JustBeginning
Beginner's guide

So you're getting into plein air painting

Painting outdoors isn't studio work with a view. The gear is different, the conditions are humbling, and the paintings are alive in ways studio work rarely is. Here's what you actually need to paint in the field, and nothing that will slow you down.

By Colin B. · Published June 11, 2026 · Last reviewed June 11, 2026
woman in black and white striped shirt standing on green grass field during daytime

Photo by Marty O'Neill on Unsplash

The 60-second version

If you only buy 3 things to start:

  1. Sienna Plein Air Pochade Box Easel Medium — Sienna pochade box: the right starting setup. Compact, stable, holds palette and panels in one unit.
  2. Gamblin FastMatte Alkyd Oil Colors Set — Gamblin FastMatte oils dry in hours outdoors, not days. The practical choice for bringing paintings home.
  3. Ampersand Gessobord Panel 9x12 — Ampersand Gessobord: the panel every plein air painter uses. Smooth, rigid, never warps.
Budget total
$150
Typical total
$350
A pochade box, a small paint set, panels, and brushes gets you painting. Add a tripod (~$40) and a wet panel carrier and you're fully equipped.

We earn commission on qualifying Amazon purchases — see our affiliate disclosure. Price tiers and budget totals shown above are editorial estimates; actual Amazon prices vary.

At a glance

Our top pick in each category

The fastest path through this guide — each best-starter pick by category. Scroll for the budget and upgrade alternatives.

CategoryTop pickPriceWhere to buy
Pochade BoxSiennaSienna Plein Air Pochade Box Easel Medium$$$ See on Amazon →
PaintsGamblinGamblin FastMatte Alkyd Oil Colors Set$$$ See on Amazon →
PanelsAmpersandAmpersand Gessobord Panel 9x12$$ See on Amazon →
BrushesPrincetonPrinceton Catalyst Polytip Brush Set (4-piece)$$ See on Amazon →
Panel CarrierSiennaSienna Wet Panel Carrier 9x12$$ See on Amazon →
Field AccessoriesGuerrilla PainterGuerrilla Painter Multi Mount Painter's Umbrella, Silver$$ See on Amazon →
Before you buy anything

A few things worth knowing first

Oil paint is the traditional plein air medium, but if you've never painted in oils before, seriously consider starting with watercolor. Watercolor needs far less gear (no solvents, no wet panel carrier), cleans up with water, and you can work small. Oils reward the richness, but they add real complexity at the start.

You don't need a French easel. A pochade box that attaches to a lightweight photo tripod is smaller, lighter, and more stable in the field. French easels are heavy and catch wind. Most plein air painters abandon theirs within a year.

Buy fewer panels than you think you need. Start with 8x10 or 9x12. Smaller panels force you to paint decisively within a 1-2 hour session. Large canvases take too long to cover before the light changes and become a burden to carry.

The gear

What you actually need

Pochade Box

The pochade box is what makes plein air possible. It holds your palette, clips your panel in place as a canvas, and screws onto a lightweight tripod. You don't need a separate easel, a separate palette, or a way to prop your panel; it does all three in one unit. Get the right size for your panels: an 8x10 box paints 6x8 up to 9x12 with extender clips. Start small. You will carry this every single time you go out.

Pochade Box — what's the difference?

A few common shapes, each making a different trade.

Pochade Box

Compact, tripod-mounted. The portable standard for plein air.

Weight
2-4 lbs
Max panel
Up to 9x12"
Setup time
Under 3 min

Best for Painters who hike to locations, compact kit, urban spots

Tradeoff Less panel real estate than a French easel

↓ See our pick
French Easel

All-in-one with large canvas capacity. Heavy and catches wind.

Weight
12-18 lbs
Max panel
Up to 24x30"
Setup time
5-10 min

Best for Painters who drive to their spot and work large canvases

Tradeoff Heavy, tips in wind; most painters abandon theirs within a year

Best starter
Sienna

Sienna Plein Air Pochade Box Easel Medium

$$$

Sienna is the go-to name in plein air boxes for good reason. The medium holds panels up to 9x12 with the extender, locks them securely, and the palette tray is deep enough to hold a full layout without crowding. It screws onto any photo tripod. Lightweight aluminum, practical design, nothing precious about it.

What we like

  • Attaches to any standard photo tripod, no proprietary hardware
  • Holds panels up to 9x12 with extender clips included
  • Deep palette tray keeps colors organized and separated

What to know

  • Box only; budget $40-80 more for a decent tripod
  • Interior is snug for painters who like a very large palette spread
See on Amazon →
Budget pick
Guerrilla Painter

Guerrilla Painter ThumBox V 4.0

$$

The ThumBox is the ultralight plein air setup: hold the box in your non-dominant hand through the thumb hole, clip a small panel on the ledge, and paint with the other hand. No tripod needed. Best for 4x6 or 5x7 panels. The right choice for painters who want maximum portability and minimum gear.

