Winning the First Prize at Pintar Rapido in London 2013

Adebanji painiting "The Summer Buzz at Kensington Church Street"

On Saturday we had a great Plein air Festival in London called Pintar Rapido. The Borough of Kensington and Chelsea hosted up to 400 painters who registered to take part in this one day competition. Roger Beckett, the founder of this event in London got the idea from Spain and did a brilliant job to put this altogether in London for the first time.

My Winning Painting! -photo by Roy Connelly

The rules were simple, choose a spot in the Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and paint it in a day! The Artists registered at 9.00am at the Chelsea Town Hall and got the painting surfaces stamped, then they all went to their favourite chosen spots around Chelsea to work on their pieces. We were all to come back by 8pm with the finished works ready for hanging. all the works were to be on display the next day at the Chelsea Town Hall, where all the paintings would be for sale and the winning painting would receive £1,000!

Prof Ken Howard (middle) announcing the winners and Roger Beckett (founder of Pintar Rapido in London) looks on. photo by Roy Connelly

I went to Kensington Church Street, and I painted it from Kensington High Street. I discovered this street while commuting on the 328 bus, once the bus got to this street, the trees looked great, they cast their shadows on the buildings and it really made a long lasting impression on me. I decided that I'll paint it as it was the place my heart really went out for!

This is the scene where I painted- Kensington Church Street

I started painting around 10am and finished around 4pm. It was hot, boiling but I enjoyed every bit of it! My wife and kids came around and Ruth did a short video of me speaking about the event.





I couldn't go for the Exhibition on Sunday because of my Church responsibilities, but I was  so pleased to have Prof Ken Howard call me to break the good news that I won! He said he thought it was a good painting! That really made my day!

For this painting, I used Winsor and Newton Artist Acrylics with all the mediums like slow dry medium, impasto heavy body medium and flow enhancer. I worked on a  Winsor and Newton 24" x 30" linen Canvas.

Here below are some stage shots at particular times of the day of how the painting developed.

STAGE 1

STAGE 1. 10:06am- I lay out all my colours, 15 colours in all. Titanium White, 3 yellows (cadmium lemon, cadmium pale and azo or deep yellow) , Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Orange, Cadmium Red, Alizarin Crimson, a Sienna Red, 3 Blues(Cobalt, Cerulean and Ultramarine) and 3 greens (Hooker, Sap and Viridian).  I use three mediums-Slow dry, Impasto heavy body medium and Flow Enhancer. I also have a tear off disposable palette and  the main palette I used is from Daler Rowney, it has a cover to preserve the colours. I attach a little orange bucket for my water to rinse the brushes and a Cass Art bag for dirty rags.

STAGE 2

STAGE 2- 10.16am- Here I do my normal 'griding', dividing the ground into 16 squares and 4 diagonals. This helps me plan where things are going to be on the surface. It's almost like I have an imaginary square in front of me with these squares and diagonals. I measure the distances according to these squares.

STAGE 3

STAGE 3-11.30am- Here I paint very very quickly, plotting perspective lines, The sky and the initial underpainting for the buildings. Everything is carefully measured. My palette has a big patch of blue as you can see for the sky.

STAGE 4

STAGE 4. 12.03noon- I now begin to make impressions of every interesting shape under the tree. It's very hard to just focus on the shapes and not try to paint things! Once I get the right shapes they pop up well!

STAGE 5

STAGE 5 12.48noon- For the next 40 minutes I just determine to play with the trees! It was such a delight! I have always longed to paint these trees and ever since I read a book by Norman Battershill on Trees, I have fallen in love with painting trees. I painted the cool shady areas first, with mixtures of Green with Alizarin Crimson and Cobalt blue and for the light areas I added Yellow Ochre and the warm yellows.

STAGE 6

STAGE 6 13.43pm- I then make sure I focus on the roads and shadows around the roads. The roads look easy but they took a long time to sort out. A few cars and buses line up down the road and I'm lucky that each time the bus stops for the traffic to pass, it stops at the same place, so I was able to use so many buses for the same one in my painting.

