Painting in the rain?

[Hank Buffington]

I went out to paint this morning and it started to rain. That's not typically a problem for me except I've been trying water mixable oils. The rain started making the painting run down my canvas and turned my palette into a mess. I had to pack it in and go home. If you use regular oils can you paint in the rain? Should I just use an umbrella?

[Armand Cabrera]

Hank,

Have you tried a kelty rain hood they make them for people carrying their children when hiking to keep the sun and elements off them but you could probably adapt it to use on a pochade box or french easel with a little ingenuity. Of course if it is really blowing sitting in the car is a solution as long as you angle it away from the direction of the rain.
The other thing is one of those popup changing tents for the beach... kind of an expensive solution though.

[Mary Byrom]

Hank, I paint in the rain all the time. (oils) I have a Subaru station wagon so I open up the back, park the easel inside and it works fine. If I have rain coming in form one side I duck tape an umbrella over that side a white one so my light isn't blocked. If there is a steady wind and the rain is coming sideways I park nose of the car into the wind so it doesn't blow in and soak the interior. If rain gets on my paints I just bring them indoors and let it evaporate. The paints are fine. I prefer to paint out of the back of my car even when the weather is fine as I can paint and move to new locations rapidly.

[Hank Buffington]

Thanks Armand and Mary.

I have a Subaru Outback and considered working out of the back but moved to get a different view thinking the storm had passed. In hindsight I should've stayed with the car. Lesson learned. :)

[vivien blackburn]

what about those tents that fishermen have?
You can huddle inside and keep dry if the rain becomes heavy too.

Friends and I use beach tents when painting at the coast - we tend to sit on the ground to save carrying lots of stuff.

[Hank Buffington]

We actually do have one of those tents for the kids to use at the beach. It's supposed to rain here again this weekend and be in the 30's. :( If there's any wind I may just go back to bed tomorrow morning.

[Terri Miller]

Oh, now I remember why I moved to southern California! The only place in the country that a rain shower makes the evening news with its own Special Report Graphics!