What we like

  • No tripod required; hold in one hand and paint anywhere
  • Ultracompact, the most portable plein air setup available

What to know

  • Limits you to tiny 4x6 or 5x7 panels; not for larger work
  • Handheld format causes fatigue on long painting sessions
See on Amazon →
Upgrade pick
New Wave

New Wave u.go Plein Air Anywhere Pochade Box

$$$$

The u.go is one of the best pochade boxes available: sleek design, holds panels up to 9x12, attaches to any photo tripod, and has a practical internal layout. A solid step up from the Sienna if you want more room and a cleaner panel-locking feel without hunting specialty retailers.

What we like

  • Holds panels up to 9x12 with a clean panel-locking mechanism
  • Lid provides extra palette and brush storage space
  • Reliable plein air brand with solid Amazon availability

What to know

  • Slightly bulkier than the Sienna; minimalists notice the difference
  • Premium price; the Sienna is nearly as capable for $50-100 less
See on Amazon →

Paints

For plein air specifically, fast-drying alkyd oils are worth your attention. Standard oil paint can take a week to dry, which means wet paintings can't stack for transport. Alkyd oils look and handle like traditional oils but dry in 24-48 hours. Watercolor is the other serious option: no solvents, immediate dry time, and the most portable kit you can carry. Pick your medium and stay with it rather than switching back and forth.

Best starter
Gamblin

Gamblin FastMatte Alkyd Oil Colors Set

$$$

FastMatte oils paint exactly like traditional oils but dry in a few hours outdoors, so you can stack panels for the drive home the same day. This starter set covers the landscape painter's core colors. Gamblin makes artist-grade paint that outperforms its price.

What we like

  • Dries in hours outdoors, panels can stack for the drive home
  • Artist-grade pigment density, not student paint diluted with filler
  • Landscape color selection handles sky, foliage, and earth tones

What to know

  • Matte finish when dry; add varnish if you prefer gloss
  • More expensive than student oils, but the pigment quality is real
Find on Amazon →
Budget pick
Winsor & Newton

Winsor & Newton Winton Oil Color Starter Set

$

Winton is the standard student-grade oil set. Pigments are weaker than artist grade but workable, and the price lets you paint freely without worrying about wasting expensive paint. Standard dry time (days to a week), so you'll need a wet panel carrier for transport.

What we like

  • Low cost makes experimental outdoor painting guilt-free
  • Available at every art supply store worldwide as a reliable backup

What to know

  • Regular dry time (days to a week); needs wet-panel carrier for transport
  • Weaker pigment load means colors feel less punchy than artist grade
See on Amazon →
Specialty pick
Schmincke

Schmincke Horadam Aquarell 24-Pan Watercolor Set

$$$

If you'd rather skip oils and solvents outdoors entirely, artist-grade watercolors are the answer. Schmincke's half-pan sets are compact, high-pigment, and the choice of serious watercolor plein air painters. No solvents, no wet panels to transport, and the whole kit fits in a jacket pocket.

What we like

  • No solvents or wet panels, the cleanest possible outdoor kit
  • Artist-grade pigment load that rewards both beginners and pros

What to know

  • Transparent medium; errors can't be painted over the way oils can
  • Cold and wind disrupt wet washes; tricky in harsh outdoor conditions
See on Amazon →

Panels

Plein air painters use rigid panels, not stretched canvas. Panels don't flex when you're painting fast, they stack flat for transport, and Gessobord takes oil paint beautifully. Start with 8x10 or 9x12. You'll go through more panels than you expect in your first months, so order several at a time rather than individual sheets.

Best starter
Ampersand

Ampersand Gessobord Panel 9x12

$$

Gessobord is the panel of choice for most plein air painters. A hardboard base with a fine-textured gesso surface: rigid, smooth, never warps, and oil paint moves on it cleanly. The 9x12 fits a pochade box with extender clips. Order 4-6 at once; you'll use them faster than you expect.

What we like

  • Rigid and flat, never warps or bounces during quick brushwork
  • Gessoed surface takes oil paint better than raw canvas board
  • Stacks flat for transport when dry, no panel separator needed

What to know

  • Smoother than linen or canvas; personal preference, not a defect
  • Costs more per panel than canvas boards
See on Amazon →
Budget pick
Centurion

Centurion Deluxe Oil Primed Linen Panels 8x10 (6-pack)

$

Oil-primed linen panel at a budget price. More texture than Gessobord, which many painters prefer for their brushwork. The 6-pack keeps cost low for a beginner who wants to paint a lot without a big upfront commitment.

