How to Paint a Painting in 46 Seconds

How Do You Paint a Painting in 46 Seconds?

I have no idea.

But, please, enjoy the video...

"Snow Fall at Woolridge Lake"

9x12, oil

Inquire: amyhrdonahue@gmail.com

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4 Tips for Painting in Cold Weather

 I've been doing a bit of cold weather plein air painting recently. There's something about the winter light that I love more than other times of the year -- when the weather is more reasonable.  

Not to say that I had a choice between reasonable and cold, just as the poor daffodils started to emerge the East got hit with some record lows and snow. While I enjoy studio painting, there is that "certain slant of light" moves me, it excites me... poor Emily never saw it that way. I may be the only one who wouldn't mind another snow or two, even though it's March.

I've learned a few cold weather painting survival strategies. Thought they might be worth sharing.

Top tips for painting in the cold weather:

1. Snow pants. Back in my snowboarding days I received some fantastic snow pants. Now they're christened with paint.

2. Hot Hands hand warmers (stuffed into the palm of my gloves). The best.

3. Stand on a car mat instead of the snow.
It's the difference between leaving the spot after 2-3 hours of painting with toes almost-too-painful-to-walk and toes feeling okay. I could buy better boots. That would be too easy.

4. Get the paint good and warm before setting out to paint.
During the rest of the year I throw my easel loaded with paint in the trunk of my car when driving to location. In these temps the easel/paint are placed next to the passenger side floor vents and heat blasted while driving to location. When the paint gets too cold it becomes "stiff". It won't freeze, but it becomes difficult to move around/mix/paint with.

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Lily Pads on Walton Lake, 6x10

Lily Pads on Walton Lake

6x10, oil on board

Available at Gallery Flux

I've posted this one before, while it was still on the easel.

Two people mentioned it reminded them of Chuck Larivey, which is quite an honor. However, it's only because of the subject matter. He is famous for his water lilies.

Maybe I was hoping for a mention of -- well -- Monet. 

Just kidding!

A few recent plein air paintings

 

Summer Reflections

 Swift Creek Reservoir

11x14, oil

 

Lilly pads on Walton Lake

6x10, oil

 

 

 The Matthew's Sunflower Field

Powhatan

11x14, oil

Day One (30 in 30 Challenge) - What not to do.

 

On Monday I packed up my gear for a little painting at Sunday Park. Counting this as day one of the 30 in 30 Challenge. I don't know how I'll do blogging each day of the challenge. Today I want to pass along a few "What Not To Do's". If you're a plein air painter already I am sure you know these. Even if don't paint plein air these are probably common sense to you. I tend to forget all I've learned when I'm racing against the clock/moving sun. It's really pathetic sometimes.

So these are more of a "note to self" reminder.

What not to do when painting outdoors:

1. Do not set up your easel so your painting is in the shade and your palette is in the sun. (See photo above.)

2. Do not pick a spot where you can't back up from your painting (without falling in the lake).

3. Do not "chase the light", i.e. change the painting with each degree that the sun shifts.

4. Do not choose a small canvas when painting a "wide angle" scene.

5. Do not try to paint a whole lot of big rocks in a hurry.

6x8, oil

Thankfully it kind of looks like something. Kind of is emphasized.

Bach House in the Snow, 8x10

I wouldn't normally post a snow scene when spring is blooming so beautifully, but I believe this is the last painting of "AROUND TOWN" that hadn't made it to the blog.

Speaking of AROUND TOWN, this is the last week to view the show. I'll be taking down the artwork on April 30, one week from today. Thanks to everyone who did take the time to see the artwork and enjoy the sunny space at Urban Farmhouse.

13872 Coalfield Commons Place, Suite 102

Midlothian, Virginia 23114

"Bach House in the Snow"
Midlothian Turnpike
8×10, oil

See info.

This house, located across from the Middle School, served many purposes over the years. It was a tavern prior to the Civil War. In the 19th Century Jacob Bach purchased the house and operated a general store from the first floor. Later it became a boarding house, family home and finally business offices.

Hello October 6x16"

"Hello October"

6x16, oil

 Huguenot Trail, Midlothian, VA

I opened my inbox this weekend to find three acceptance emails to "The American Landscape", an exhibition in Staunton, Virginia juried by Stephen Doherty of Editor of Plein Air Magazine. I honestly was not expecting to make it in the show. So, yes, overjoyed! 

The painting above, "Hello October", was one of my pieces accepted to the juried show.

Congrats to Kim Hall of RVA, who also received an acceptance notice!

"The Evening Rush" 11x14 (Another little painting grows up)

 

"As They Go By"

6x8, oil

sold

Another small painting grows up! And one of my favorites.

I've discussed in the past how I usually paint a small painting before I ever attempt a larger work ("larger" is relative. Some still consider my "larger" pieces as small, but we're still calling them "larger" :) ) Some of these smaller pieces turn out well and I end up selling the smalls before I make it to painting the large. This was the case for "As They Go By", which sold last year to a long-time Midlothian resident. 

Almost a year later, here is the "big brother" of As They Go By.

 

"The Evening Rush"

11x14, oil

email for purchase information.

For the larger painting I borrowed the caption title chosen by writers at the Chesterfield Monthly in March. See the painting/caption online HERE.