STAGE 7

STAGE 7- 14.11pm- I still worked on the roads adding middle platforms and leveling the area for things to work out.  I also add details on the buildings along the road that vanishes under the trees.

STAGE 8

STAGE 8 16.13pm- Finally I do the detailing and make sure there are figures moving about, there were loads of people but I was beginning to get tired here, so I just added a few in strategic places to help the composition. I added a bit more flicker highlights to the trees and then I just left every other thing that might do- out, so I don't work it to death!

While on my way back to my studio on Lots Road, I met a group of Painters around Lots Road painting.

Some painters around my Studio on Lots Road.

 If you are interested in seeing how I use Acrylic to Paint, I have a DVD available with TOWN HOUSE FILMS, Click HERE for the details.

SPECIAL QUOTE
"I'm always constantly sketching, this is the secret to painting rapidly, keep a sketchbook and sketch everyday!!!"-Adebanji Alade
 

Original Mounted Sketches Available!

I have had many people show a lot of interest in acquiring some of my original sketches from my daily sketchbook. This is a great opportunity to get them at studio clearance prices.....I'm making lots of space in my studio at the moment, the process contniues. I have 4 in this Collection and if anyone is interested they are £150 each all unframed.

Sketch, sketch, sketch!!!

Just send me an email if you are interested and we'll discuss the postage terms.

Each individual face sketched is 6" x 4" (Inches)- just like a postcard picture.

THE SKETCHES

Sketches on Public Transport I, Conte and Coloured Pencil from Sketchbook mounted on watercolour paper.

Sketches on Public Transport II, Ball Point pen and Tom Bow N75 Dual wash Felt  wash pen from Sketch book  and mounted individually SOLD

Sketches on Public Transport III, Graphite from the Sketchbook all individually Mounted,  

Sketches on Public Transport IV, Ball point pen with TOMBOW N75 wash Pen  from sketchbook all mounted on Foamcore.

SPECIAL QUOTE
"Sketch everyday, it's a medicine-It cures the deadness of being able to draw freely!"-Adebanji Alade

Bath Saturday Antique & Flea Market, Bath, 6" x 8", Oil on Gessoed Mountboard

Bath Saturday Antique & Flea Market, 6" x 8", Oil on Gessoed Mountboard.

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This is one from my Bath Marathon Series. I never expected to see an Antique Market on the morning I painted this but once I launched out and caught a sight of it, that was it!

Adebanji painting the Bath Saturday Antique & Flea market

 I really enjoyed  the colours of all the top of the stalls-together they looked like a collage of coloured shapes.

SPECIAL QUOTE
"The experience of painting outdoors in the City is immense, people are watching and they know if you have done justice to the scene"-Adebanji Alade

Sketches on the Train, Tube and Bus in June I

These are some sketches done earlier this year. I am going to be sharing the importance of Lines and their weight at my SKETCHINSPIRATION blog, so be sure to sign up for the latest updates.

Lines are everything to me when it comes to sketching and there is something sensual, emotional and lyrical about lines-they are everything to me when I sketch on the tube, train or bus, so look out for the lines here and have fun!

SPECIAL QUOTE
"If you love to sketch people, public transport in London is your best shot! The faces are just everything you'll long for- Colour, mood, age, youth, beauty, sleepy, serious, happy, friendly, curious.....JUST DO IT!-Adebanji Alade

Kidz, Life, Art and Stuff II, 8" x 8", Oil on Board

KLAAS II-Kezia says a prayer before her breakfast

I was really a bit to anxious to paint this piece, that my impatience almost ruined the piece. I got lost in the lines and the drawing and whenever the drawing goes wrong in any painting of this nature....the doom is quite near! But thank God, I rescued it in the end by cooling down and focusing on what actually went wrong. I was so wrapped up in the piece that I didn't take many stage shots but the few here give an indication of my mind's process.

