“When I first started plein air, I relied very heavily on the scene doing all the heavy lifting in the painting. If the scene was boring, the painting was boring. I would walk and bike around all day with my heavy backpack and often not even find anything to paint.
But as I progressed, the role of the scene and the role of the artist started to switch places.”
Nicholas O’Leary, interview The Blue Review
When painting or sketching on location, do you choose the best spot for yourself or the painting? Do you spot a comfy-looking spot to sit first and then see what you might paint? Standing on a bank of pebbles may give you a better view, but will this be undermined by it not being stable underfoot and thus diverting some of your attention and energy?
I do a bit of both, depending on my mood and energy levels. The photo below was the day I chose a spot where I could sit whilst painting.
