I love activities that take very little prep time. The kinds of things you can jump right into without thinking too hard or wasting time getting yourself ready for. But not everything I love offers me this sort of easy transition. 

When I first stared to paint en plein air, it would take me a while to prepare and think through everything I needed. I've since made it preparation more streamlined and narrowed down what I actually need to paint on location. 

Plein air painting is so worth extra effort, but it's even more satisfying when you know exactly what you need and have it all set aside for a beautiful day. Today, I am going to let you in on the essential supplies you need to paint outdoors and give you some tips and tricks that make this process easier for me. 

7 Plein Air Supplies You Can't Leave Home Without (and a few Extras)

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Pack Light and Get Your Mind Right

When I go out to paint en plein air, I don't want to have to carry a lot of gear. Pack lightly because you may have some walking to do to find just the right subject. You don't want to be overwhelmed by the amount of gear you've got to lug around. 

I bring my paint box (which I will tell you more about in a bit) and a backpack that fits the rest of my equipment. I keep both of these fully stocked and ready to go so that when the weather is nice, I can just grab these two items and head out. 

A note about mindset when it comes to painting en plein air: set appropriate expectations for your painting session. Sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised with what I am able to create on location, but most of the time, I expect to come away with a sketch that I can hopefully learn from. The goal for me when I paint outdoors is to gather information about the scene. I'm staying present and absorbing the sensory experience that cannot be replicated in the studio. I (almost) always walk away refreshed and invigorated, but I don't often walk away with a finished painting. 

What do I need to paint en plein air?

1. Easel or Paint Box and Tripod

My paint box is the Mondrian Lux easel, made by artist, Fausto Sutera. I love the many compartments it has and how easy it is to transport when painting en plein air.  The bottom has an attachment that allows you to fasten it to a tripod. I carry the tripod in my backpack.

If you are interested in this particular paint box, reach out follow the link above. I've used this box quite a bit and I really do enjoy it.

But don't feel like you need this expensive gear in order to get outside and paint. You can go start to paint outside with a simple, small collection of watercolors and a sketchpad. My first setup was not so fancy, but it worked. I mounted a board to an old tripod and then I put velcro on a hard surface that I would tape my paper to. 

Brushes

I keep my brushes in my paint box so they are just ready to go. You don't need that many.

You only really need three: a large mop brush, a medium round brush, and then something a little smaller that has a point for your details. 

Palette

The most important thing about a palette is that it gives you plenty of space to mix colors. When you're painting outside, you also have to think about extra movement that might affect the pigment you mix on your palette. Whether it's because you're holding the palette as your moving or the wind picks up, there is more jostling involved in painting outdoors. 

I like the design of my palette because it has some deep wells for paint and several little bubbles that allow me to mix a much stronger, richer pigment. When I tilt it the paint mixture stays in these bubbles and doesn't mix together in one pool. The other essential qualities of a plein air palette is that it is portable and easy to hold. 

Again, you don't need anything so extravagant. I've upgraded a few times since I started plein air painting. There are several reasonably priced palettes on the market that will serve you just fine as you get started. You can try a less expensive one, see how it works for you, and go from there. Everyone has their unique preferences, and you might find one that suits your needs even better.  

Your Favorite Paints 

You'll have most of your paints in the wells of your palette, ready to be used, but you might want to pack a few tubes of your favorite pigments. I keep some gouache on hand, and a few other paints just in case. Do not feel like you need all your paints on hand, though. Remember your goals for painting plein air. You can always just work on a sketch and then bring the subject into your studio later to paint a more refined version of the painting.

Paper

When I watercolor paint outdoors, I typically use a Sanders Waterford cold-pressed block which is 14x10 inches. It's really nice because it fits perfectly inside my backpack and it fits really well on my easel too.

When you first open a watercolor block, it's pretty weighted down because you have a lot of paper on it still. As you use up the block, you'll peel off the sheet and you'll have another clean sheet underneath. This is a quick, easy way to get outside and paint and not have to worry about taping anything down.

What I found, though, is as I use the block up, it gets more and more flimsy and some of the other sheets start coming up. As it gets lighter, I can actually tape it down to my easel. So that way when it's windy, when I'm out here and painting, my paper is not going anywhere. It's going to be nice and stable.

Paper Towels

In my plein air bag, I always carry paper towels. I use them to control the moisture on my brush or to clean my palette off. 

Water 

Besides keeping yourself hydrated while you're outside - sometimes having to hike a ways to find just the right spot - you'll need water to fill your water container. Here is a picture of the portable water container I use. 

You'll also want to bring a spray bottle with you to wet your paints. Before I draw and think through composition, I spray my pants down really well in my palette because I want them to be activated and ready to go when it's time to paint. So, a little spray bottle is good to have with you. 

The Joy of Painting Outside

Watercolor painting outside is a delight. It's one of my favorite things to do when the weather is nice. Not only am I homing the watercolor skills I want to grow, but it is one of the few times I find it easy to be present and mindful.

Is it difficult? Yes. There's no doubt about it. But the joy that it brings is absolutely worth it. I hope you use these tips and get outside to paint soon!

Also -  if you didn't see last week's blog, check it out! It is part 1 of this series on plein air painting. I share with you the 3 essential tips to painting watercolor on location to help you feel more confident and at ease painting outside.