Hal Long's portfolio

Work samples

Letter from Home

A watercolor, 16"x20", recently painted, with reference from an original colored slide photographic image that I took during my tour of duty in Vietnam 1970-71.
Extraction from the Rock Pile

A watercolor painting, 24"18", depicting my troops loading onto a helicopter after a difficult mission on a hill called the Rock Pile. I painted this from an original colored slide photographic image that I took during my tour of duty as an Infantry Platoon Leader in Vietnam 1970-71.

About Hal

As I am refining my skills in pen/ink, graphite/colored pencil, and oil/watercolor painting, I enjoy creating life studies, portraits, and plein air paintings. My subject matter is wide. Recently, I have explored abstract art in watercolor and colored pencil and I started a series of watercolors reflecting my Vietnam War experience. Also, I have been capturing the political scene, personalities, and conflict. I have joined the Maryland Portrait Society, the Oxford Art Alliance and the… more

Paintings Drawn from my Vietnam War Experience

Paintings from my experience in the Vietnam War. Painted recently using my original photographs as reference material.

Morning Light on the Firebase

Watercolor based on one of my original photographs from VN. Soldiers on a firebase at first light, getting a measure of the day ahead. 18x12.
Extraction from the Rock Pile, VN

Watercolor. 18x12. Painted from one of my original VN photographs.
Letter from Home, VN

Watercolor painting from one of my original VN photographs, showing me reading a letter from home. 18x12.
On the Move, Vietnam

Watercolor showing three soldiers of my platoon moving through the mountains of Vietnam. Painted from my original photographs. 12x18.
Machine Gun Guard Post

Watercolor painting. 20x25. Painted with reference to my original photographs of the VN War.
Coming through the Elephant Grass, VN

Watercolor. Painted from one of my original VN photographs. 10x14

Conflict and War

Reflections on current political and world conflicts and war. Scenes and personalities. Referenced from news sources.

War Tanks Rolling Through the City

Watercolor painting. 18x12. War - Battles Tanks Moving Out of the City
Ukraine II

Ukraine II. Pen and ink drawing with some color, 11"X14", of Russian tanks as they move during the invasion.
Vladimir Putin

Pencil drawing, 11"x14", of Vladimir Putin at the time of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Volodymyr Zelensky

Pencil drawing, 11"x14", of Zelensky at the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Zelensky after 40 Days

Pen and ink drawing, 11"x14", of Zelensky after 40 days of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Referenced from news sources
Ukrainian Tank Commander

Pencil drawing of a Ukrainian Tank Commander. referenced from news photographs from the war.

Drawn from the News

I like doing portraits, and recent news events offer plenty of interesting faces to draw or paint. I used print media and internet images as my starting point.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Peter Hegseth, Secretary of Defense (War)
JD Vance, Vice President of the USA
Tim Walz
President Donald Trump

pencil drawing of President Trump giving a speech
President Jimmy Carter

Pencil portrait of President Jimmy Carter. President Carter died in January 2025, 100 years old.
First Lady at Trump's Inauguration, January 2025.

Pencil drawing of the First Lady at the Inauguration.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, 2025

pencil drawing of Secretary of State Marco Rubio
Attorney General Pam Bondi, 2025

pencil drawing of Pam Bondi, Attorney General of the USA
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson

pencil drawing of Mike Johnson

Portraits

Portraits. Mostly paintings and drawings from live sessions. Some inspired by images of holidays and celebrations.

Day of the Dead
Portrait of Mike - Vietnam Veteran

Watercolor of Mike painted during a live session at Gallery 220, Havre de Grace, MD. 11x15. 2023.
The Scream

Watercolor of a woman screaming at someone. 9x13. 2023.
Portrait of Craig - Vietnam Veteran

Pencil portrait of an artist friend. Drawn from his image on his podcast. 11x14. 2023
Harley Quinn

Watercolor. Painted from news and publicity photographs of Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn. 9x13. 2023
Santa - Recovering after the big day

Watercolor. Draw from various Santa Claus internet reference photos. 9x12. 2023.
Tammy in a Pink

Painting started in a live model session at Artist Emporium, Havre de Grace, and finished in the studio. Tammy was wearing a wonderfully pink jacket and was looking very serious. I tried to capture her mood and to do justice to the pink jacket. Oil on canvas. 30x36
Portrait of Kaitlyn Brown

Pencil drawing during a live studio session. 11x14. 2022
Father and Daughter

pencil drawing of a father and his daughter
Day of the Dead II

Colored pencil drawing of a woman in Day of the Dead costume.

Jesters and Artist Mannequins

The jesters, loosely patterned after medieval court jesters, are of my own creation, and I used them in various posings and grouping to illustrate themes or ideas.

As for the mannequins, I used them to help me create the jesters, but I also pose them in different ways to practice drawing but also to create imaginative scenes.

