Being prepared for the weather can be the difference between a pleasurable and productive experience versus a pretty miserable one. A lack of preparedness can even be dangerous in some circumstances.
Extreme heat not only makes painting difficult as your paint dries right on your palette, but it can cause dehydration and heat exhaustion, or worse. A sudden drop in temperature or even a thunderstorm can suck the heat right out of your body. So, pack accordingly.
We may be surprised if the weather changes rapidly, but being ready for most foreseeable contingencies is generally a good idea. Check the weather report before setting forth. Make sure you have plenty of water to drink as well as to paint with. Fingerless gloves or mittens may let you sketch a bit longer when it’s cold out. Plan on taking layers so you can add or subtract a jacket or sweater (or more) as the temperature fluctuates.
On this day, we got caught in a storm and were soaked on the way back to the truck, but our sketches stayed dry!
Be prepared to move quickly if you need to. Rain may come up suddenly and drench you and your hard work. Sometimes, if the weather report is threatening, I choose to work smaller. Not only is it faster, but you can actually shield your work with your body if it’s small enough!
This little painting is about the same size as a snapshot. My husband and gear-carrier, Joseph, prefers to work this size, for convenience and portability. He usually has his kit in the pocket of his cargo pants, at the ready at all times.