Recording these phases in the lives of my children is a very interesting exercise and I hope to develop this further, maybe into something the can look back in the future as a visual diary. I already have many sketches of Josh and Kezia in sleepmode, you can click HERE to see. I think it's very normal for artists to have their children as part of their painting subjects.

Lest I forget to say-I used the Anders Zorn palette for this piece too, which consists of 4 colours- Titanium White, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red and Ivory Black.

Kidz, Life, art and Stuff II, 8" x 8", Oil on board-  

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STAGE 1- This is the 'gridding' process, always to make sure everything falls into place and its on solid foundation.  sometimes, I don't do 'gridding' but for safety purposes I go through the rigours of making these lines.

STAGE 2- This is where I lost it, as you can see, I was so anxious to start putting paint with completing the brush drawing...I was heading for disaster!

STAGE 3- After all the rushing, I ended up with a face that looked miles older than my daughter,  I knew I had lost a few lines with the profile drawing that I had to correct and on the hands and fingers too. This picture was also taken in poor light, so the colours are very wrong at this stage. This is a lesson I constantly have to learn over and over again even after all these years of painting. and it's HASTE IS THE ARTISTS WORST ENEMY!!!
I was happy to work a little more hours repairing but how better would it have been if I had made this piece at a steady pace, making sure each shape was correct as I went along.

SPECIAL QUOTE
I must have put this as a special quote before but I think it is more applicable here and it's, "PAINTING TOO FAST IS ON THE LIST OF COMMON MISTAKES AND DIFFICULTIES" by Richard Schmid

Kidz, Life, Art and Stuff I, 8" x 8", Oil on Board

 INTRODUCTION

Hey!! I'm really thrilled! It's June! A month of victory! The month I got married! Yes! And I'm gonna be starting this new series on "Kidz, Life, Art and Stuff"- It's a visual documentary of my observations as a dad at home with the kidz!

Last year I was at home with them for 7 months while my wife worked at Three Bridges-I had to move all my painting gear to my house, during that period I really got to relate with them better and watch them more closely because I was basically with them for the whole day apart from when they were at school, prayed together, I dropped them and picked them up, cooked, bathed, did everything....school work, played games, and often went mad too!

I enjoyed growing up as a kid and I never feel I have grown up myself! So I really enjoyed being what my wife didn't really like to hear me say at the time. But I will, I was "The Househusband".


Everyday was different, I either  sketched, took photos or painted....So get ready to enjoy the fruits of this period!

KLAAS I -Joshua paints on a hot day in the afternoon

Kidz, Life, Art and Stuff I, 8" x 8", Oil on Board

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Stage 1- Grid scaling becomes a necessity to make sure the drawing is positioned right.

Stage 2- I am using the Anders Zorn palette of 4 colours only-Titanium White, Cadmium Red, Yellow Ochre and Ivory Black. I start the sketch with a mixture of black and red, it is diluted with mineral spirits for fluidity.

Stage 3- I run straight into painting shape by shape, my emphasis here is not to overwork it and keep the edges alive! I love mixing mysterious greys!

Stage 4- Bad picture, but this was the stage that I had covered the whole surface, moving shape by shape. It's the "Inside out" technique I often use. It's when i start from a particular point inside the piece and gradually move out.

Stage 5- More of the final stage, a few refining details and the picture also taken in better light.

This is a progress shot while on the easel.

My palette for this painting.

SPECIAL QUOTE
"There comes a time in your life that you just believe anything is possible! You link up with The Spirit and you defeat that ego which keeps telling you, "you can't". You defy the odds and deliver the goods! The future can only be bright to the artist that thinks of possibility!!!"-Adebanji Alade

Late Afternoon Light Reflections, Albert Bridge, 8" x 10", Oil on Board (Plein air)

This is another one in the reflections series.

