John Hughes

Jan 8, 2025 | outdoorpainter.com | Bob Bahr |John Hughes

-advertisement-Discover the art of capturing light and shadow with Heather Arenas in this free painting lesson. In her vibrant work “St. Armands Circle Corner,” Heather shares how she builds her compositions from bold shapes, thoughtfully balancing warm sunlight and cool shadows. This detailed guide will walk you through her process, from establishing the dark-light pattern to refining the scene’s final details.

Jan 6, 2025 | outdoorpainter.com | John Hughes

-advertisement-A quick tip to help you discover the transformative strategy that will elevate your plein air painting experience and works. In my early years as a plein air painter – first in Westchester County, New York, and eventually Southern California, what mattered most to me was coming away with a finished painting. That’s not a bad goal, but like many artists, getting “finished” was more important to me than how I got there.

Jan 17, 2024 | outdoorpainter.com | John Hughes

In this episode of Art School Live, Eric Rhoads welcomes artist, author, and instructor/creativity coach Larry Moore. Watch as Larry takes us through a free art session on using quick sketches to expand your creative thinking – when it comes to painting the landscape and more. . Larry Moore is a seasoned artist renowned for his diverse approaches to creativity. He is widely recognized as a true master of visual communication.

Jan 17, 2024 | outdoorpainter.com | John Hughes

If you tend to “finish” a plein air painting and move on to the next, you might be missing out on important learning opportunities. Read more >By Tim Oliver NWSAs a plein air painter primarily, I’ve developed a bad habit of always looking for the next painting, the next compelling composition, or the next interesting subject matter. Sometimes this happens even before I finish the piece I’m working on before it is fully explored.

Dec 14, 2023 | outdoorpainter.com | Nancy Macdonald |John Hughes

Follow along and see how Nancy Macdonald begins with a pen-and-ink sketch and color study to create a plein air painting of two figures in the Ecuador landscape. by Nancy MacdonaldOn site, I make a number of sketches and color studies, which I use as reference for larger paintings in my studio. I try to capture the harmony in the scene as well as the feeling or element that drew me to it.