Essential Tools for Painting En Plein Air

4/6/2025

As artists, there are so many fun tools to use and test out. Paint, brushes and canvas are the starting point, but what are the other essential tools that we can use to paint en plein air?
In this post, I want to share some essential tools that you can use when you step outdoors to paint. Please keep in mind that there are many different options out there and you can always pick and choose what you feel is necessary.

Easel

Jullian Painting Easel

Whether you're painting with acrylics, oils or watercolor, it's good to have a comfortable and easy to use easel. There are a lot of options out there and recently, lighter options similar to camera tripods have become popular. These easels are sometimes called "field easels" or "travel easels".
I personally like the feeling of using a traditional wooden, Jullian travel easel, but I also use a folding tripod style easel for watercolor. It's super light and easy to set up so it's a great option. You can find great options at various art stores or by searching online for plein air, travel easels.
Read about my vintage Jullian easel HERE.

Supply Box/Bag

Keeping your supplies organized in a box or bag is the best way to streamline your process. Remember that speed is your friend when you're painting outdoors; if you spend 10 minutes searching for a specific tube of paint then your painting time is that much shorter.
I use a wooden painting box which holds my brushes, palette, painting knives, rags, oils, etc. It's not the most lightweight option, but it works for me and I have everything ready to go. I also keep my extra painting tubes, snacks, water and extra supplies separated in a backpack.
If you're traveling by plane, you will need to check the specific regulations which can be found online. Gamblin colors has an article about it HERE.

Travel or Folding Palette

Wooden Folding Palette

When I'm painting in my studio, I usually use a large painting palette with a lot of room to mix color. Likewise, I have a larger palette for studio watercolors.
But if I'm outdoors, I like to use a folding wooden palette for oil paints and a folding metal palette for watercolors. I wrote a blog post about my folding watercolor palette HERE.
These folding palettes are nice for travel and provide enough mixing space to make it easier to work en plein air.

Plein Air Umbrellas

Jullian Plein Air Umbrella

Having an umbrella on location is actually one of the most essential tools. And it's not for rain, but actually for sun! I made a video about this, but a plein air umbrella blocks the glare of the sun and makes it much easier to see what you're doing.
If you're using watercolor, the white paper can be really bright in direct sunlight; to protect your eyes and allow you to judge color and value, an umbrella is really a must-have.
Check out my video below to learn more!

Extras

Here are some extra considerations when you go out en plein air. Remember to stay hydrated. Painting can be physically taxing and hours can fly by while you're in the zone, but remember to stay hydrated. Bring snacks and take breaks while you work.
I've also found it useful to bring a small plastic garbage bag to put paint rags and other supplies in or your garbage so you leave the location clean and undisturbed. Remember that paint can be toxic to wildlife and plants so don't discard materials (especially oil paints). Many nature preserves also provide trashcans along hiking trails.
If you're going further into nature - see if your location has a restroom nearby; many nature preserves and hiking trails have restrooms on location which you can scout out before hiking. Remember to be safe in more remote locations and let people know where you're going before you go.
Other necessities will come to you as you go along. I've personally learned almost everything from trial and error to see what I need and what's useful. I hope you give outdoor painting a try and let me know your results!

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