HARBRON Plein air

5x7in plein air in oil by Alex Harbron      I'm not gonna lie, this year has been really challenging for me. What with BREXIT making things more costly and complicated, recurrent postal strikes and being let down by alternative parcel carriers, scarcity of supplies and increased prices, it's a wonder that any small business can survive under the current cirumstances. What has kept me going is my passion for what I make, and the fantastic feedback I am getting from you lot. I am determined to be even better in 2023 with developments to Harbron Plein Air, including more regular updates to this website, and finally getting my YouTube channel off the ground. All I can say, dear artist, is watch this space. I wish you a very Happy Christmas and a creative new year! Alex    

Here are some ideas on using the Harbron Tripod Shelf as a palette: Firstly, let me say that I don't apply paint directly to the shelf. I prefer to attach a dedicated surface to the shelf for my mixing, as it's easier to organise and manage. I use 'draftsman's' metal drawing board clips for this purpose, but there are a range of clip solutions you might have more readily to hand. For my demo, I'm using the shallowest clips I could find at 16 x 55 mm. For the last studio set-up in this article, I don't need clips.     1: Palette Paper The first solution is to use palette paper. I have been using the Strathmore Palette Paper, size 9x12in. I attach the whole pad to the shelf using drawing board clips and when I have completed my painting, I scrape off left-over paint into a pot (using it later to put a ground on some of my new surfaces) and then I can tear-off and dispose of the paper. The palette paper solution is very portable and hassle-free. It's a bit ...

In the past week I have been crafting this tripod easel for a special commission. The artist requested an easel that will accommodate stretched canvases, which of course are a lot thicker than a canvas board. So I set about making some modifications to my original design by fashioning a thicker lower and top jaw and marrying it to a Harbron  Excalibur easel body. The finished easel works so well, I have decided to make some more to add to the Harbron Plein Air range.  The Harbron Canvas Tripod Easel features jaws that are 20mm thicker than the equivalent Excalibur easel so you can mount a stretched canvas up to 25mm thick. The jaws have an angled lip that bites the canvas tightly and holds it solid for painting. You can mount a stretched canvas or canvas board up to 15 inches in height.  The weight of the Canvas Easel comes in at 310g which is just under 100g heavier than the Excalibur  but still makes for a very light set-up. I am currently making them to order ...

Compact easel with 8x10in at Lake Vyrnwy, mid-Wales The bad news came just before reaching my destination. I steered my bicycle alongside a shop and went in for some Welsh cakes. At the counter I was told that the weather was due to break anytime now and the forecast said very heavy rain. I looked at my Welsh cakes and wondered what they tasted like soggy. Twenty minutes later I rolled up to Lake Vyrnwy, mid-Wales, sporting a fine shean of Welsh drizzle. I've been told that there is no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes. My 'waterproof' was clinging to me like a polyester shower curtain and the rain started cascading off the peak of my helmet to form a frosted visor.  Having spent a lifetime riding lightweight racing bikes, it is a novelty to be riding my utility bike with mudguards, armchair saddle and bags hanging off the racks. As I glanced at the overtaking 'roadies', miserably hunched over their handlebars with streaked backs and asses, I felt I ...

Launch date: 8th September @ 7pm Dear Artists,                          I am super excited to announce that the Harbron Plein Air range is expanding on September 8th with my new wet painting carriers. The Harbron Canvas Carriers accommodates up to two panels and/or stretched canvases, and holds them secure and protected for transportation. The unique design features include: A clever retaining lip that eliminates interference with the wet surface of your painting. Genuine VelcroⓇ retaining straps that work independantly to make placement and removal of paintings easier, whilst keeping them fully secure during transit. An adaptor that enables a smaller painting to be carried. Larger Canvas Carriers have super strong and durable handles hand-woven from high quality paracord 550. Every part of the Canvas Carry is servicable and replaceable to help extend and maximise the lifetime of the product. ⮝ How the adaptor/s ...

