Could you work for 48 hours straight? College students have tried it, but so far professional painters have not.

But Eric Armusik, a Hamburg, Berks County-based painter is attempting it. If he does, he said he'll make it into the record books.

For 17 years, painting has been his life.

"This expression on this little kid is just gorgeous," said Armusik. "It's kind of just a sigh."

But Armusik has never done it under these constraints: 24 portraits in 48 hours with no sleep.

"It's self-imposed, but now I got something in front of me and I really haven't even considered it until now," said Armusik. "That's probably why I have a headache."

Armusik has set up shop at the historic American House Hotel in Hamburg.

Three hours in and he is painting portrait number two. He plans to wrap up by noon on Sunday.

Of course, he is documenting the entire thing with witnesses and some video.

"I'll be presenting it to them when this whole thing is over and when they approve it, then I will a have certified Guinness Book of World Records on top of it," said Armusik.

He has no doubt he'll be making the Guinness Book of World Records and he does have plenty of fuel. But his surroundings are different than the norm.

"People peering behind my back, I don't mind too much," said Armusik. "But my children, it's you're changing Barbie's outfit and changing diapers and things like that. It's much more difficult to put your stuff down and come back."

Armusik said he is no stranger to sleep deprivation.

"When I did the stations of the cross," said Armusik, "I had been staying up with three hours of sleep for about four months. Near the end, I was just passing out at my easel all the time.

As for sacrificing quality, he said it won't happen.

"Every painting that's in this restaurant was done at 2:00, 3:00 in the morning anyway," said Armusik. "I'm not used to working during the day."