Mastering the Art of Painting: Finding the Perfect Location Despite the Weather

It is rare that I actually leave the car with my painting gear still inside, but on this occasion imminent rain made the decision easier and focused my inner scout. Setting out into the misty wilderness, I felt a sense of freedom without the pressure to create art right away. The following morning an early rise in mid-Summer offered me a splendid vista and an unusual certainty of where I should set up; step one of the art of painting done.

Painter's Panic & The Magic of Early Morning Light

In early July the sun rises and sets with such speed that it can induce what I call the painter's panic. A splash of adrenaline mixed in with expectation and self administered pressure can lead you fumbling around trying to find a spot to set up that will satisfy your creative interpretation of a scene. One solution to avoid this situation is to head to a spot you know, one that will work with the conditions present.

The following morning, before the world had fully awakened, I returned to the spot I had scouted the day before. The air was crisp, carrying the scent of rain, and the sky was a canvas of shifting clouds. The landscape that had appeared unassuming in the rain now revealed its true grandeur under the ethereal glow of the rising sun. Streaks of sunlight pierced through the heavy clouds, casting a golden hue over the land below.

Soon after 6am the sun's warmth danced across the serene vista picking out highlights along the way

Return of the Rain

Of course, the most stunning conditions usually go hand in hand with unsettled weather, and this morning was no exception. The rains returned and not one to shy away having started the painting in earnest and seen what the seen beheld under the right light, I took shelter after some unhappy mumbling at the raindrops filling my palette.

Before long, the brisk winds carried the rain away from me and the sun performed its magic. As if it had chosen the exact spot to cast its light upon, the formation of the clouds just so happened to be set out to allow the sun's rays to hit a verdant distant field, accentuating its luminous yellow-green colour to a breathtaking accent.

Sometimes you just know a painting should not be touched back in the studio. This was one of those occasions when the drama and emotion of the scene was too powerful to let the sheltered atmosphere of a studio threaten the emotive brushstrokes.

The finished painting framed and on the wall.

Here is a short clip on Instagram for amusement at how things can change whilst out painting.