PLEIN AIR ESSENTIALS
2 DAY INTENSIVE w/ TODD BONITA.
CENTER FOR THE ARTS, NEW LONDON, NH. June 12 -13, 2026.
PLEIN AIR ESSENTIALS
2 DAY INTENSIVE w/ TODD BONITA
Center for the Arts, New London, NH.
June 12 -13, 2026 (9:30a - 3p) $250 (limit 15)
REGISTER: (603) 564-2787.
EMAIL: [email protected]
Spend two days learning the art of plein air painting in this hands-on, immersive workshop designed for absolute beginners and seasoned painters alike. Whether you’ve never picked up a brush or you’re looking to sharpen your outdoor painting skills, this intensive, “soup-to-nuts” course will give you a strong foundation in the fundamentals of painting on location.
Over the course of two days, we’ll cover everything you need to get started and succeed outdoors: choosing a composition, simplifying the landscape, understanding value and color relationships, mixing clean color, blocking-in efficiently, and bringing a painting to a satisfying finish. You’ll learn how to work with light, manage changing conditions, and develop the confidence to paint anywhere.
This class combines clear demonstrations, structured exercises, and one-on-one guidance. By the end of the workshop, each student will complete at least two or more paintings and leave with a practical, repeatable process for creating stronger plein air work.
Perfect for:
– Total beginners
– Students who have never painted outdoors
– Experienced painters seeking fresh tools, clarity, or a reset of the fundamentals
– Anyone who wants to enjoy the challenge and beauty of painting from life
2 DAY INTENSIVE w/ TODD BONITA
Center for the Arts, New London, NH.
June 12 -13, 2026 (9:30a - 3p) $250 (limit 15)
REGISTER: (603) 564-2787.
EMAIL: [email protected]
Spend two days learning the art of plein air painting in this hands-on, immersive workshop designed for absolute beginners and seasoned painters alike. Whether you’ve never picked up a brush or you’re looking to sharpen your outdoor painting skills, this intensive, “soup-to-nuts” course will give you a strong foundation in the fundamentals of painting on location.
Over the course of two days, we’ll cover everything you need to get started and succeed outdoors: choosing a composition, simplifying the landscape, understanding value and color relationships, mixing clean color, blocking-in efficiently, and bringing a painting to a satisfying finish. You’ll learn how to work with light, manage changing conditions, and develop the confidence to paint anywhere.
This class combines clear demonstrations, structured exercises, and one-on-one guidance. By the end of the workshop, each student will complete at least two or more paintings and leave with a practical, repeatable process for creating stronger plein air work.
Perfect for:
– Total beginners
– Students who have never painted outdoors
– Experienced painters seeking fresh tools, clarity, or a reset of the fundamentals
– Anyone who wants to enjoy the challenge and beauty of painting from life
SUPPLY LIST
Plein air painting in Cape Neddick, Maine
Supply List
(I buy my supplies at Jerrysartarama.com, Dickblick.com, Cheapjoes.com, Utrecht.com)
Please bring a table easel, or if you prefer, please feel free to bring your outdoor painting kit to stand and paint. I have extras if you don't have one but let me know.
Pallet
I recommend a wood pallet. I have glass too for one of my boxes...try to avoid paper pallets.
Paint
*(I recommend a minimal palette of a warm and cool version of the three primaries plus white (with maybe a few extras)....A total of 9 colors but I have included some additional (optional colors) if you wish to expand and experiment. Please spend the extra for professional grade paints, be careful not to buy the student grade paints. I use Williamsburg, Winsor & Newton, Gamblin and Utrecht but there are many good options.) (*Tip: Winton brand by Winsor and Newton is student grade paint, do not use it).
Titanium White
Alkyd White (Alkyd is quick dry paint. For brands, Gamblin, DaVinci and Winsor and Newton Griffin is my favorite.)
Cad Yellow medium
Yellow ochre (Alternatively, After more than twenty years, I replaced my cool yellow with Transparent Earth Yellow and I love it).
Alizaran Crimson Permanent
Cadmium Red Medium
Cerulean Blue (or Pthalo Blue for the brave or crazy).
Ultramarine Blue
Sap Green
Raw Umber
Ivory Black
Painting surface
Canvas, Linen or canvas mounted on board or gessoed wood panel...I recommend (8x10”) or (9x12”) but use a size you are comfortable with....Please dont run to Michaels last minute and get the slick surfaced, gessoed panels they sell...they are aweful and paint slides off of them. Get something with a little tooth to it...just a little though.)
