As planes buzzed the studio yesterday due to the air and water show, I worked on these two small abstracts. I painted them simultaneously to give them a cohesive color scheme. The soundtrack: Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.
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...
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.
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...
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.
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!
I had a nice studio visit this morning from Andy, the owner/curator of Transistor. He selected some more pieces that he'll be placing in his shop. It's a very cool store selling music, books, electronics and art by local artists. They also host events, live music and readings along with classes and workshops. Located 3819 N. Lincoln Ave near Trader Joe's.
Below are the new pieces that will be hung at Transistor:
New York Skyline (Midtown), photograph, 2006
I've done a lot of smaller drawings of water tanks but this is the first large version on canvas using charcoal over acrylic paint. Initially, I was going to create a painting of it in color but I really liked how it looked in just black and white. It's based on a photo I took in December when I was in New York.
I like working with charcoal because it's very forgiving and has an immediacy to it that you don't always get with paint. When working with charcoal you get a more direct experience with the surface. Mistakes, fingerprints and smudges all become part of the image. After finishing it, I sealed it with a charcoal fixative for protection and painted the sides black. Ready for hanging!
Come see this piece along with many other new cityscape paintings at the Cornelia Arts Building Open Studios - Friday May 18, 6pm-10pm.
I haven't done a self portrait in years and decided to make one this week. It's an experiment in media and a little different in style than usual. I collaged maps from my travels along with sheet music on mat board. The drawing is done with conté sticks and charcoal.
I put the finishing touches on this painting today. Just need to add the protective varnish before next week's open studios. Another piece from my water tank and cityscape series.
