En plein air: A mountain adventure on the Sunshine Coast
En plein air—it's French for “in the open air”— and its more than a painting technique; it's an experience that connects you with the landscape in ways studio work cannot. And if you plan to venture into the mountains of the Sunshine Coast, get ready for something amazing to happen.
Get excited!
Its going to be fun, frustrating, with a great sense of peace and calm as you give yourself permission to truly see the landscape around you with time to connect to what is on offer.
If you’re new to this, you might find yourself overwhelmed by the sheer amount of visual information. A mountain landscape has thousands of trees, infinite variations of green, complex cloud formations, and ever-changing light. Where do you even start?
The answer: anywhere! Pick one element that speaks to you and begin there. You don’t have to capture everything.
But wait, there is more!
Trees sway, clouds drift, and the quality of light shifts from warm to cool and back again. This teaches you to paint the essence of what you see rather than every detail.
Even on beautiful days, mountain weather can turn. That gentle breeze might become a gusty wind that threatens to blow your easel over. You might start in sunshine and find yourself racing to finish as clouds roll in. This unpredictability is part of the adventure.
Unlike studio painting, where you can work until something is “done,” plein air often means leaving paintings incomplete when the light changes or weather shifts. Consider these studies rather than finished pieces. Many plein air painters complete or refine their work back in the studio using their outdoor painting as reference.
What to Bring: Your Essential Plein Air Kit
Just sketching or as a beginner:
If you’re just starting out, just bring what you have, you can always upgrade as you discover what you love and what you actually use. Just turn up with a camera, a pencil and some paper, and let it sort itself out.
But, this list may help you too -
- sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat
- Water and snacks, or at least know where your closest cafe is
- insect repellent
- folding chair, stool, or picnic rug
- garbage bag for cleaning up
The Basics:
If you are painting consider these too:
- easel or pochade box works well
- boards, canvas panels, or a sketchbook (bring several—you might be inspired to do more than one!)
- paints in your medium of choice (acrylics dry quickly; oils give you more working time)
- brushes in various sizes
- palette and palette knife
- solvent or water container
- rags or paper towels
- rubbish bag
Lessons from the Landscape
Plein air painting is one of the best teachers you’ll ever have. The mountains of the Sunshine Coast offer particular lessons that will transform your artistic practice.
You’ll develop a keener eye for colour. Those distant peaks aren’t just blue—they’re grey-blue, sometimes even violet. The greens in a mountain forest are infinite: sage, emerald, olive, yellow-green, blue-green. Your colour mixing will improve exponentially as you try to match what nature shows you.
Before painting outdoors, most people think of “tree green” as one colour. Then you sit looking out over the mountains and realise there are hundreds of greens, each influenced by light, shadow, distance, and the specific plant species. This awareness changes how you see the world, even when you’re not painting.
You’ll learn to capture impressions, to simplify, to identify what truly matters in a scene. Many artists find this spontaneity refreshing after careful studio work. For beginners, this can actually be liberating—you don’t have time to overthink or get precious about your work.
Embrace the experience and you will begin to see how light interacts with objects, shadows form, and colours complement each other. This new perspective will filter into your everyday life, outside of painting.
The joy of being with friends
While solo plein air sessions have their meditative appeal, its special having a group adventure. Painting with friends creates a shared experience that’s hard to replicate elsewhere.
There’s less pressure when everyone is learning together or when more experienced friends can offer gentle guidance.
Consider making it a regular outing. A weekly or monthly painting group builds commitment and creates something to look forward to. You’ll develop together as artists and build lasting friendships and memories. You might start as beginners together and, over time, witness each other’s growth and development.
See you on the mountain.
Judith Rose