What we like

  • Oil-primed linen surface has more texture and grip than gessoed board
  • 6-pack value keeps cost low for experimental early painting

What to know

  • Linen panels can warp slightly in high humidity
  • More surface variation across the pack than Ampersand
See on Amazon →

Brushes

You don't need 20 brushes for plein air. You need three or four: a large flat for sky and background passes, a medium filbert for mid-tones and foliage, a small flat for edges and detail. Hog bristle for oils (pushes paint decisively), synthetic for watercolor. Buy a quality set of four rather than twelve cheap ones; the feedback from good brushes is part of how you learn.

Best starter
Princeton

Princeton Catalyst Polytip Brush Set (4-piece)

$$

The Catalyst Polytip is Princeton's synthetic-bristle answer to hog hair. The tips split like natural bristle, holding and releasing paint with a real snap. This 4-piece set covers the flat, filbert, and bright shapes you'll reach for on every painting. Durable, well-balanced, and easy to clean.

What we like

  • Split tips mimic natural bristle for confident paint application
  • Four shapes cover flat, filbert, and bright for any plein air scenario
  • Easy to clean and resilient in field painting conditions

What to know

  • Slightly less paint capacity per load than real hog bristle
  • Filbert sizes run small; size up one from what you think you need
See on Amazon →
Upgrade pick
Da Vinci

Da Vinci Maestro2 Series 4240 Hog Bristle Set

$$$

When you're ready for real bristle, Da Vinci's Maestro2 line is the professional standard for oil painters. Interlocked hog hair holds more paint than synthetic and gives the confident, textured mark that plein air painting is known for. These brushes outlast cheap sets by years.

What we like

  • Interlocked hog bristle carries more paint for bold, confident marks
  • Da Vinci professional quality that lasts years with proper care

What to know

  • Hog bristle needs full solvent cleaning; more work than synthetic
  • Stiff on first use; breaks in over 3-4 painting sessions
See on Amazon →

Panel Carrier

Wet oil paintings can't touch each other or your gear. A panel carrier separates wet panels with foam risers so they dry without smearing on the drive home. Watercolor painters can skip this entirely. Fast-drying alkyd oil painters may get away without one if their panels are dry. Standard oils need a carrier on every painting day.

Best starter
Sienna

Sienna Wet Panel Carrier 9x12

$$

Holds two wet panels back-to-back with foam risers that keep painted surfaces from touching. Compact, light, and straightforward. The most painless solution to getting wet panels home without disaster. Same brand as the pochade box, so sizing matches up cleanly.

What we like

  • Foam risers keep wet panels from touching on the drive home
  • Matches sizing with the Sienna pochade box, no guessing required
  • Lightweight and packable alongside your other field gear

What to know

  • Sized for 9x12 max; larger panels need a different carrier
  • Pricier than DIY cardboard-and-rubber-band solutions that also work
See on Amazon →
Specialty pick
New Wave

New Wave u.go Plein Air Wet Panel Carrier, Large

$$

When you start painting 12x16 and larger, the Sienna's too small. New Wave's large carrier uses the same adjustable foam-riser approach at the next size up. Worth the upgrade once your paintings grow beyond the starter format.

What we like

  • Handles panels up to 12x16 that the compact Sienna can't fit
  • Adjustable foam riser system works reliably at larger scale

What to know

  • Overkill while you're painting 9x12 and under
  • Bulkier in your field bag; needs its own dedicated spot
See on Amazon →
a man sitting in a chair in front of a painting

Photo by Lynnette Greenslade on Unsplash

Field Accessories

Two accessories genuinely change your plein air experience: a clip-on sun umbrella to shade your palette and canvas from direct light (direct sun makes accurate color-mixing impossible), and a value finder to check your tonal values before committing paint to panel. Both are inexpensive and both do real work. Everything else is optional.

Best starter
Guerrilla Painter

Guerrilla Painter Multi Mount Painter's Umbrella, Silver

$$

Clips to your pochade box or tripod shaft and shades both you and your canvas. Direct sunlight washes out your color mixing in ways you won't notice until you work in shade. The multi-mount clamp fits tripod shafts of different diameters; the silver exterior reflects heat.

What we like

  • Multi-mount clamp fits multiple tripod shaft diameters
  • Silver exterior reflects heat as well as diffusing direct sunlight

What to know

  • Becomes a sail in wind; stake tripod legs when it's gusty
  • Clamp can loosen over repeated use; check tightness before painting
See on Amazon →
Specialty pick
Color Wheel Company

Color Wheel Company Gray Scale & Value Finder

$

A gray scale and value finder on a card. Look through the red window and the world strips to monochrome, letting you read values without color distraction. Every plein air instructor hands one out on day one. Under $10 and it earns its place in your kit every session.

