Comfort
Most people when they start painting do not give any consideration to their comfort. It is essential that you have somewhere convenient to sit or stand. You should take enough clothing to keep you warm. A big hat and sun-cream is essential in sunny weather. Insect spray is a useful addition to the painting kit.

Before You Paint

Selecting Your Subject
You will find that walking around in your chosen location for about 20 - 30 minutes will allow you to get a feel for the place and give you time to look for suitable subjects.

It makes it easier to simplify the scene before you if you look at it through half-shut eyes to remove the detail.

You should try to identify a principal subject for the painting - this is what the painting is all about and will become the focus of attention when you compose your painting. Try to get a mental picture of your painting. You may find that using a viewing frame (a piece of stiff card with a window cut in it to the same proportional size as the paper you will be using) will assist you to isolate elements from the scene, compose the painting and place various key points on your paper.

At this stage decide if the painting should be in landscape or portrait format. In the beginning try to choose simple subjects - aim to capture the essence of the scene - something which you can paint in a broad, loose fashion.