Painting Plein Air with the Pochade

It’s April and it’s spring! The small pochade box makes it easy to grab and do a quick watercolor of the landscape. There is still a little snow on the ground but it is warm in the morning sun. It’s great to be able to paint outside easily again without the watercolor freezing on the [...]

Spring Mountainscape

Spring in Alaska. There is more sunshine. Warm sunshine. Snow is still on the ground but there is the sunshine. It makes all the difference in the world. The nights are still cold and some of the days can be brisk and bite at your skin. But sunshine warms us up and improves our spirits [...]

It is Four Below Zero, Time to Think About Warm Ocean Sunsets

It’s four below zero at my studio. Seems like a good time to be painting an ocean sunset. i’ve been cooking on some painting ideas from what I saw a few weeks ago in Florida. I love sunsets and watching the sun set on the ocean is a wonderful treat. I’ve got photos and images [...]

Nightscapes, Nocturnes, Planets and Dreams

When the moon gets larger and brighter, get ready to paint nocturnes. The full moon lights up the landscape. Study the light, shadows and values. The patterns of moonlight and shadows are very different from daylight. The sky is not going to necessarily be the lightest light. Shapes and long shadows are soft and mysterious. [...]

Capture Your Adventures

My favorite journal has a black cover and elastic band to hold it closed. Compact convenient size with quality watercolor paper within. Pages tear out if you want to matt and frame your paintings or keep it intact as a journal of your artwork. Moleskine makes a larger one too. Intelligent design. The elastic band [...]

How to Make a POCHADE BOX for Painting Plein Air with Watercolor in 14 Easy Steps

Pochade  means `quick sketch’. Plein Air  means `open air’ and refers to painting on location outdoors. A pochade box  is very useful for plein air painting because it is lightweight, portable and convenient. 1. Cigar boxes come in all sizes and shapes. Find a cigar box that has room for holding a small watercolor block [...]

Fabriano Artistico Traditional White Watercolor Block

My favorite paper for watercolor is the Fabriano block. I use both cold and hot press but I usually prefer the cold press surface because it is more ‘forgiving’. The hot press will show the brushstroke and the color really ‘pops’ but you have to be feeling confident and make each brushstroke be right. I [...]