Are you just starting to paint outside? Trying to improve your work?
Plein air is a challenge. Having the right gear. Finding a good scene. Making a decent painting.
But it’s super rewarding. You escape the digital world. You appreciate nature. You paint directly from observation.
Here are 3 analog tools to improve your chances of a successful painting:
View Finder 🔲
The view finder helps you select a scene. It lets you focus on a specific subject. It helps with make a pleasing composition. It eliminates everything outside the view, so you aren’t overwhelmed with details.
It’s small, lightweight, and affordable. Here’s a good option. You can make you own out of cardboard. And if you forget it, make a box with you hands and fingers.
Value Finder ☯️
The value finder helps you find areas of light and dark. A proper value structure is essential to a successful painting. Peer through this tool to plan your scene. Check your scene, and your painting, throughout your session with this tool.
Value finders are red or green. Here is good set to buy. As an alternative, you can squint your eyes, almost shut. This also helps remove details and see areas of light and dark.
Color wheel 🎨
The color where helps you visualize colors, mixtures, and complements. It can help you decide on a contrasting or tonal painting. You use a lot of brain power when painting outside. You don’t have to remember the complement to teal, for example. Save your mental energy with this tool.
Most color wheels rotate to show color information. Here is a pocket sized version. They often show values of each color and warm or cool colors.
All these tools are small, affordable, and analog. They help you paint stronger paintings. They are fast and never need battery power. Try them out.