Brushes
*Assortment of bristle brushes (I suggest large, medium and small in three styles: Flats, Rounds and Filberts. I mostly use Robert Simmons Signet series flats #3, #6 and #10)
*Assortment of synthetic flats and or filberts for glazing color.
*Small synthetic rounds for details. (I suggest Winsor and Newton Septre Gold 2 in the 404 series...size 4 and / or size 6)
Other
* Trowel type Pallet knife
* liquin and pallet cup
**** Gamsol (Turpentine substitute) with container or medium glass jar (No turps aloud in studio, sorry, please use Gamsol.
* paper towels (Blue shop towels are the best)
* Soft pencil, eraser and sketchbook
* Ruler, straight edge or a mahl stick (something to make straight lines with is handy)
* A Veiwfinder: Important! Whether homemade or store bought, it must be adjustable or proportionate to your canvases. Viewcatcher is ideal.
* Ruby Beholder (This is a quilters tool, a simple red piece of plastic used to see values, Amazon.com has them)
* Artist paint box for supplies
* Wet paint carrier. I love the PanelPaks...they are lightweight and convenient or you could use a pizza box.
**(I have extras of everything so please do not stress or panic if you can’t find that tube of yellow, etc…For best deals, shop online at Jerrys Artarama, Dick Blick, Utrecht or Cheap Joes.
Recommended reading
- Art Spirit by Robert Henri
- Alla Prima 2, (Everything I know about painting) by Richard Schmid
- Hawthorn on Painting by Charles Hawthorn
- Drawing on the right side of the brain by Betty Edwards
- Composition of outdoor painting by Edgar Payne
- Carlsons guide to landscape painting by John Carlson
- Landscape Painting: Essential concepts by Mitchell Albala
- Landscape Painting inside and out by Kevin MacPherson
www.toddbonita.com
www.toddbonitagallery.com
TODD BONITA PAINTINGS
TODD BONITA
TODD BONITA (b. 1968)
I fell in love with the ocean while growing up in Winthrop, Massachusetts, a small New England harbor town outside of Boston. After graduating from the Art Institute of Boston, I continued study of classical painting and drawing at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia. A twelve year career as an illustrator followed until I focused full time on fine art oil painting in 2006, creating oil paintings for art galleries and collectors. I currently maintain a studio space at The Button Factory artist studios in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. I love painting coastal New England imagery outdoors in plein air, equally as much as crafting more involved compositions in my studio. Above all, I love the process and simple joy of being with my tools and painting. My work is currently represented by ten art galleries around New England, Florida and the UK. and is in hundreds of corporate and private collections world wide, including 41st U.S. President, George H. W. Bush. I have had the good fortune to have exhibited in four Art museums and I am blessed to call this craft that I love my full-time occupation. I currently own and operate the Todd Bonita Art Gallery in both Ogunquit, Maine and Portsmouth, New Hampshire. I am also owner of the Ogunquit Art Colony School, where I teach painting classes and International art workshops year round. I live on the New Hampshire seacoast with my son Max and daughter Kate.
Life is good.
I fell in love with the ocean while growing up in Winthrop, Massachusetts, a small New England harbor town outside of Boston. After graduating from the Art Institute of Boston, I continued study of classical painting and drawing at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia. A twelve year career as an illustrator followed until I focused full time on fine art oil painting in 2006, creating oil paintings for art galleries and collectors. I currently maintain a studio space at The Button Factory artist studios in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. I love painting coastal New England imagery outdoors in plein air, equally as much as crafting more involved compositions in my studio. Above all, I love the process and simple joy of being with my tools and painting. My work is currently represented by ten art galleries around New England, Florida and the UK. and is in hundreds of corporate and private collections world wide, including 41st U.S. President, George H. W. Bush. I have had the good fortune to have exhibited in four Art museums and I am blessed to call this craft that I love my full-time occupation. I currently own and operate the Todd Bonita Art Gallery in both Ogunquit, Maine and Portsmouth, New Hampshire. I am also owner of the Ogunquit Art Colony School, where I teach painting classes and International art workshops year round. I live on the New Hampshire seacoast with my son Max and daughter Kate.
Life is good.