Rosemont Muvico

A quickly drawn sketch of the Muvico Theatre in Rosemont, near Chicago's O'Hare airport. Felt tip marker on tracing paper, approximately 6" by 9" original size, done April, 2012.

Millennium Park

A sketch of the open-air theatre, the Pritzker Pavilion, at Millennium Park in Chicago. Felt tip marker and pencil on tracing paper, 6" by 7" original size, done April, 2012. 

Cultural Center

A sketch of the east front of the Chicago Cultural Center along Michigan Avenue. I remember it more as the old Chicago Public Library. The buildings to the north and to the west are merely suggested. Felt tip marker on tracing paper, approximately 8 1/2" by 11" original size, drawn April, 2012.

O'Hare Office Corridor

A cartoonish view looking east along the Kennedy Expressway from the Dee Road bridge near O'Hare airport. The small office building corridor is familiar to thousands of Chicago area rush hour motorists. Felt tip marker and pencil on tracing paper, approximately 8" by 6" original size, drawn March, 2012.

Pickwick Theatre

A drawing of the Art Deco style Pickwick Theatre in Park Ridge, IL, a suburb of Chicago. Felt tip marker on tracing paper, approximately 6" by 8" original size, done March, 2012; with background tone on the upper portion of the building added by placing another sheet of trace with the tone under the drawing. Sky tone was added using Paint Shop Pro.

Superdawg Drive-In

Sketch (really more of a scribble) of the Superdawg Drive-In, Chicago. Original size: 3" by 8", felt tip marker on tracing paper with the image color reversed using Paint Shop Pro, done March, 2012.

Our Lady, Mother of the Church

These drawings were part of a feasibility study that I did for a remodeling of my parish church. The parishioners desired the removal of the plaster baldachino which obscured the diamond-shaped stained glass windows in the church's sanctuary. The final commission was given to another architect. The sketches were drawn in October, 2001 from existing plans of the church using the Microsoft Paint accessory.

Leaning Tower

A sketch of the Leaning Tower.....of Niles, a suburb of Chicago. This half-size replica of Pisa Cathedral's campanile is located at the Leaning Tower YMCA. A quick study, felt tip marker on tracing paper, 6" by 8" original size, done March, 2012.

Russell's Barbecue

Before there was a McDonald's, there was Russell's. Serving barbecue sandwiches since 1930, Ray Kroc probably sold this establishment Multi-Mixers way before he sold them to the McDonald brothers. For me, the building evokes a monumental Frank Lloyd Wright Prairie Style house, several of which are nearby: the simple volumes, the broad low-pitched roof with overhanging eaves, the horizontal bands of windows and wall materials. Felt tip marker on tracing paper, approximately 6" by 8" original size, drawn on site, March, 2012.

Ukrainian Church

Getting really close to home, here is a sketch of St. Joseph Ukrainian Catholic church in Chicago. The onion domes were originally bright metallic, but they were painted over because pilots landing planes at nearby O'Hare airport complained about the glare from them. Felt tip marker on tracing paper, approximately 6" by 5" original size, drawn on site, March, 2012. The sketch was photographed and color depth was decreased and a sky tone was added using Paint Shop Pro.

This is the same sketch as above, but with the vertical perspective exaggerated and with some added color using Paint Shop Pro to simulate sunset.

North Avenue Beach

A sketch of North Avenue beach looking south toward the Chicago skyline. Felt tip marker on tracing paper, 8" by 6" original size, drawn October, 2011.

Chinatown

A view of Chinatown in Chicago looking north along Wentworth Avenue. Willis Tower is in the distance, behind the Chinatown gate. Felt tip marker on tracing paper, approximately 6" by 8" original size, done August, 2011, with sky tone added later.

Millennium Park

A sketch looking north toward Randolph Street from Millennium Park. A quick study, felt tip marker on tracing paper, 6" by 7" original size, done August, 2011, with sky tint added later using Paint Shop Pro.

Buckingham Fountain

I had to include a sketch of my hometown. A view of the Chicago skyline from Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park. A quick study, felt tip marker on tracing paper, 7" by 9" original size, done August, 2011, with sky tone added later using Paint Shop Pro. There is a French connection here: the fountain was inspired by the Bassin de Latone fountain in the gardens of the Palace of Versailles.