What we like

  • Strips color so you see light and dark accurately before painting
  • Under $10 and handed out by every plein air instructor

What to know

  • Helps only with value decisions, not color temperature or hue
  • Looks like a novelty; the results genuinely surprise new painters
See on Amazon →
Going deeper

Your first month of plein air painting

Most people overthink the setup. The real lessons in plein air happen in the first few outings, not in researching gear. Here's what to expect when you take painting outside.

Read the guide →
Save your money

What you don't need yet

Beginners get pressured to buy a lot of stuff that doesn't help them play better. Here's what we'd skip on day one.

  • A French easel — Heavy, catches wind, and most painters abandon theirs within a year. A pochade box on a photo tripod is lighter, faster to set up, and more stable.
  • Oil painting mediums and solvents — You can paint straight from the tube for your first many sessions. Linseed oil, stand oil, and odorless mineral spirits add complexity before you've learned the basics.
  • A fancy tripod — A $30-50 ball-head photo tripod holds your pochade box just fine. Save the carbon-fiber tripods for when you're painting outdoors every week.
  • Large canvases or panels — Plein air sessions run 1-2 hours. A 16x20 canvas takes that long to block in. You'll learn faster working small and decisive.
  • Studio oils — Standard oil paints belong in a studio where dry time doesn't matter. Outdoors you want alkyds or watercolor, not paint that takes a week to dry.
First week

Your first seven days

A short, real plan to get from gear-on-doorstep to actually playing.

  1. Order a pochade box and a basic ball-head photo tripod so they arrive before the weekend. · Buy
  2. Order 4-6 Gessobord panels and a starter paint set. · Buy
  3. Order a brush set suited to your medium. · Buy
  4. Find a simple outdoor subject close to home: a backyard corner, a park bench, a tree against sky. Don't drive anywhere on your first session. Simple subjects teach more than spectacular ones. · Action
  5. Go out for 90 minutes with one goal: finish a small painting. A bad 9x12 you actually complete is worth more than an ambitious 16x20 you abandon. · Action
  6. Watch Kevin Macpherson or Marco Bucci's plein air demo videos before your first session. · Learn
FAQ

Common questions

What medium should I start with for plein air?

If you've painted in oils before, use fast-drying alkyd oils (like Gamblin FastMatte). If you're new to painting entirely, start with watercolor: far less gear, no solvents, and the whole kit fits in a shoulder bag. Oils give richer results once you know what you're doing.

Do I need a French easel?

No, and most experienced plein air painters don't use one. A pochade box on a lightweight tripod is lighter, more stable in wind, faster to set up, and easier to carry. French easels are heavy and tip over. Buy a pochade box instead.

What size panels should I start with?

8x10 or 9x12. Small panels force you to paint decisively within a 1-2 hour session. Large canvases punish beginners by taking too long to cover before the light changes. Work small for your first six months, then scale up as your speed improves.

Can I use regular acrylic paints for plein air?

You can, but acrylics dry too fast in warm weather (sometimes on the brush mid-stroke) and too slow in cold. Fast-drying oils and watercolor handle outdoor conditions better. Acrylics work in a pinch; they're just not the ideal plein air medium.

How do I transport wet oil paintings home?

A wet panel carrier with foam risers is the right tool: it holds two panels face-to-face without the surfaces touching. If you use fast-drying alkyd oils, paintings may be touch-dry in a few hours. Standard oil paintings need the carrier every time; they won't be dry for days.

How much does it cost to start plein air painting?

A realistic starter kit (pochade box, tripod, panels, brushes, and fast-drying oils) runs $250-400. Watercolor is cheaper: a quality half-pan set, a few brushes, a watercolor block, and a small palette come in around $100-150. The gear lasts for years.

Going further

Where to next

Related hobbies

Browse by category

Authoritative sources

  • Plein Air Magazine — The definitive publication for outdoor painters. Technique articles, field reports, and gear coverage. Free to browse online.
  • Outdoor Painter — Kevin Macpherson's site with tutorials, workshops, and event listings. Strong technique focus for oil painters.
  • PleinAir Salon — Annual plein air competition with workshops and free video content. A good way to see current work and calibrate your own progress.
  • Kevin Macpherson (YouTube) — Author of Fill Your Oil Paintings with Light and Color. His demonstration videos are the clearest starting point for oil plein air.
  • Marco Bucci (YouTube) — Professional illustrator with extensive outdoor painting content. Covers color theory, value structure, and field technique clearly.
  • r/learnart — Active beginner community. Search for plein air in the sub for technique discussions and first-painting feedback.
man painting body of water in front of bushes

Photo by Ilnur Kalimullin on Unsplash

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