This video shows finding a scene, pitfalls of plein air (distractions and changing conditions) and benefits (accurate color, energetic brush marks). The video demo suffers a bit from sun/shadow and harsh conditions (wind, extreme sun on the panel) however, this is true to the plein air experience. Later in the video I show a gondola plein air scene that had the same conditions but was done in a fraction of the time. I spent about 1.5 hours on the first painting (finding the scene, setting up, and edited down later for clarity). The gondola was painted from 7-8am. I did take out the bugs in the sky and fix a few edges later at the house before framing.
The important part of this lesson is to try something outside. Then bring this indoors and reassess what you have. In the end I did not exhibit this painting, but I used the experience and colors to make other art during my week in Telluride. It's OK if a painting does not turn out, some are better than others, especially outdoors. I'll create some b/w shape studies to sort out the tree shapes and make a better design. Then I can use those great color notes I got to make a painting in the studio. Try not to get discouraged when you make art outdoors. Always take it inside and away from the scene before you scrape it off or decide if the effort was useful. The first painting (mountains and aspen) helped me do the second one (gondola).