Welcome

Thumb Area Plein-Aire Painters

What is Plein-Aire Painting? Plein air painting is about leaving the four walls of your studio behind and experiencing painting and drawing in the landscape. The practice goes back for centuries but was truly made into an art form by the French Impressionists. Their desire to paint light and its changing, ephemeral qualities, coupled with the creation of transportable paint tubes and the box easel—the precursor to the plein air easels of today—allowed artists the freedom to paint “en plein air,” which is the French expression for “in the open air.”

TAPP Information

Here is some general information for Thumb Area Plein-Aire painters. Our group was founded in June of 2024. We were invited to the Huron County Nature Center, where we met every Friday for a month.

We continue to meet every Friday at different locations to enjoy the camaraderie. We learn from each other while appreciating nature. We invite you to join us, don't be shy, we are all a work in progress.

Our meeting information is posted on our facebook group.

Six tips for Plein-Aire Painting

Travel light and get creative with your choice of materials and use easily portable cases for supplies
Simplify your palette
Use found water
Collect and use found items (They make great color references)
Use your smartphone to capture a visual reference
Don't wear sunglasses while painting (it will change color & lighting)