Plein air painting sounds romantic until you've spent six hours in coastal wind with a brush in your hand. David's landscapes are beautiful. His hands were paying the price.
"Sun exposure, wind chapping, cold numbing my fingers — outdoor painting is an endurance sport for hands."
The Elements
Studio painters control their environment. Plein air painters endure whatever nature provides. UV exposure ages skin. Wind strips moisture. Cold reduces dexterity and causes cracking.
David noticed his hands aging faster than his face. The constant exposure during painting trips was taking a visible toll.
Field Protection
Now David's painting kit includes hand protection: tape for his brush hand during long sessions, barrier products for weather protection, immediate moisturizing when packing up.
"I want to be painting outdoors at eighty. That means taking care of my hands at sixty. The landscapes aren't going anywhere."