What's the best medium for outside?

[Alyson Walters]

I love drawing with lead, charcoal, chalk and oil pastels and I love painting with water colours, gauche and acrylic. 
But which is best for outdoors?  And does anybody have tips for survival in the great British weather which is mainly wet and windy at the moment!!!! 
Thanks
Alyson, Lincoln UK

[Alyson Walters]

Hi Patrick
thanks for your comment. Your pochade box sounds interesting, o'm not sure if it would survive the Lincolnshire countryside though as it is so flat round here. I have added you as a friend and hope we can share more ideas!
By the way I should warn you about a comment on your page from a lady called Doris... I received something similar and have reported it to the site minders.
Looking forward to viewing your website
Regards
Alyson

Patrick Ley-Greaves said:

Hi Alyson, I live in the uk also so have to contend with the varied weather we have here. I paint mainly in watercolour but have recently taken up painting in oils which I'm enjoying very much. I built myself a pochade box and have taken my oils out outside and painted  twice so far this winter and its been great. I like not having to wait for washes to dry and  painting on  toned canvas seems to be a little easier than painting on white watercolour paper. I don't know if there is a best medium i think its just what suits the user. 

[Stuart J. Gourlay]

Alyson, by far the most commonly used medium for plein air painting is oil paint.  Of the media you mention, acrylic would be your best bet.  With your wet and windy weather, you would be better off painting in oils, because except in a downpour, you can still paint.  For quick sketches on nice days, water colors are very portable.  Pastels are a problem, because of the many colors that you need.  Lead (or rather graphite) is ok, but your paper will get wet and tear.  David Curtis, a fabulous plein air painter from the UK, paints outdoor in both oils and watercolors; he has published several books and a number of DVDs.  Any of these might be valuable references to you, because he does a lot of outdoor painting in the UK and on the continent.  If you already paint in acrylics, you will pick up oils pretty quickly.  The basic problem is solubility in water of most of the media you work in.  Hope this is helpful.  Stu