Over the past few years, I have been asked repeatedly while painting whether I also teach plein air painting—and unfortunately, I always had to say no, because I myself proceeded too haphazardly to explain to others why I paint the way I do. But after analyzing exactly that for my plein air book and writing it down chapter by chapter, I now have the foundation to teach my style of painting.
In English I offer the following lessons – if you are interested in my complete workshop range in German click here
Painting Demo Video
Individual Workshops
Domestika Online Course
Inside Pleinair painting demo
Since January 26, I started offering online sessions where you can watch me paint and follow along step by step.
The aim of “Inside Pleinair” is to bridge the dark and cold winter months and prepare you optimally for the next plein air season. Even though the painting demonstration is not being recorded outdoors for technical reasons and I am painting from a photo (as a one-time exception!), plein air painting is still the focus of the course.
The focus is on working quickly so that you can later paint the changing motif outside within 1-2 hours.
I’ll show you how to simplify a motif and learn to focus on the essentials.
With “guided” painting, i.e., working on the painting together step by step, I would like to encourage you to forego preliminary sketches, work on large areas, and thus develop a relaxed, uninhibited painting style.
Trust the Process!
The videos are in German, but I am working on the englisch Subtitles.
You will find them on my (still Geman) Inside Pleinair Site:
Please let me know if you are interested via e-mail
One-day workshop
If the online workshop is too impersonal for you, you can also do a very personal and individual workshop with me “in real life”.
Whether you have just started painting or have been painting for a long time, plein air painting is a challenge for everyone – it is too different from painting in a studio.
My workshops therefore focus on the following questions:
- How do I set up my studio in the open air?
- What should I bear in mind when looking for a subject?
- How do I manage to paint fleeting light moods or constantly moving motifs?
- How can I simplify what I have seen?
- How do I find “shortcuts” when painting to be fast enough before my motif changes too much?
- How do I judge and mix the colors I see in front of me to reflect the mood on location?
- How do I create depth in my paintings?
- How do I transport an oil painting while it is still wet?
I’ll show you how you can learn to get to the point quickly with the help of small color sketches – and how you can implement what you’ve learned in your larger plein air painting.
We paint in Frankfurt in the parks and the surrounding area.
Individual lessons:
Duration by arrangement (3-5 hours) – 45 €/hour (50€ in English)
For one-to-one lessons, I will of course adapt the course and content to your level and your individual ‘problems’.
If you sign up for “individual lessons” in pairs, the price is reduced to 30,-/hour/person (40€ in English)
For a small surcharge* I can provide
– equipment (easel/pochade box) on loan
– materials (paints/painting medium/painting board)
* 5-15,- €/person, depending on scope
Group workshop:
Duration: 6 hours with break – Group size 3-6 – 150 € /person
Dates
Due to the organizational effort involved, I am not organizing any group workshops myself at the moment, but I can offer you the opportunity to book me as a group.
Feel free to send me an e-mail if you are interested in a workshop!
Below you will find group workshops that are organized for me by other providers:
Plein air painting in oil for beginners
Domestika online course
The course is in German, with subtitles in many languages and is available to you for an unlimited time after purchase.
In my course you will learn at your own pace everything you need to know to capture the atmosphere of a landscape with your brush outdoors in the open air.
It is divided into a painting school and a visual school.
In the painting school
- I show who or what inspires me
- demonstrate my plein air equipment (incl. material list and building instructions as PDF for a pochade box)
- I explain my color selection and give tips for the correct assessment and mixing of colors
- I will introduce you to the AllaPrima oil painting technique to make it easier for you to get started with oil painting
In the visual school
- I will prepare you with small exercises to simplify even complex scenes
- I’ll show you how you can get fast enough to capture even rapidly changing lighting moods
- you learn to determine the tonal values
- I’ll show you how you can create atmospheric depth in your paintings with the help of color
All of this will prepare you to paint your first plein air painting together with me. Step by step, I will show you how I build up my painting, simplify it and, after roughly blocking in the color, gradually create the painting.
I’ll also tell you my trick for transporting the wet oil painting home.
you have unlimited access to many additional materials – and there is a common forum available to all students where we can exchange ideas and I will answer all your questions, assist you as best I can and, above all, give feedback on your paintings.
But most importantly: I hope to infect you with my passion with this course so that you too can discover the biggest and most beautiful studio for yourself!
With this link you can register on Domestika and sign up for my online course – and support me at the same time:
Student voices
“I watched your online course and wow, really, it is an enrichment for every plein air painter, whether advanced or beginner. I watched it with joy and regretted that I wasn’t able to watch it years ago, because I “fought” for many of your insights myself through thousands of attempts, a lot of frustration but also happy successes. You bring a complete package, completely practice-oriented, all in all wonderfully to the point… Great explanations and very motivating. That’s all it takes! I had the feeling that you had helped me to put all my puzzle pieces together into a wonderful whole. Now all that remains is for everyone who has seen this course to grab their rucksack, go out and paint, paint, paint…”
(Simone Butz via e-mail)
“One of the best courses I have taken. Yo Rühmer skillfully imparts her knowledge in an extremely pleasant manner. Having worked as a teacher myself for years, I know what I’m talking about.
Class“
(Bernd Gleissner via Domestika)
“Very good course, super structured and easy to follow.
Yo really makes it very clear and gives great tips even for painters who have been painting for a long time.
I am building a pochade box and am looking forward to finally being able to paint outside.”
(Gaby Schmitt via Domestika)
A brilliant course! Thank you for this wonderfully structured course, dear Yo. No questions remain unanswered:
– Starting with all the practical and organizational instructions.
– The color theory is also explained very well, which is so important (not only in plein air painting).
– If you work through all the exercises, you go out very well prepared.
– I also really like the tips for social media and the opportunity to network with the community.
Top!
(Sonja Neumann via Domestika)