Plein Air Oil Painting for Beginners: Paint Outdoors

A course by Yo Rühmer , Illustrator

Illustrator. Frankfurt, Germany.
Joined August 2020

Study shapes, light, and colors in the open air and learn to capture the atmosphere and mood of a place with brushes and oil paints

100% positive reviews (93)
2,033 students
Audio: German
German · Spanish · English · Portuguese · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch

Study shapes, light, and colors in the open air and learn to capture the atmosphere and mood of a place with brushes and oil paints

The French expression "en plein air" refers to the act of painting outdoors, which, according to illustrator Yo Rühmer, is the best studio in the world, as well as the most beautiful. She loves creating her art in the great outdoors and encourages people to move their studios out in nature. She has managed to build a community around this concept using the hashtag #maleinfachdraußen (just paint outdoors), which is also the title of her first book in German about plein air painting.

In this course, learn how to capture the atmosphere and fleeting light of a landscape while painting in situ. Yo teaches you everything you need to know to start painting and create open-air art. For the final project, search for your subject in nature, plant your studio there, and depict what's in front of you using oil paints. By the end of the course, you'll be able to set up a workspace anywhere and effortlessly recreate your surroundings on canvas.

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What will you learn in this online course?

17 lessons & 23 downloads

Materials
9 minutes, 11 seconds
The colors 1
15 minutes, 35 seconds
The colors 2
13 minutes, 1 second
  • 100% positive reviews (93)
  • 2,033 students
  • 17 lessons (3h 42m)
  • 23 additional resources (9 files)
  • Online and at your own pace
  • Available on the app
  • Audio: German
  • German · Spanish · English · Portuguese · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch
  • Level: Beginner
  • Unlimited access forever

What is this course's project?

Join your teacher outdoors and paint a park landscape on a 30 x 24 cm canvas using oil paints.

Projects by course students

Who is this online course for?

This course is for anyone who wants to paint in the great outdoors, whether they're just getting started with oil paints or already have some experience.

It's also great for illustrators who want to improve their technique through observation and urban artists interested in branching out beyond line drawing.

Requirements and materials

No prior knowledge is needed to take this course.

As for materials, you need an easel, a backpack, warm clothing, oil paints, additives, a palette, brushes, palette knives, and a cloth canvas.


Reviews

2,033 Students
93 Reviews
100% Positive ratings
  • More reviews

Yo Rühmer

A course by Yo Rühmer

Teacher Plus
Illustrator

Yo Rühmer is an illustrator and artist who works with advertising agencies and publishing houses, collaborating primarily on children's books and textbooks. After working in front of a computer for several years, she started searching for a way to express her creativity that didn't involve deadlines. That's how she discovered her passion for plein air oil painting, an activity she likes to share with others whenever she can. She has taught multiple workshops on the subject and encourages her followers to paint outdoors through her Instagram account and her book Mal einfach draußen!

While many people have a misguided conception about oil painting and consider it to be a complex discipline that's difficult to learn, she views it as a free-form technique that allows her to enjoy the creative process without the need for perfection. What she loves most is that it puts her in the here and now and gives her the opportunity to experience her surroundings with all five senses. Through plein air painting, Yo has learned a great deal about light and color, which she always incorporates into her illustrations.


Content

  • U1

    introduction

    • About me and course content
    • inspirations
  • U2

    Preparation: materials, painting course and vision school

    • materials
    • The colors 1
    • The colors 2
    • Introduction to the alla prima painting style 1
    • Introduction to Alla Prima painting 2
    • School of vision: painting pochades 1
    • School of vision: painting pochades 2
  • U3

    painting plein air

    • Location, motif search and construction
    • image start
    • Build-up
    • Details, end of picture and final corrections 1
    • Details, end of picture and final corrections 2
    • Details, end of picture and final corrections 3
  • U4

    post production

    • Take a picture and then transport it
    • Post your plein air picture on Instagram
  • FP

    Final project

    • Painting outdoor scenes with oil for beginners

What to expect from a Domestika course

  • Learn at your own pace

    Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.

  • Learn from the best professionals

    Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.

  • Meet expert teachers

    Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.

  • Certificates
    Plus

    If you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.

  • Get front-row seats

    Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.

  • Share knowledge and ideas

    Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.

  • Connect with a global creative community

    The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.

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FAQs

Domestika's courses are online classes that provide you with the tools and skills you need to complete a specific project. Every step of the project combines video lessons with complementary instructional material, so you can learn by doing. Domestika's courses also allow you to share your own projects with the teacher and with other students, creating a dynamic course community.

All courses are 100% online, so once they're published, courses start and finish whenever you want. You set the pace of the class. You can go back to review what interests you most and skip what you already know, ask questions, answer questions, share your projects, and more.

The courses are divided into different units. Each one includes lessons, informational text, tasks, and practice exercises to help you carry out your project step by step, with additional complementary resources and downloads. You'll also have access to an exclusive forum where you can interact with the teacher and with other students, as well as share your work and your course project, creating a community around the course.

You can redeem the course you received by accessing the redeeming page and entering your gift code.

If you're a Plus member, when you complete a course you've purchased, you'll instantly get your personalized certificate. You can see all your certificates in the Certificates section of your profile. You can download your certificates as PDFs and share the link online. Learn more about certificates.
Plein Air Oil Painting for Beginners: Paint Outdoors. Illustration course by Yo Rühmer

Plein Air Oil Painting for Beginners: Paint Outdoors

A course by Yo Rühmer
Illustrator. Frankfurt, Germany.
Joined August 2020
  • 100% positive reviews (93)
  • 2,033 students