Getting Started with Outdoor Watercolor Painting
May 22, 2026
A beginner's guide to choosing materials, setting up in the field, and handling water outdoors. Andris covers the mistakes he made so you don't have to.
Andris Ozoliņš
Senior Plein Air Artist & Content Specialist
brevorise SIA
Who He Is
The Artist Behind the Technique
Andris discovered his passion for plein air painting while studying at the Riga Academy of Art, where his mentor's approach to capturing natural light in outdoor settings left a lasting impression. After completing his Fine Arts degree in 2010, he spent five years experimenting with various techniques before settling into a focused practice of landscape sketching throughout Latvia's river valleys. What drives Andris isn't perfection — it's the challenge of working quickly and intuitively with natural materials, translating fleeting qualities of light, weather, and season onto paper or canvas within just a few hours.
His breakthrough came in 2015 when a series of Gauja Valley seasonal studies was exhibited at the National Museum of Art, leading to commissions from collectors and tourism boards across the region. Since then, he's logged thousands of hours in the field, developing specialized techniques for landscape sketching in varying weather conditions. At brevorise SIA, he shares the practical wisdom gained from real field experience — from choosing materials that work in Latvian weather to understanding the unique ecological zones within Gauja Valley. He's not here to teach you perfection. He's here to help you develop your own authentic artistic voice.
Background
Experience & Expertise
01
Fine Arts Degree
Riga Academy of Art, 2010. Specialized in landscape painting and outdoor sketching techniques under award-winning mentorship.
02
14 Years in Plein Air Practice
Continuous field work across Gauja Valley and beyond, developing techniques for capturing landscapes in all seasons and weather conditions. Thousands of hours of documented practice.
03
National Recognition
2015 exhibition at the National Museum of Art featuring Gauja Valley seasonal studies. Ongoing commissions from regional collectors and tourism organizations.
04
Specialized Knowledge
Expert in Gauja Valley ecosystems, seasonal light patterns, material selection for outdoor work, and teaching others to develop authentic artistic practice in natural settings.
Specialization
Where His Expertise Lies
Plein Air Painting Techniques
Andris specializes in capturing landscapes outdoors — where the real work happens. He's developed practical methods for working with watercolor, acrylic, and oil in the field. His approach emphasizes quick observation, intuitive mark-making, and adapting to whatever weather or light conditions you encounter. He doesn't believe in waiting for perfect conditions. He teaches you how to work with what you've got.
Nature Sketching & Observation
Drawing what you see requires more than technique — it requires learning to actually observe. Andris has spent over a decade training his eye to notice how light moves across a valley, how seasons transform the landscape, and how to translate that onto paper within a few hours. His sketching practice isn't about photorealism. It's about capturing the essence of a place and the feeling of being there.
Gauja Valley Landscapes
He's not just painted Gauja Valley — he's studied it. The river's unique light, the seasonal color shifts, the way vegetation changes across different elevation zones. This deep familiarity gives him insight into how to capture the character of specific places. Whether you're sketching the same valley or your local landscape, you'll learn how to develop that kind of intimate knowledge.
Teaching Authentic Practice
At brevorise SIA, Andris focuses on helping hobbyists develop their own voice rather than copying techniques. He believes that the best artists aren't the ones who follow rules perfectly — they're the ones who understand the fundamentals well enough to break them intentionally. His writing emphasizes practical field experience over theoretical concepts.
Philosophy
Why He Writes
Andris approaches writing the same way he approaches painting — with intention and honesty. He's not here to sell you expensive courses or convince you that you need special gear. He's sharing what he's actually learned from thousands of hours working outdoors. Some of it will feel hard at first. Some of it will feel simple. That's normal.
The goal isn't to turn you into a professional artist (though you might become one). It's to help you develop a practice that feels authentic to you — something you actually want to do, not something you feel obligated to finish. Whether you're sketching for fifteen minutes on a lunch break or spending a full day capturing seasonal light, the fundamentals remain the same. Learn them properly, and everything else becomes possible.
The best artists aren't the ones who follow rules perfectly — they're the ones who understand the fundamentals well enough to break them intentionally.
Published Work
Latest Articles
Practical guides to help you develop your plein air practice
Quick Sketching Techniques for Nature Drawing
May 19, 2026
How to sketch quickly when light is changing and you've only got an hour. These techniques work whether you're using pencil, charcoal, or ink.
Capturing Light and Shadow in Landscape Painting
May 14, 2026
Understanding how light moves across a landscape is fundamental to realistic painting. Andris breaks down observation techniques you can use immediately.
What you actually need versus what manufacturers want you to buy. A practical breakdown of the essentials and honest recommendations on what's worth the investment.
Ready to Develop Your Practice?
Explore Andris's articles on plein air painting and nature sketching. Learn practical techniques from someone who's actually spent thousands of hours in the field.