HARBRON Plein air

  The Artist Sketching (1922) by John Singer Sargent Oil on canvas, plein air The expression 'plein air' comes from the french phrase en plein air , meaning 'in the open air' and is popularly used to describe painting outdoors, or a painting that has been completed on location.  "Everything that is painted directly and on the spot always has strength, a power, and a vivacity of touch one cannot recover in the studio... Three strokes of the brush in front of nature are worth more than two days of work at the easel" - Eugène Boudin Purists might only apply the term plein air  to work that was completed entirely outdoors. Others might accept a final touch-up in the studio. Either way, it is desirable to maintain the fresh, immediate brush strokes that typically characterise a good plein air painting.  

Artists sketching in the White Mountains (1868) by Winslow Homer Oil on panel You might hear a number of pronunciations: 'plan-air', 'ple-ner' or 'playn-air', the latter being the most common anglicised form. However, if you want to be faithful to French authenticity, say 'ple-ner'