There will never be a time when I am not a proponent of painting outdoors (not 'en plein air' - that's for my French friends!😉) The connection with the landscape and the ability to garner vital information and translate observation into feeling, feeling into finished painting, is irreplaceable. But..............

Not everyone is able to paint outdoors. I have little time for those that look down their noses at paintings made at home/studio as if, somehow, such artwork lacks relevance and integrity. Sometimes we are unable to paint outdoors; sometimes we are never able to paint outdoors and it is the second of these that I'd like to help us with. If you can't paint outdoors then here are a few suggestions that will provide you with an ersatz experience.

1) Go to your memories

As admirers and painters of the landscape as our chosen genre, it is likely that we will have pleasant memories of landscape experiences. Revisit them. Think about what it was like being there and the feelings you had. Take a look at your old photos. Speak with friends and family and see if they have anything to share. Seek out the photos of others online (I'll provide some guidance on how to use those) to trigger your inspiration.

2) Look beyond visual references

Who has written about the places that mean something to you, or about the landscape in general? I'm talking about inspiration here, not reference detail so much. Over the past couple of years I have immersed myself in the wonderful nature/landscape writing of Robert MacFarlane - his books will excite an appetite for landscape painting far more than the Jacksons Art Supplies website. Start off with the best of the lot - 'The Old Ways' - and let your mind be tuned into the landscape, even if you can't be in it.

3) Use your imagination

You will need to allow this to be fired by something within, or an outside stimulus perhaps, but painting from the imagination can be a truly liberating experience. Draw on past experiences, images, sketches and just paint what comes to mind. I did this often when I was learning to paint, and here's an example of an old sketch (20 years ago, I think) that I made, based on a few ideas I'd seen and then mashed together. It could do with a little refinement, but I have much fondness for it, all the same.

I hear from many of you that love the English landscape, especially in the autumn season, so I have posted some reference images here on the Image Sharing board and you are welcome to use them as references for your own work, or to fire you imagination, if needed (look away now if you don't like oak trees.) They are from an area known as The Ouse Valley - a couple of minutes drive from home - which I featured in my YouTube tree painting tutorials. I was there over the weekend briefly, sadly without my sketchbook, but my camera was to hand so I took a few shots. We're probably a couple of weeks away from the seasonal colours being at their most intense, but there was a nice soft evening light helping to create a mellow atmosphere. Just before the sun set, it broke through the thin cloud, throwing some strong amber light onto the ever-so-receptive oak trees. I have edited these images in such a way that they will all benefit from some creative decision making on your part, if you want to use them.......you can do better than the photos!

A quick tip for using the photos of others - always make sure that you ask permission to use their images and always give credit to the photographer. In copying a photo, many think that their act of painting is the most important, creative element and take the praise when the warm comments arrive on social media. It isn't. The photographer that has taken time to see the composition, chase the lighting (can take years in some cases) and capture the moment, has a greater impact on the 'art' than the painter that copied the photo. Keep that in mind.

Permission is granted to use these images within the forum - credits appreciated externally.