My studio is very close to Albert Bridge and every now and then I pop down to do a painting. It's a nice experience, The River Thames never ceases to be one of those spots I just can't get enough of.

Late Afternoon Light Reflections, Albert Bridge, 8" x 10", Oil on Board

 TO BUY THIS PAINTING PLEASE CLICK HERE

I started this one with a very detailed drawing as can  be seen below. There was so much to see that I needed to be careful to make sure everything was in the right place.

The beginning, my very detailed approach, I sketch with pencil on the board, measuring was vital.

I didn't take much stage shots but I  had a photo of the final stage before I called it quits.

The full set up

SPECIAL QUOTE
"Once we make a decision to do a thing, the means appear......"-Andrew Matthews

Spring Reflections, Oliver's Island- Strand on the Green, 8" x 10", Oil on Board, (Plein Air)

Spring Reflections,  Oliver's Island -Strand on The Green, 8" x 10" , Oil on Board

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I am continuing a series of paintings on reflections and this was painting was done on a wonderful day out with members of the ROI at Strand on the Green, I really enjoyed painting this scene and it was a great experience because I was able to sit down under a shady tree without much distractions but most importantly, the light remain constant for most of the day.

The Scene and the set up.

SPECIAL QUOTE
"Once the painting becomes a burden and you just don't know what to do, don't fiddle, STOP!!"-Adebanji Alade

Summer and Frozen Reflections, 10" x 8", Oil on board,

These are two paintings that deal with the subject of reflections. I really love painting reflections and that's why I'd take my time any day to paint them wholeheartedly!

One was painted outdoor and one indoor!

Obviously the summer one was outdoor and the frozen one painted in the warmth of my studio.

Frozen Reflections

Frozen Reflections, 10" x 8", Oil on Board

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Summer Reflections

 Shady Summer Reflections, Oil on Board, 8" x 10"

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The painting set-up.

SPECIAL QUOTE
Whether you paint indoors or outdoors! Just make sure you paint with your heart!-Adebanji Alade

Urban Shadow Highlights- Series 8-12 (5 paintings) Oil on board

 In all these paintings, the main subject is LIGHT! Once there's light, there's bound to be shadows! I love highlights and shadows!

The effect they have in urban space and settings is what this retrospective series of 5 paintings (mainly of London) is all  about. 

Light has colour, it has atmosphere and it has a life of it's own! The ability to capture this remains the task and duty of the artist, whether he or she paints indoors or outdoors.

Paintings are powerful with light! Especially when the light is glorious!

Hope you enjoy!

8. Urban Shadow Highlights VIII- Morning Light from Wandworth Bridge

Urban Shadow Highlights VIII- Morning Light from Wandworth Bridge , 6" x 8", Oil on Gessoed Card.

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Adebanji painting Morning Light from Wandworth Bridge

My set up with brushes

9. Urban Shadow Highlights IX- Evening Light, The West End.

Urban Shadow Highlights IX- Evening Light, The West End. 8" x 6", Oil on board

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10. Urban Shadow Highlights X- 2 Taxis and a Rickshaw

Urban Shadow Highlights X- 2 Taxis and a Rickshaw, 8" x 10", oil on board

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11. Urban Shadow Highlights XI- Afternoon Light, Lower High Street Harpenden.

Urban Shadow Highlights XI- Afternoon Light, Lower High Street Harpenden, 8" x 10", Oil on board

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Adebanji painting Afternoon Light, Lower Road, Harpenden

The set up for Afternoon Light, Lower Road, Harpenden

12.  Urban Shadow Highlights XII- Evening Light Hampstead High Street

Urban Shadow Highlights XII- Evening Light Hampstead High Street, 8" x 10", Oil on boaord

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SPECIAL QUOTE

"Don't invent little schemes whereby you can get ahead of nature, little schemes to make it look like nature.

You don't need to know how to do it, all you need is to do it. The things that count and make it look like out of doors are the big differences between the shadow and the light side"-Hawthorne on Painting