Things to do · Arts and crafts
Paint outdoors, en plein air
A friend has invited you to do this with them.
Painting outdoors from life means working fast while the light changes, and deciding what to leave out. A course takes you to the spots worth painting, shows you how to compose and mix colour on location, and has a plan for bad weather, from studio work to a rescheduled class.
Moderate£100 to £500 / $130 to $650A few weeksOutdoorsAlone or with othersUK and US
Someone who has done it
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What it's really like
West Dean College puts the aim of its oil course simply, to gain confidence in painting outdoors from life. Students choose a subject, build a composition and try to catch light and atmosphere, working through studies towards finishing a piece or two.
Expect to paint in most weathers. West Dean asks students to be ready for all weathers and moves the course into the studio only in extreme conditions. Minneapolis College of Art and Design may reschedule its lakeside class for rain, and warns of stairs, a hill or uneven ground.
Tom Hughes, who teaches the plein air course at Newlyn School of Art, says there is no faster way to develop as a painter than by working on location. His course demonstrates drawing up, blocking in and colour mixing, then takes students by minibus to coast and woodland in West Cornwall.
The Field Studies Council's weekend at Flatford Mill follows John Constable's method of sketching on location and developing the composition back in the studio.
Courses and what they cost
| Where | Format | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| Newlyn School of Art, Cornwall | Four days in oils with Tom Hughes, all levels; paints, brushes and supports provided | £650.00 |
| Field Studies Council, Flatford Mill, Suffolk | Friday evening to Sunday, pencil and watercolour on location | £235.00 to £340.00 |
| West Dean College, West Sussex | Oil painting en plein air with Tushar Sabale, all levels | Not listed on the course page |
| Minneapolis College of Art and Design | Saturday mornings in watercolour at Wirth Lake (past run) | $149.50, including a $10 facilities fee |
| School of the Art Institute of Chicago | Sunday mornings in acrylics, oils or watercolour, for beginners (past run) | $675.00 |
What to carry, from the Newlyn kit list: old clothes, sturdy shoes, a hat, warm and waterproof clothes, something to sit on, a packed lunch, a water bottle and a travel mug. West Dean's oil course adds a portable easel or pochade box, rags, a waste bag, and spring clamps and binder clips. MCAD tells students to budget about $125 to $175 for supplies on top of the fee.
How to start
- Pick a course in a medium you already use or want to learn: plein air classes run in watercolour, oils and acrylics.
- Read the kit list before you buy anything. Some courses supply paints and boards; others expect your own portable easel.
- Dress for the weather in layers, with a waterproof, a hat and stout covered shoes, and take something to sit on.
Where to go
- Newlyn School of Art, Cornwall: plein air painting in oils UK
- Field Studies Council, Flatford Mill: drawing and painting the Constable way UK
- West Dean College: oil painting en plein air UK
- Minneapolis College of Art and Design: plein air watercolour landscape painting US
- School of the Art Institute of Chicago: plein air painting US
We opened these links on 13 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
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Plan it with dates
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Courses and classes have start dates and can fill up, so the plan begins with finding and booking one. Kit comes after the first session, once you know what you need.
Questions people ask
What does en plein air mean?
Painting outdoors, from life. West Dean College describes its course as painting 'en plein air', that is, outdoors from life.
Do I need experience to do a plein air course?
Not always. The Newlyn course is for all levels including beginners, and the SAIC class is designed for people with no outdoor painting experience, though basic drawing helps.
What happens on a plein air course if it rains?
It depends on the course. West Dean moves into the studio only in extreme weather, and MCAD may reschedule its class for rain.
What should I take for plein air painting?
Your paints and brushes unless they are supplied, something to sit on or a portable easel, layers and a waterproof, a hat, sturdy shoes, lunch and water.
Where this comes from: Newlyn School of Art, Plein Air Painting in Oils; Field Studies Council, Drawing and Painting the Constable Way; West Dean College, Oil painting 'en plein air' with Tushar Sabale; West Dean College, Watercolour painting 'en plein air' with Brian Smith; Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Plein Air Watercolor Landscape Painting; School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Plein Air Painting; Henley Standard, Reaching final of TV show has made me better artist. Opened 13 November 2026.
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