A LEAP INTO FEBRUARY!

A Leap Into February...

I'm 5 days away from beginning this 28 day painting marathon. February 1st, at some early and unknown hour, I'll be venturing outside to paint the first of four paintings for the day.  I'm ready, having secured all of the supplies needed, toned some of the panels, and taken care of most of the household obligations that might otherwise interrupt my progress during the month. My fingers are crossed that no 'anti-art antagonizer' rears it's merciless head, to toss a broken brush at me!  

'The Softer Side' 

©2014 Marc R. Hanson - pastel - 6"x8" a recent study

Here's how this will all happen for anyone who wants to follow it along.  Each day I'll paint four 8"x10" oil paintings outside, photograph them, write up a short comment on each, then post to my blog... then sleep... then get up and do it again... for 28 days. 

Every evening the paintings will be photographed and posted here on my blog, and on my Daily Paint Works gallery page.  

If you are interested in purchasing a painting, there will be a... 'To purchase click here'... link underneath each painting, that will redirect you to the painting on Daily Paint Works.  The paintings may be purchased there using the PayPal service.  They will be available for sale, unframed, as they are posted.  I will keep the paintings until they are dry, and until I have had the show mentioned below.  Once the show is over I will ship any sold paintings, approximately the second or third week of March.  They'll be shipped and insured via USPS Priority Mail.  

The big news for me is that the Longmont Council For The Arts and the Muse Gallery, have generously agreed to let me put all 112 paintings on display for two days.  I am very grateful to the LCA for the opportunity to show my interpretations of the month in paint in its entirety.  I've completed three of these painting marathons and have not been able to show them all together before.  

The paintings will be on display Friday, March 7th- 6:00pm - 8:00pm, and Saturday, March 8th - 10:00am - 4:00pm at the Muse Gallery- 356 Main St - Longmont, CO. - 303.678.7869 

For those artists interested, here's the break down of the materials and supplies I'll be painting with.  

MATERIALS

PALETTE COLORS-
Cadmium yellow light (M Graham)  
Cadmium yellow deep (Rembrandt)
Yellow ochre (M Graham)
Cadmium orange (W&N)
Cadmium red light (M Graham)
Venetian red (W&N)
Transparent oxide red (Rembrandt)
Alizarin crimson (M Graham)n. 
Ultramarine blue (M Graham)
Viridian (W&N)
Greenish umber (Utrecht)
My white is Utrecht Titanium white mixed 50/50 with W&N's Griffon Alkyd Titanium white. The Utrecht titanium white has a favorable consistency and in colder weather doesn't stiffen up like some other titanium whites do. The alkyd sets the paint up fast, allowing me to employ the technique of painting with thick paint over thinly painted washes in the small window of time I have on each painting.  

PAINTING SUPPORT-
8"x10" Centurion OP DLX  (oil primed) linen panels, that I purchased and then toned either a warm neutral or a cooler neutral. I left about a third of the panels white, giving me a choice, depending on what I feel each painting needs at the time. 

FIELD EASEL-
12x16 Open Box M and a Manfrotto tripod.  

BRUSHES-
Robert Simmons hog bristle flats, brights and a few rounds in sizes ranging from no.4 to no.12.  I also have some cheap, off the shelf hardware store brushes (1/2"-2") that I find useful.  Lastly, my indispensable arsenal of small, medium and large palette knives. 

MISCELLANEOUS-

To further expedite drying, and because I like using it, I will be using Winsor & Newton's 'Drying Linseed Oil' as a medium.  

My solvent of choice is Mona Lisa (completely) Odorless Mineral Spirits ( a Speedball Product).  And I use cotton t-shirts and rags, instead do paper towels, to wipe down areas on paintings and to wipe my brushes with.

I want to thank you ahead of time for checking in, and any conversation about the marathon.  With the time that I'll be putting in painting and the rest, please excuse me if I am not able to reply to your comments immediately.  These will be long days, but long days that I am eagerly anticipating.

Happy February!  

Some more recent small pastel studies...

'Complimentary Tree'

©2014 Marc R. Hanson - pastel - 6"x6"

'Southern Colorado'

©2014 Marc R. Hanson - pastel - 6"x8"

'The Last Of Winter'

©2014 Marc R. Hanson - pastel - 6"x8"