The French term en Plein Air, for “open air”, is all about leaving the confines of the studio to paint outdoors. This practice was popularized by the French Impressionists who utilized portable easels to draw and paint while surrounded and inspired by nature. The advent of tube-paints and the French box easel expedited the development of this approach to painting in the mid-19th century.
Many artists have used watercolors to paint on location, subsequently using these painting studies in the studio to complete more extensive works, often with oil paints.
I was introduced as a child to plein air painting in after-school art lessons, and it seemed that being on location was the most natural way to paint. I continued the practice in workshops when I returned to painting as an adult. While it can be frustrating to deal with wind, dust, heat, bugs, gawkers and other irritants or conditions, overall I find it rewarding to be part of the environment that I am painting.