As she paints “en plein air”— a French expression for painting outdoors — she talks to herself, sometimes scolding, sometimes reassuring. “Get to work,” she says. “Quit fussing around. Get busy.” But ...

When I am standing outside painting plein air I feel like I somehow absorb all the energy, emotions, sights, sounds, and feelings … My best paintings are done out-of-doors rather than in the studio. I ...

The 19th century was the great age of plein-air landscape painting, when artists left their studios and took to the outdoors to capture not a romanticized ­vision of nature but the real thing.

Now the park sponsors an annual Plein Air Art Invitational, and has an artist-in-residence program. nps.gov/zion T.C. Steele State Historic Site, Nashville, Ind.

Find a pretty landscape. Set up an easel and canvas. Hold your paintbrush and palette just so and … practice, practice, practice. You are now a plein air painter. This article is featured in the ...