Plein Air Sketch in Neersville, VA. 5"x7" oil on linen panel. 2013.
A plein air sketch that I did at a paint-out in Neersville, VA last week. It's the sketchiest of sketches, but I like the simplicity of painting like this and being free just to react to the scene before me. I didn't feel the need to overwork the painting on location and somehow I resisted making changes back to the studio.
This was my set up.
For plein air work I've started taping a piece of linen to the piece of hardboard that doubles as my palette cover rather than carrying around a panel or stretched canvas. If I like the painting I glue the linen to a panel at a later date. It makes the whole thing feel a lot less formal and along with working at a smaller size lessens the pressure of trying to create paintings in the field. I've managed to keep a larger percentage of the paintings started this year.