How To Make Plein Air Painting Less Stressful

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1) Choose a spot based on comfort

The first way to decrease the stress involved in going out plein air painting is to pick where your sketch based on how comfortable the spot is, rather than what is in view. When you go out to sketch or paint on location, It can be very tempting to be in search of the the perfect view with beautiful traditional compositions. But, with that, comes a lot of stress and unnecessary decision making. Instead try to find a comfortable spot to start making art. Find a bench in the park, a spot in the shade, or sit in your car and get to sketching. All in all the idea is that by working in a comfortable place, you instantly make your experience more positive, and at the same time you force yourself to work with less traditional views and compositions.

2) Use supplies you are familiar with 

While this tip may seem like a given, I feel like it's important to mention. Although it can be very fun to try new art supplies, and for a lot of artists it's the most fun part, in general, using supplies you are familiar with makes the whole experience easier. Imagine this, you are excited to sketch, you've come to a beautiful location, you pull out the supplies you've brought, and you have no clue how to use them. It is so important that when you don't want any hassle in your painting experience, use what you feel comfortable with.

3) Change your expectations

Just like any other thing you do in life, you'll probably have goals for your paintings. Now, I'm not saying that having goals is a bad thing, in fact goals can be a very necessary part of painting. But, the idea is that the goals you make should be achievable and not based on the appearance of the painting itself. Here are some examples of goals that would be more helpful: "I want to paint as much as I can in one hour", "I want to paint a subject I've never painted before", or "I want to enjoy the time I have to paint". All in all, the idea is to create opportunities to be proud of yourself and still make real progress.

4) Sketch familiar places

Don't get me wrong, It is always a fun time going to a place you've never been and making a piece of art that you are proud of. But, if you are trying to eliminate anything that could make it harder on you, stick to places that you know. This could mean places that you have sketched before, or it could just mean places that you've been and have already spent time observing. Whether it's your local park, the public library near your house or even at your house, sketching places you are already familiar with is an easy way to keep spirits light.

5) Don't Post

In today's age of Instagram, YouTube and a plethora of other social media platforms, It can be just about impossible to fight against the pressure to post. If you have been posting your art for a while and have built any internet presence, the pressure to post can be even stronger. I have noticed that the pressure to post my art online has absolutely changed the way I think of my art as well as myself. If you are somehow able to pull yourself out of this social media matrix and realize that you don't have to post everything you make, you will be much happier for it.

6) Put no rush on finishing

Painting is an activity that requires patience and time. By trying to rush to the finish, you are now working with a deficit of both. And don't get me wrong, I always go out painting with the Idea that when I come home, I'll have a finished painting to show for my time out. I'm just saying that if you have to pick between enjoying your time out, or rushing to a finish, try to enjoy the moment. This is only possible if you change your expectations and are patient with yourself.

8) Find a Group to Sketch with 

The last bit of advice I have for those of you that want to make their sketching experience even more relaxing is to find a painting group. If you live in a big city like New York City, Shanghai or Tokyo, this should be no issue. But, if you live in a small town this is going to be a bit tougher. You might even have to find a way to get local artists together. While I did phrase it as getting artists together, you can do this with non-artists as well. You will still have a lot of fun bringing out your non-artist family and friends and maybe even teaching them what you know. If you want to know where to find an Urban Sketcher Group, you can use this link: https://urbansketchers.org/where-we-sketch/

Photo Creds: Melany Rizo on Pexels

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