How to draw en plein air

Drawing en plein air is the act of taking one’s art practice out of the studio and into the outdoors to take inspiration from and render one’s surrounding environment. In this charming tutorial from the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City, the US artist Bix Archer embarks on a plein-air excursion in the museum’s sculpture garden, which provides a dynamic setting rich with greenery, angles and reflections, as well as the movement of people, sunlight and corresponding shadows throughout the day. Archer makes for a genial teacher as she discusses the materials and techniques that tend to work best for outdoor drawing sessions, and places the practice in the context of masters including Hilma af Klint and Paul Cézanne. Throughout, she also frames plein-air drawing as a deeply embodied activity that prompts the artist to respond to changing sights, sounds and emotions – which, in Archer’s session, include a surprise marriage proposal.