Chicago - 10 x 20 inches - oil on canvas- SOLD

"Chicago" - 10 x 20 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

I recently completed this commission of the Chicago skyline which was given as a graduation gift.  

I was provided with several reference photos but wasn't crazy about the lighting so I ended up combining various references that I found on the internet of the same view.  The sky, building and water are all from different sources - otherwise, I would have tracked down the photographer for permission to use their photo.  

I wanted the skyline to be fairly accurate but planned to accentuate the building colors and subsequent reflections to make a lively and fairly abstract scene.  I started with a bright pink background, sketched in the building shapes and then started with the sky, then the buildings and finally the water reflections.  My last step was to add suggestions of windows and other small details on the buildings.

The painting was well received and it is always gratifying to have another happy customer!