Chicago Lakefront commission

The painting continues...

It's mid August and just realized I haven't made a blog post this month. Been busy helping out my wife with the Chicago Writers Conference.

Anyway, the lake/water is coming together and added some more layers to the ferris wheel and LSD this past week. Yesterday, I made some good progress on flushing out the buildings and beginning to add the details.

Next up: more building details and textures, the L train, and filling in some more Wrigley Field details...

Updated Chicago Lakefront painting

I've had to rework the boats in this painting a few times. Still some work to do but the composition is basically there. Many more layers of paint to add but I feel like it's really starting to take shape.

Chicago Lakefront Cityscape, acrylic on panel, work in progress, 2012

Chicago Lakefront Skyline - detailed views

I think it was the heat, because, yesterday this new commission painting took on some bright, psychedelic colors. Below are two shots - left-to-right, close-ups - along with a full view of the painting. The skyline has been filled out with shapes of buildings and parks. I shot some photos of sailboats over the weekend and need to re-work the boats using those images as reference. What's there now needs some work.

It was 101 degrees in the shade today - so too hot to work in a studio with no air conditioning. Time spent doing online research and household chores. But anyway, here's how the painting's looking...

Starting a new commission painting

A few weeks ago, I started a new commission painting. It's a Chicago cityscape that needs to include the lake, L train, iconic buildings, Navy Pier Ferris Wheel and Wrigley Field. A fun challenge!

I began by making sketches based on Google Earth screen captures and shooting on-site photographs while biking along the lake. Next, I made more sketches and started transferring the composition to the 30" x 60" custom wood panel surface.

Late last week I started the painting process. Some images of the work in progress are below. One is the full image and two are close-ups.

The composition is basically down and larger areas of color and shapes are starting to come together. There will definitely be a lot more details as I add more layers and flush out the cityscape. Also more details to the foreground too. Yesterday I got over a hump and was really able to add more movement and color with the additions of the boats and more details on the Ferris Wheel and Wrigley.

New water tank painting - Wicker Park - Milwaukee Ave

Wicker Park - Milwaukee Ave., acrylic on canvas, 24x30, 2012

I finished this water tank painting last week. It's part of my cityscape series and can also be viewed on my website here.

What's new about this piece for me is the foliage in the foreground. I think it works well to create some depth and the green and yellow adds some nice contrasts to the reds and browns in the buildings. It's based on a photo I took after going to the Reckless Records in Wicker Park for Record Store Day this past April. Enjoy!