Learning objectives
■ Make small studies regularly
■ Develop your own approach
■ Set yourself a project
Immersing yourself in the great outdoors and enjoying the meditation that painting from life can offer will transform your painting skills, but before you take the plunge here are a few tips to help you prepare for the summer ahead.
1 Develop a system
You'll have enough to contend with, without worrying about the basics when you're working from life, so develop a working practice before you paint in earnest. Look at the work of other painters interested in the same genre for inspiration and technical help.
2 A five-step approach
Whatever medium I choose, I approach my subject using the following five-steps to develop a painting from start to finish (see exercise below). It's not the only way to go about painting, but
