Condo Exterior -Wilderness Resort

Wisconsin Dells-Wilderness Resort--weekend quick get away with the entire family.. It was fun but short..  ..........      --It was like drinking a beer or a glass of wine and sabering it in your mouth after a rough day at work.. Too short but did the job to relax the mind, body and spirit...   Well, I'm definitely going back.. Haven't been to the Dells in five long years. It was way past do..             Enjoy  Render Rick!!!!

                                        

Interior of Condo

A nice interior and a warm setting gets you back into a relaxing mode and away from the horrible threat of the city life which can make you wither like the dead yellow leaves in fall...

When I stayed here, I just didn't want to come back home.. It was soooOOO  comfortable and lots of fun with the family. Who said interior design does not make all the difference!!

Interior Wave Pool

Wave pools, babes in bikinis and a nice tan is my ideal of a quick get away in Wisconsin Dells in the end of October..!!

A few killer drinks of mexican tequilla and your off to a Hawaiin type vacation.. 

Can't wait to the ski season starts...and then the Jacuzzi to recover...

Enjoy.!!!

Mediums: Prism Markers and Micron pen....

Prentice Womens Hospital

In downtown Chicago.. I was impressed with the setting. .So I said what the heck lets capture what I see.. and also, this is where I had my little boy.

As of today, I noticed that the trees are starting to turn yellow from the top. Fall is near and the leaves later on will eventually fall off from trees, like the sheep who was shaved for his hide to bare bones. eNJOY!

Ohare Airport Terminal

This is where I pick up passengers every single time I go to O'hare Airport... The columns were tricky..

Two distinct vanishing points for each side. This was my first attempt at successfully adding little people to give my rendering a more realistic approach.

Enjoy!!

I guess I'm learning !

One Chicago Busy Intersection

Clark & Ontario looking south bound on Clark St. is one of the busiest intersections in Chicago.

On that same corner you have the largest McDonald in terms of square feet in the US. Also Hard Rock Cafe, Rain forest for kids and one of my favorites Portillos on the right by the pots...

3:30 PM- Sun is hitting east bound from the West.

Great intersection if you need a bite...

Hollywood Theater

This is the coolest theater near Chicago.. You can eat and watch a movie all at the same time.. Every theater has a different theme and they all look cool.

PS. The food is great... Off of Lemont rd on I55 S. in Woodridge, IL

Click Below:

http://www.atriptothemovies.com

Hyatt Center

Located on Franklin & Monroe in downtown Chicago. Knowing your markers is not just essential but critical to the success of your rendered color illustration. It takes a while to get to know them all. Week after week I continue to stock up and purchase Prism Markers.. Although I'm starting to enjoy and be interested in Copic Sketch Markers made in Japan.. ( A top of the line marker in the industry)...

This is the difference between a Mercedes and a BMW !

McCormick Place (West)

Mccormick Place West - Home of Chicago's major conference facility. This sketch was TUFF!.. It took me three times to get the perspective right with the right angles and those canopies.

In the end I was happy.

Shadows in the City

Located on the West Corner of Franklin & Monroe.. This was a 25 minute sketch. I am focusing on my speed. Less detail and more focused on rendering half my normal time. Quite a challenge when you deal with so many colors.

Chicago River View Off Canal St.

Shadows coming out every where after 7:Pm.. This is what I am hoping to capture in the future. This sketch was my fastest so far. I sketched it in about 30 minutes or so.. I'm pushing my self hard to not get so detailed and simply capture the spirit of the moment.

Adler Planetarium

The Adler Planetarium is located in Museum Campus along with Soildier Field, Field Museum and Shedd Acquarium..

Enjoy!

High-Rise Under Thunderstorm

Around 9:00pm Thursday evening, Chicago had severe dark-dark blue clouds hovering all over downtown.. It was awesome and very rare.

As I was dropping off a customer in the south loop area, I noticed about 4-6 layers of assorted color spectrum's bouncing off this particular high-rise near Roosevelt & Columbus.

I knew that If I didn't sketch & render this, I would never see it again! This rendering captures the spirit and feeling of that particular 25 minute brief moment!

By the time I was done with the sketch, the yellow streaks were all gone..

The yellow vertical streaks are accurate and I have no idea where they would come from. I see this building every day and it has NEVER had any yellow streaks what so ever !!!

Enjoy..................

Mariott Hotel-

Dropped off a customer here and thought the hotel was cool looking.