Making the accessories for the Harbron Plein Air range is a labour of love. I want to thank everyone for supporting me and making a purchase, and a special thanks to all those who have been kind enough to message me with feedback. I was thrilled to recieve the latest positive review today... "Just to say I have received my easel kit and I am very happy with it, great job and well done, nicely presented and the finish is top notch"                                                                                                                                              ...

  Dear Artists, I have just heard about a new plein air event here in the UK in September, and entries are OPEN.  I attended the previous event earlier in the summer and found it inspiring, friendly and ultimately, fun! I encourage you to give it a go.      Further details can be found here

I finally broke out of the studio to participate in a plein air event at Montpellier Gardens, Cheltenham. I felt a bit tight because I'd spent the past several months getting carried away with my portraiture studies and life drawing, so I was a little nervous about it. Could I remember how to paint? What didn't help was the intimidation of trying something I'd not done before: buildings!       My plan of action was to be methodical and paint fast, think slow. I had five hours after all. If you are unfamiliar with plein air competitions, it works like this: turn up with your surface, get it stamped to confirm you haven't painted it outside the competition time frame, find a spot within the boundaires of the event location, expressively interpret what you see by the allocated deadline, submit for judging, mingle with other artists to share experiences of the day whilst the judges make their decision, then enjoy the prize giving and hope you get some appreciation for yo...

This special Platinum Jubilee weekend, I will upgrade all items ordered by midnight, Sunday 5th June, to First Class Signed For with Royal Mail. Remember, postage is FREE to all UK customers. I'll dispatch your items first thing Monday morning and email you a tracking number as soon as it's done.  For Overseas customers, I am offering half price postage. Contact me for postal rates. Have a great weekend.  Alex Almost gone! Last few panel boxes  (sizes 5x7in and10x12in)      

  "When you get the opportunity.. plant your feet and just look" Just back from viewing the International Watercolour Masters exhibition at Lilleshall Hall, Shropshire. You'll note in the photo above that my jaw has dislocated from the wonder of it all. Looking at the original work of artists reminded me how limited social media can be for viewing and showcasing art. I like instagram, it's good for inspiration and making connections, but it does not fulfill me. I am frequently overwhelmed, compulsive and shallow. In the gallery I plant my feet and spend time with each painting. I feel a deeper, more intimate interaction going on. I observe the paper, its surface, the paint and how it has moved there and shifted here, the marks defined by brush and, er, not brush. The layers, the depth, the light refracted there, absorbed here, how this becomes abstract, how that pops with sharp explosive colour. Everything showcased with utter clarity in the absence of lens and screen...

Dear Artists, I have signed-up for the plein air competition at Monpellier Gardens, Cheltenham, in June. This has prompted me to shift some attention away from the studio and get out into the glorious spring with my Harbron plein air kit. Expect more frequent blogs soon. I am also preparing to dip into YouTube. I am a massive fan of the platform and I have benefited so much from talented artists sharing their skills there. Some of my favorite channels include James Gurney, Oliver Pyle, Paul Clark, The Danish Painter with Marie louise, and Imperfect Paintings with Albert van de Zwart. If any of these names are new to you, do check them out. Recently I have been thinking about the future of Harbron Plein Air. Initially it was just a small lock-down project to supplement my art, but the success of the Harbron Ultra-Compact Tripod Easel and Harbron Tripod Shelf has really given me a boost. The positive feedback I have been getting has spurred me to continue building my range of accessori...

Throughout January I have been participating in the 30 faces / 30 days challenge with Sktchy . I joined because I wanted to boost my work output during a difficult month of short days, and prolonged, uninspiring weather. I also wanted to continue developing my skills for rendering people into my art, and I had made this my winter project. The format is simple: each day, over thirty days, a photo is posted on Sktchy, accompanied with a video of one of eight artists demonstrating their own techniques for interpreting the photo. Naturally, each artist has their own style and process which adds to the interest. I opted for the pen and pencil version of this course (there are also pencil and Procreate versions) and although it's up to you which medium and style of expression you choose to create, I chose to follow the processes of each artist quite closely because I wanted to experiment and get out of my comfort zone.  The days alternate between pen and pencil, with some examples incop...