building a PLEIN AIR LIBRARY
Article by M. Albert Olivero
Artists love books. They are a great way to be mentored from afar by other artists. These books are a wonderful way for experienced artists to pass on their inherited knowledge and acquired wisdom. Their taking up the role of author is one of the easiest ways for them to share with us their expertise. Many of these books I owe or have borrowed from our county library. I cherish them all.
Further, if you are able to build a small collection of these kinds of books you will have at hand an invaluable treasury. Artist's books - as common as they are in the modern era - offer us a simplified version of the old apprentice model. This is not to minimize the value of training in person from accomplished art teachers. Time spent in their studios, Altiers, outdoor painting trips or workshops will always be a sought after option.
Yet, many artists, in time, will write books or provide written resources of their knowledge to pass on to others. For that reason (and more) I keep here a running list of books that cover the topic of Plein Air painting. Some of the titles I include here are not specifically Plein Air resources, but have proven to be quite useful to all painters. Other titles include a chapter on Plein Air painting though the whole book is not on that subject.
(Note: I have not included in this list resources for Plein Air painting available in videos, podcasts, ebooks and PDFs. Those are great too. Online resources are limitless which is a good thing. Hope you will be able to find and benefit from these as well. Yet, by nature of our hands-on-craft, physical books will always hold a special place in our thinking and doing.)
Enjoy!
Mark
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Here is my growing list of books on the foundations of painting and the mastery of skills useful for Plein Air, books on painting landscapes, cityscapes and sketching outdoors, books about artists whose success in plein air has been recorded in books and books on natural philosophy as it pertains to the aesthetics of visible world.
Alla Prima II: Everything I Know About Painting and More by Richard Schmid
The Landscapes (enhanced edition) by Richard Schmid
Landscape Painting Inside & Out by Kevin McPherson
Landscape Painting: Essential Concepts and Techniques for Plein Air and Studio Practice by Mitchell Albalaf
Carlson's Guide to Landscape Painting by John F. Carlson
Painting Light in Oils by Peter Wileman (chapter 5)
Inventing the Landscape: From Plein Air Study to Studio Painting by Richard Crozier and Thomas Bolt
The Sierra Club Guide to Sketching in Nature by Cathy Johnson
The Art of Plein Air Painting: An Essential Guide to Materials, Concepts and Techniques of Painting Outdoors by M. Stephen Doherty
Painting on Location: Secrets to Plein Air Painting by David Curtis
The Artist in Nature: Thomas Kinkade and the Plein Air Tradition by Thomas Kinkade and M. Stephen Doherty
Plein Air Techniques for Artists: Principles and Methods for Painting in Natural Light by Aimee Erickson
Composition of Outdoor Painting by Edgar Payne
Color and Light: A Guide for the Realist Painter by James Gurney
Plein Air Painting with Oils: A Practical & Inspirational Guide to Painting Outdoors by Haidee-Jo Summers
Plein Air Painting with Watercolours: A Practical and Inspirational Guide to Painting Outdoors by Grahame Booth
En Plein Air: Acrylic: Expert Techniques and Simple Step-by-step Projects for Creating Dynamic Landscapes in the Open Air with Acrylic by Mark Mehaffey
Beautiful Landscape Painting Outdoors: Mastering Plein Air by Michael Chesley Johnson
The Art of Urban Sketching: Drawing On Location Around The World by Gabriel Campanario
A Guide to Digital Painting in Procreate: Landscapes & Plein Air by 3dtotal Publishing
Plein Air: Landscape Painting Techniques for Success (DVD) by Ian Roberts
The Beginners Guide to Plein Air Oil Painting by Jenny Aitken
Plein Air Painting 101: Pocket Guide: Essential Outdoor Painting Techniques, Tools, Composition Tips and More by Rachel Broadwell
Plein Air Painting by Frank Serrano
100 Plein Air Painters of the Mid-Atlantic by Gary Pendleton
Plein Air: Painting In The South Of France by Neil Walling
Drawing and Painting on Location: A Guide to En Plein Air by Kevin Scully
Plein Air Painting in Watercolor and Oil by Frank LaLumia
Sketching Outdoors by Leonard Richmondi
Plein Air Painters of California, the North by Ruth Westphal
The Work of Art: Plein-air Painting and Artistic Identity in Nineteenth-century France by Anthea Callen
Diary of 100 Plein Air Paintings: What I learned from painting 100 plein airs in eight weeks by Kim Casebeer
