The French phrase en plein air (“in the open air”)
has, over time, become associated with the act of painting outdoors.
Through the ages, creative wunderkinds have drawn inspiration from
natural settings, including John Constable, who depicted his Suffolk surroundings in search of artistic ‘truth,’ and Impressionists such as Monet, whose investigations of light were revelatory.
As the weather turns warmer and conditions more suitable for your own
out-of-doors experimentation, make sure you are fully equipped to
transport your practice from the studio to greener – or even more urban –
settings. We’ve picked our five must-have materials for plein air water
colour artists, each of which will enrich your creative endeavours and
make the transition between environments a smooth one. The first in a
series, we’ll also present our picks for acrylic and oil colourists in future features, so stay tuned!
Two of our newest water colour innovations are among the most portable, convenient options for artists hoping to experiment with their practice. Combining the precision of sketching and drawing with the fluidity of water colour, both are intermixable with our traditional range of water colour products. Before you set off, read some of our top tips about how to get the most out of your Water Colour Sticks.
The ideal surface for our Water Colour Markers, these 100%
acid-free paper pads are stable, durable and designed to emphasise the
colour brilliance of your work with the pigment-rich Markers.
Housed in an attractive,
easy-to-transport box, this water colour set contains a selection of
colours, brushes, a palette and other basic accessories to help you
paint anywhere, at any time. When inspiration strikes, grab, go forth
and create! This Cotman set is also an ideal gift for budding water
colourists.
Travelling light is essential when painting en plein air.
This lightweight collection of our Professional Water Colour half pans
includes a variety of stunning shades for you to mix and apply at your
leisure.
Bristol Water Colour Easel - The Bristol watercolour
easel builds on the success of our existing sketching easel within the
Winsor and Newton range, offering a variety of working positions to the
artist.
A very stable, compact designed yet lightweight easel offers one
touch quick adjustable telescopic legs, accompanying the easel also
comes instructions.
The Bristol watercolour can be used both indoors and outdoors as well
as offering the ability to be used on a table top. The additional
feature that the Bristol water colour easel offers is that not only can
it be used in an upright position for pastels, it also has a central
pivot point where the arm can be tilted to a preferred working position,
reclining flat enabling the artist to paint with watercolour. It also
comes with its own carry case which is ideal for the artist on location
and has a useful utility hook on the tray. Height of easel: 150cm (59
inch), Width of easel: 84cm (33 inch), Depth of easel: 130cm (51 inch),
Folded dimensions: 67cm x 11cm (26.5 x 4.5 inch)
