Pintar Rapido 2019 “create a painting in a day”

The Pintar Rapido is open to both professional and amateur artists… the challenge is to paint a view of London in one day. This great event for Plein Air painters takes place every year during June or July. Chelsea Town Hall in the Kings Road has been the hub for this event every year – its where you register and where the exhibition takes place.

Registration

First you have to book your place online and get your ticket to enter. This can be done by visiting the website for the Pintar Rapido. There are sometimes events in other cities e.g Amsterdam. They will be publicised on the website during the year of the event.

Once you have your ticket you need to work out what equipment you are going to take and the frame that you are going to use (more on this later). Registration on the actual day is at the Chelsea Town Hall between 9 and 11am. You get your canvas (or paper if doing ink/watercolours) stamped, then off into town to do your painting.

You must return by 5.30pm (doors close at 6pm on the dot). Your painting should be framed (they will store your frame ready for your return to the Town hall). Make sure you get a good frame as your painting will be in the exhibition on the following Sunday and needs to stand out. Roger Beckett the organsiser is great at promoting this event and it is well worth the effort to get there, paint and frame your canvas for the exhibition as you may well get a sale.

Winning really isn’t necessarily the main objective… however having said that…we all like to win!
There are prizes for both the professional and amateur categories. But the point really is to particpate. Having a time limit really helps to hone your style and concentrate the mind you have to complete, frame and hand in your work by the deadline. You can enter more than one painting (I think you need to pay a bit more than the £20 two day pass to do this) so long as both paintings are done on the day on a stamped canvas/paper.
See full entry details for entering the pintar rapido here.

Advice/learning experience.

1. Don’t be too ambitious pick a subject you can complete in the time.
2. Bring a decent frame, this is really important! I used a float frame and regretted it as it didn’t give enough border around my painting. Note: all the paintings, particularly in the amateur section, are hung somewhat haphazardly a good frame will help you stand out. The year I went 2019 all the winners had really well framed pieces.
3. You have to wait until Sunday 5.30pm to collect your painting, (if not sold). I recommend you take the opportunity to do some more painting or meet up with other painters on the Sunday. The announcement of the winners often takes place around 12 but you do not have to stay for this, you can go off and paint. And if you win you will find out later!
4. If winning is you game, maybe check out who the judges are going to be… I felt that they tend to pick according to their taste!
5. Having said that (ref point 4 above). I think its better to be true to yourself use this as an exercise to fine tune your style, the time limit really helps with this. Personally I should have done 2 paintings as its too much time for me… I need to be constrained to 3hrs Plein Air! If I have more time I start to faff around and ruin the clean marks I have made. Also sometimes it takes a while to settle, so a second painting can work out better.

Good Luck for 2020