What’s the best time of year for plein air painting in Scotland? ☀️

July 7, 2023

Jul 07, 2023

Hello

from my little corner of Scotland! A lot has happened since last month’s newsletter. Also, I love the fact that I can say “last month’s newsletter”…Ever since Wolfy started working with me I’ve had more time to do things I enjoy, like staying in touch with you all.

Summer

For plein air artists in Scotland, Summer is a luxurious season. Of course we still have to battle wind and rain at times, but temperatures hover between 12 and 30°C (54 and 86°F). It couldn’t have come at a better time for me personally. After going through a personal hardship in May, June offered the right conditions to pull me out of my shell and allow me to spend time healing in nature.

Although I’ve slowed down on social media, I’ve been out drawing and painting whenever the weather is nice.

It’s given me the opportunity to test out different setups, customise things, and in general get back into the flow of frequently painting outside. There are a lot of hurdles that can stop me from doing it, but it’s incredibly rewarding when I go.

We had several weeks without rain - enough to cause concern in some areas. And then suddenly in mid June, the skies opened up and it seemed like it rained nonstop!

Artists often ask me, “what’s the best time of year to visit Scotland to paint?” The answer depends on so much…because each season offers something amazing. But if you like standing outside in a t-shirt and shorts, painting in the sun…you can’t beat June, July and August!

However depending where you are, you might be crowded by tourists or eaten alive by midges (tiny biting insects that swarm you). Not the most peaceful feeling.

So..in that case, April or September might suit you - ‘the summer fringe.’ It’s colder, but usually no crowds or midges, and can also be warm if you’re lucky. Lambs vs. autumn colors. You choose!

And then there’s the majestic beauty of the sun rising over snow capped mountains on Skye, something you get in the heart of winter. Not for the feint of heart (or cold blooded) but rewarding in a different way. May require vodka instead of water to keep your paints from freezing!

So..what kind of plein air painter are you?

The Next Big Thing

Apparently I can’t go too long without getting myself stuck into a big project. This time it’s pretty huge!

You may have seen my collaboration with Craftamo to create my own set of gouache brushes - which have done really well. Now we are taking it to the next level!

The next big thing is that we are creating a subscription box for gouache lovers. If you sign up, each month you’ll receive a new box with 2 brushes, 2-3 gouache paints (Shinhan Designer’s Gouache - one of my faves!), paper, and a complete tutorial for how to paint a specific landscape (different each month). In the tutorial I’m using all the supplies/colors in that specific box, so you’ll have everything you need to follow along.

Each box design will feature the artwork we will be painting that month - so they will be collector items as well!

You’ll be able to sign up monthly, or in chunks of 6 months or 12 months (there will be 12 months total).

We will start preorders later this summer - stay tuned for date announcements. I’ll post it everywhere when the time comes!

I’ve already submitted the brush designs, color plan, and soon will begin creating the tutorials. I’m so excited to get started and create a series of tutorials with all of my current knowledge and inspiration flowing through!

Get the Brushes

Investing in Myself

Have you ever taken a workshop with a professional artist? I have only done a couple of online zoom classes, which are great but not the same. Being immersed in a week-long in-person workshop with the instructor right there to offer feedback…that’s new to me.

At the end of July I’ll be at a watercolor workshop with Iain Stewart, an artist I admire greatly for their draftsmanship, design, and creativity among other things. It’s a week long course in Fife, somewhere I have never been and look forward to exploring with my sketchbook.

I’m nervous and excited. This is something I’ve never done before, and it feels good to make an investment in myself. I saved up a long time to take this workshop. No matter how much I learn on my own, nothing compares to getting direct feedback from a master artist. Iain is certainly a master at what he does.

Take a look at one of his works:

As an architect, he understands scale, perspective, design, and so much more on a different level than I might ever achieve. But I know I’ll learn so much from watching him work. Seeing it unfold in front of me, live on location.

I will do my best to capture the essence of the workshop and create a vlog to share with you all. I won’t be able to film his full tutorials, but I can film bits and pieces and the experience along the way.

This is one of the reasons I’m currently focusing heavily on practicing architecture and sharing that journey on my YouTube channel.

Each of us offers a unique perspective. I firmly believe that even a “new” artist could teach a seasoned artist something. A way of seeing. A way of thinking. A way of doing.

I want to offer my own plein air workshops in Scotland one day. It’s on the list…you’ll be the first to know!

On the Agenda

Most of my focus each month goes towards running my Patreon page (twice monthly tutorials + more) and I am still doing weekly YouTube videos when possible. This all takes up a surprising amount of time, and what’s left over gets spread among various projects.

Other projects include:

Updating my art blog, The Fearless Brush. This is where I post all my art-related experiments, supplies, and much more. It also includes my new Gouache Database, a free resource with way too much nerdy gouache stuff.
My Sketching Scotland journey continues, but I’ve slowed down sharing it as often. I came to the conclusion that in order to get the most out of it, I need to spend more time on the trail, in my sketchbook, and not as much time ‘advertising’ it all to the world. Maybe that’s selfish, but it’s a selfish journey in the first place isn’t it? I still want to share it, but not as frequently. That will give me more space to BE in it. To experience it. And then every few months, I can make a reflection video about our progress.
This autumn I’ll be starting the design for my new website, which will eventually replace my Patreon page. I’m going to call it the Fearless Brush Club. Read more about it here.

On a Personal Note…

We took a trip to Glencoe, a very magical place that offers endless inspiration. The photo at the top of this newsletter was taken there. It was my first time seeing it outside of winter, and the green hills were stunning. I even swam in one of the rivers near a waterfall. It was just a day trip, but it inspired me to make plans to camp there next spring, before the midges!

I’d like to do my first solo wild camping trip this year, and still deciding where to go. I’m leaning towards the Outer Hebrides…a place I’ve never been. If it happens, I’ll definitely share the experience with you all!

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