The Best Piece of Advice I Got About Plein Air Painting

In 2020, Turner Vinson gave me an unforgettable piece of advice.

I was new to painting outside. Like most beginners, I made a lot of mistakes. I got overwhelmed by detail. Values were off. Colors got muddy. Proportions were wrong.

I wanted to be a competent plein air painter.

Then one day, Turner Vinson explained:

“Squint” 😑

This simple technique was a turning point.

Several things happen when you squint:

• Remove details

• See big shapes

• See values

Squinting helps you simplify. You remove overwhelming details. You see big shapes and values. These are fundamental to proper composition and a successful painting.

It is wasn’t only Turner. My other mentions: Tara Will, Antonin Passemard, Tiffanie Mang, reminded me to “squint”.

Now it’s instinctual. Many artists do it. But it’s not obvious to a beginner.

So the next time you’re out there, overwhelmed or figuring out values, squint to simplify.