Juggling Jesters in Complementary Colored Outfits
Tossing Complements

A painting of complementary colors and single point perspective. Using my artist mannequin as a model and jesters from my imagination. 20x16. 2023.
Self-Portrait as a Jester

Watercolor. Self-portrait with a made-up jester's hat. 2021. 5x8.
Juggling Jesters Balancing

The two jesters are doing balancing and juggling feats for us. Showing perhaps the many (too many) things we have to balance in our lives. Their stage is a barren land with a road leading off into the far unknown distance.
Reaching for the Sun

Three jesters on balls holding a ball from which a jester is jumping to reach the sun. Impossible maybe. But we still try to reach challenging (perhaps unreachable) goals. And we have help from others.
Jesters Waiting for the Way to Open

The jesters are not playing. They are waiting with some uncertainty/apprehension for the way to clear. It is unclear if the way will again be safe.
Longing at a Distant Ancestor

The two jesters are looking at long distant ancestor and wondering about their past and journey. The ancestor seems so different - strange and a bit intimidating.
Priorities

A solo jester balancing and juggling. Balancing all the things we have to do, and keeping all the balls in air. Life is a bit like this sometimes.
Complementary Twins
Mirror Images of Juggling Mannequins

Scenes from Bel Air and Harford County

The greater Harford County region and Bel Air offer plenty of scenes to paint, and I am only just getting started in exploring the possibilities. Most of these paintings are the end result of plein air painting outings with fellow artists. Some were finished on site, but others completed later in the studio.

Cool Beans in Port Deposit

On an outing with a plein air group from Lancaster, PA, we converged on Port Deposit, along the Susquehanna River. It was a bright, sunny day in early Autumn. The town center was very quiet and peaceful, and the small coffee shop (Cool Beans) with a few patrons was my focal point. Oil on canvas. 20x16
Jerusalem Mill Farmhouse

Watercolor from the Jerusalem Mill Historic Park. Started on-site and finished in the studio. 13x9. 2022.
Shed at the Tudor (Booth) House

Watercolor painted on location at Tudor House Park in Bel Air. 13x9. 2022.
Harford Glen - Autumn I

Watercolor painted on location at the Harford Glen Park (Bel Air). 13x9. 2022.
Jerusalem Mill Field

Watercolor painted on location at the field near the Jerusalem Mill Park. 13x9. 2022.
The Golden Years

Oil Painting of a house in Bel Air that no longer exists. In its "golden years" as the large sign echos.
Motorcycle at the Cleaners

Watercolor painting

Flowers

Flower arrangements and flowers from around the house and photo references. All in watercolor.

Poppies for Veterans Day 2023

Watercolor of poppies, painted from web reference images. 15x11. 2023
Flowers in a clear vase with reflection

Watercolor painting with pencil under drawing. 11x15. 2023
Iris in a Ball Jar

Watercolor painted in a loose, quick manner. 9x15, 2023
Red Poppies with Others

Watercolor. 9x13. 2022.
Jonathan's Flowers I

Watercolor painted in homage to a fellow artist's flower series. 9x13. 2022.
Liriodendron Flowers I

Watercolor painted onsite of a flower arrangement at the Liriodendron. 9x13. 2022.
Liriodendron Flowers II

Watercolor painted onsite of a flower arrangement at the Liriodendron. 9x13. 2022
Poppies II

Watercolor of poppies painted for 2022 Veterans Day. 13x9. 2022.
Coming in for a Feeding

Colored pencil drawing of a Rose of Sharon flower and a hummingbird.
Poppies for Veterans Day

multicolored poppies in watercolor

Animals (and Pets)

Animals and family pets (cats) in watercolor, pencil, and colored pencil

Pardoned White House Turkey

Painting of one of the President's pardoned turkeys. 11x15.
Keira

Painting (watercolor and colored pencil) of our family pet - Keira - a Persian Calico cat. 8x10.
Punxsutawney Phil

Watercolor, 16"x20", of Punxsutawney Phil with handler. I used press photographs for reference.
Emmeline Hiding

pencil drawing of Emmeline hiding on the stairs
The Queen

Colored pencil portrait of a Maine Coon cat
Miss Emmeline

Colored pencil portrait of a Rag Doll cat

Abstract paintings and drawings

Water color abstracts from imagination.

Moving into Alignment

Watercolor, 24"x18", painted from imagination. many layers of watercolor washes. Added spheres (circles) for points of interest. And broad brush strokes indicating movement.
Fractured Red

Watercolor abstract with spheres, lines, linear objects, including fractured red pieces.
Wind Surfing

Watercolor of lines and color with a central blue/red sphere and a white line striking through.
Bubbling Up

colored pencil
Primary Fun

Watercolor abstract of curved lines and colored spaces

Birds from the Backyard

Birds visiting our backyard feeder are my inspiration for this series of drawings. I took photographs of the birds around the feeding station and used these photos as reference for the colored pencil drawings.