This painting will potentially be a part of "AROUND TOWN", an exhibit of my Midlothain paintings at Urban Farmhouse at the Millworks April 1-30, 2014.

Click image below to see more paintings to be on display:

"Burning the Midnight Oil at Packard's", 6x6

"Burning the Midnight Oil at Packard's"
Packard's Stamps and Rocks, Midlothian Turnpike and Woolridge Road
6x6, oil

Packard's, a 50 year old establishment, started with an inventory of stamps half the size of a shoe box. Now the show cases and book shelves are crammed with  rocks and gems, books, boxes and folders of collectable stamps. The marquee regularly announces the arrival of new inventory.

"The Sycamores" 6x6

Of course I have to post a green painting on Saint Patrick's Day... even though it's white outside.

(Spring, you can come any day now.)

The Sycamores 

6x6, oil

The Woolridge brothers, partial owners of the Mid-lothian coal mining company, built what is now Crab Louie’s Tavern in the 1700’s. It served as the home of Abraham Woolridge and his family. In 1875 the John Jewett family purchased the estate and turned it into a boarding house. It was named “The Sycamores” because of the abundance of sycamore trees in the area. One hundred years later the house was converted into a restaurant named “Sycamore Inn” and the surrounding area was developed into the Sycamore Square Shopping Center.

"Spring Clean" 6x8

"Spring Clean"

6x8, oil

Sadly this building was torn down shortly after I photographed it last spring. It was the old Midlothian Cleaners, next to Swim World on Midlothian Turnpike.

"Engine 5", 6x12 and Urban Farmhouse Show in April

I started pulling out my reference photos taken around Midlothian from last spring. Mmmm, those spring greens are come in small portions even now. 

"Engine 5"

6x12, oil on board

Fire Station #5, located on the corner of Midlothian Turnpike and Salisbury Road, was established in 1949 through funds donated by the community. This bright spring morning brought Engine 5 out for a wash, thankfully, rather than an emergency.

Wow, March is 1/3 the way over. Time certainly flies! Today was a lovely 77 degree day. I spent a couple hours working on the computer on the back deck, soaking up the sun and warmth. 

I worked on a postcard design for a small art show at Urban Farmhouse in Midlothian during the month of April. I'm thinking of calling it "Around Town". What do you think?

 I stuck this recent painting of the Midlo Fire House on the postcard for some spring cheer and a little punch of color. 

I'm still waiting to hear the hanging date. April 1-30 isn't definite, but the artwork will up ABOUT those dates.

"Amber in the Light" 6x6

Amber in the Light

6x6, oil

Same location as this painting.

15 Paintings in 15 Days (Round 2) - Day Fifteen

Winter Light on Trabue's Tavern

On Old Buckingham Road, Midlothian, VA

6x8, oil

 The last painting of the 15 Paintings in 15 Days Challenge! It might have turned into 15 paintings in 18 days... but I'm not upset. The challenge served its purpose in giving me a jumpstart to the year, building some painting inventory and giving me some ideas for larger paintings in the near future.

Above is a painting of Trabue's Tavern, deemed a historic landmark in 1975. The Historic Marker's inscription reads as follows: 

This was the home of Lt. John Trabue, Revolutionary War soldier and patriot, and of his descendants well into the 20th century. Trabue witnessed the surrender of the British forces at Yorktown in 1781 and later became an original member of the Society of the Cincinnati in Virginia. The Trabues were among the principal coal-mine proprietors in the Midlothian area and here maintained a tavern that was patronized both by travelers and by workers from mines in the vicinity.

(Source) 

15 Paintings in 15 Days (Round 2) - Thirteen and Fourteen

A Window to the Past

6x8
Midlothian, VA

Bygone

6x8, oil

Midlothian, VA

15 Paintings in 15 Days (Round 2) - Day Eleven

Roadside

6x12, oil

15 Paintings in 15 Days (Round 2) - Day Ten

Mill House

6x8, oil on birch

Around 1950 the Lea Company built a sawmill near the location of this house, on Winterfield Lane in Midlothian. One of my books on the history of Midlothian said the home in this painting was probably build by the company to house mill workers.

15 Paintings in 15 Days (Round 2) - Day Nine

A Winter Dream

6x8, oil

15 Paintings in 15 Days (Round 2) - Day Seven

"Harmony"

6x8, oil

A good snow scene is in order! I started this one yesterday and took a few step by step pictures:

I started the underpainting with yellow instead of my typical burnt umber with alizerin or burnt sienna.

 

One of the most beautiful things about snowy mornings is those gorgeous blue shadows on the snow.

 

I wanted to emphasize the three primary colors in the color wheel in this piece -- red, yellow and blue.

 

Sometimes I reach a point where there is too much paint "sloshing" around on the surface and reach a point that I wipe quite a bit off. 

 

 

I gave this piece a break over night (put it out in the below-freezing temps on the back porch) and started in on it again this afternoon.

And a few unphotographed phases later:

Finished for now.

15 Paintings in 15 Days (Round 2) - Day Two

"For a Moment"

6x6, oil

So, it happened again -- snow! Beautiful snow during this 15 in 15 Challenge. I'm grateful. It melted/is melting quite rapidly, so I named this piece "For a Moment". It seemed appropriate.