Carlsbad Art and Culture

Some artists prefer to create behind closed doors where they meticulously work from photographs or from within the imaginative walls of their mind. Their creative process is rarely seen and their finished product is unveiled weeks, months or years after completion. Others prefer to capture their subject in its natural environment, under natural light and in view of the public.

En Plein Air is a French term which means “In the Open Air” and is used to describe the act of painting outdoors. Plein Air painting became popular during the late 19th century when the French Impressionists began emphasizing loose imagery based on capturing the variations of light at differing times throughout the day rather than finely delineated pictures.

The popularity of plein air painting increased drastically around 1870 with the invent of paint in tubes. Prior to these tubes, painters made their own paints by grinding pigments with linseed oil. The “French Box Easel” with telescopic legs and a built in paint box and palette was also invented at this time making treks into the forests and along rocky coastlines less onerous.

Have you seen plein air painters lately? Where?

Click HERE for info on the Carlsbad Village Art Academy!