Alan McGinn

Pub portrait. Man in the corner enjoying a pint and some quiet contemplation. Warm haven on a cold, dirty winter's night. #supportyourlocal #Pencildrawing #portrait

Portrait of Joan watching TV. Joan is my mother-in-law, a wonderful lady slowly sinking into dementia. Happy in herself, still enjoys company and a wee dram, and happy to let me draw pictures of her. None of us are here for ever so we should make the most of the time we have.

That made me laugh out loud 🤣You have brightened my day. Off to indulge in some washing up now.

Joyful painting.

Sodding hours of delightful fun. Sounds good to me - I love a project like that.

Durham Cathedral from Observatory Hill; Autumn Colours. This one took three visits to that location with my easel, many lovely interactions with people while I was there, and several hours in my studio. You have to let each painting go on its own journey.
Oil on canvas
16 x 20 inches

Thanks, Mark.

A bit of quick gouache & pencil sketchbook action from today. My favourite medium for getting down some colour and composition for further painting ideas. Near Bishop Thornton in North Yorkshire. Never be without your sketchbook for these moments.

I saw my first real painting up close when I was a child and was immediately fascinated by how a painting was just blobs of colour on a surface. That still informs my painting technique to this day. Portrait work-in-progress detail.

I'm not complaining about it.

Gottle o geer... ink drawing. Object drawing is what I do when I'm sitting at home on an evening and just want to draw something. When it comes to drawing, there's no such thing as too much practice. And it's fun. #ink #drawing

By posting on social media, you're adding to the energy used by a data centre.

Another session on this painting I've been working on, Observatory Hill in Durham.

Work in progress: Observatory Hill on Remembrance Sunday, painting and listening to the incredible sound of the Cathedral bells peeling out into the landscape. #WIP #durham #durhamcathedral #remembrance

The world is full of beauty. Get out and make the most of it. Durham Skyline from Observatory Hill - Autumn Colours Oil on canvas board 10 x 12 inches October 2025 #pleinair #landscape #CoDurham #durhamcathedral #Durham #oilpainting #landscapepainting

Autumn Sun in Tynemouth,
Oil On Canvas board
12 x 16 inches
October 2025
This was done during a trip to Tynemouth with Urban Sketchers Tyne Wear & Tees group. #Tynemouth #pleinair #landscape #urbanlandscape #oilpainting #landscapepainting

Autumn colours on a cold day. You'll never regret going out to paint.

Back in the 90s, I was the archetypal starving artist in a garret, and what a garret on the 15th floor of a tower block looking over the great city of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Big Lamp, Oil on canvas, 24 x 36 inches C1998 #urbanlandscape #Newcastle #oiloncanvas #landscapepainter

This unfinished painting of Holy Island was my first trip out with a French Easel. It's been quite a journey since then and that easel dropped to bits. Most of my painting is now done outdoors and steadily wearing out a second easel. A life well lived should be an endless learning process.

Some #WIP shots of my trip out to Tynemouth with the Urban Sketchers Tyne Wear & Tees. Bit of a cold day on the fingers, but totally worth it. #pleinair #tynemouth #urbanlandscapepainting #oilpainting

Thank you. I'm sure they will. A day of painting is medicine for the soul.

No. It's a life-long habit.

Had a mental few months and posting on here has fallen by the wayside. However, I did get back out painting at the weekend. Work in progress shot from Observatory Hill in Durham catching the glorious autumn colours. I'll post the finished piece in due course.

Pardon the pun. Started a book of cat doodles. Other animals may be involved.

Thanks Steve.

Thank you.

Farm Machinery, St John's Chapel, Co Durham. Oil on canvas. My first plein-air competition, had no idea what to expect and got 3rd prize.

Found this little painting of St Nicholas aka Newcastle Cathedral I did sometime in the late 90s. #Newcastle #StNicholas #oilpainting #urbanlandscape

Leave your smartphone at home, take your sketchbook instead, and you can get engrossed in other people getting engrossed in their smartphones. #smartphone #peoplewatching #sketchbook #drawing

B. Cat on the car is such a strong image, and loaded with meaning.