From the Studio: Anatomy of a Commission

I usually do not repeat cityscape scenes, but when someone sweetly requested this one as a gift for her son's 21st birthday, I couldn't refuse. Here's a sneak peak at the process:

First, I toned the canvas with a bright gold to set the stage for a crisp winter scene.

Then, I started blocking in the storefronts.

Next, I firmed up a few areas of the painting with cleaner lines.

At the last minute, I decided to play up those lines with the spindly quality of the trees and shadows. My first painting of this scene was done in the hazy late summer, so it was a real treat to revisit the place in the cold, definite light of winter!