Most of my paintings thus far have been done from photographs that I have taken, or with permission of the photographer. Painting outside and painting from life is a whole other way of painting.
One day I got a call from a friend who asked if I would like to come paint with her. When I arrived, she announced we were going to paint outside that day with a group of other painters. Keep in mind, it was March, and there was snow on the ground. Add to that we went to a frozen lake to paint. My feet got very cold, but I had a wonderful time.
Everyone else had lots of experience painting outside so I was a little bit intimidated by the whole thing. Expecially since for a novice, figuring out what to paint and how to narrow your focus is a real challenge.
Ultimately I focused on a single tall tree across the marshy area of the pond. Apparently no one knew I was new to this. Everyone was very encouraging. I even had folks who weren't painters stop by to admire my work. All in all, a very rewarding experience.
I haven't been back outside to paint since, but I think that will change this year. What better way to hone your skills?