Located in a suburb of Chicago in Oakbrook, IL

Wrigley Bldg

10th color rendering

I dropped off a customer here the previous day and had to stop. This bldg is secluded in Chicago's industrial sector between Division St. and North Ave off of Hooker street.. I was impressed with the setting. Intend to return and sketch the front of building.

Prism Markers and .45 mm Micron pen used as medium...

Airport Ramp

Ramp departure road to Midway Airport. The sky looks cool. I love the way I bleeded a top secret color on top of the blue..

I was stunned at this experiment. It could've been catastrophic.. But its all about taking a risk..

Field Museum Aug 14th, 09

8th color rendering.---

Located On Mcfectridge drive. If anyone lives outside Chicago this is one of our greatest museums.

Located in the Museum campus area.. Typical summer August day, nice and sunny with a bright blue cloud. This is a view from the cab stand.. You'll never have a issue finding a cab in this area before 6pm 7 days a week.

Sketched with Micron .45mm line width black pen and Prism markers..

Fountain -Chicago River Aug 13th 09

7th color rendering-

Prism Markers are still difficult to manipulate.. Professionals who can render easily with this medium are highly experienced.. This is probably the toughest medium I've had to work with...

Now the trick is to bring true vivid reality to all my renderings as they are seen! I am looking down into the river below as you see it from Wacker Dr.

Chicago Cabs Aug 13th, 09

6th Color Rendering in Prism Markers
Midway Airport Cab-Staging Area

Downtown Chicago Bldg- Unknown Aug 12th, 09

I sketched this looking out a window on the 6th floor of the Daily government bldg.. It was looking down in a birds eye view and it was an authentic view...

Post Office-Thompson Center Aug-12th, 09

This is a nice interior.. I especially like the curvy wall and the ceiling members where the most intriguing..

Chicago Skyline Aug 05th, 2009

5th dwg rendered..

Awesome skyline.. I like the sailboats.. But need to find the right colors to represent true Lake Michigan water which is not really all that blue... Its somewhat greenish..But this sketch is cool in my opinion.. I don't have all the color prism markers yet! PS. When I match this clouding to the skies its almost identical..

Rosemont Suburb Aug 06th, 09

4th color rendering in Prism Markers.

I sketched less and rendered more on this one.. But something is still missing here and I don't know what it is...Do you like it? Less Scrabble . Its tough getting use to these markers.. Too many colors involved. I need to focus on technique more in regards to color.. Got a long way to go!!

Buddhist Tempo Aug 3rd, 09

I like the arched glass. This is in the south loop of Chicago which is a growing neighborhood..

Hey ! my vehicle came out decent on this sketch! I also like the street light poles.

Condo & Star Bucks Augst 4th , 09

When I was driving I had to stop.. Interesting structure... Well I'm doodling along and I'm trying to get loose with my micron pens...

I think its coming back.. Realize I haven't sketched in about a decade!

Oh! I temporarily stink with little people and cars.. Watch out for those improvements... Let me know if you like this one? I did....

Taco Bell -Chicago Aug 1st, 09

Franchise... Taco Bell -- Nothing new you haven't seen but it looks cool in sketch.. Will render this sketch later with true colors. Micron pen.

Chicago Bears Stadium Aug 1st, 09

3rd color rendering w/ Prism Markers..

Mcfetridge Dr. Going EB into Museum campus.

SE view of Soldier Field --Home of Chicago Bears Football team!

I'm realizing that working with these markers is some what time consuming. Every detail is manipulated and controlled carefully so as to try and illustrate the closest thing to reality...

Practice makes perfect !

Mart Interior Lobby Aug 1st, 09

Used mechanical pencil w/ HB lead.. and some prisma gray color markers on columns... One Point perspective was successful.. This is all sketch without using any straight edges at all. Sketch finished as it was observed..

Soldier Field-Bears Stadium Aug 1st, 09

Used micron .05 pen on this sketch.. View is original when you come up to this exact intersection to go into museum campus area. Simple and neat- black and white sketch.. Minor hatching..

Top background is from another sketch on the reverse side of this sheet.. This shouldn't be there!

Lincoln Park Zoo-Cow Barn June 21st , 09

Cow Barn looking in....Different pens used. Don't remember. Second sketch I started with this summer of 2009....

Shed Acquarium Int View- June 14th, 09

Wow,, this was my very first sketch I did this summer.. This is where it all started for me this summer.. Something natural just hit me.. I was totally stunned that I got the spirit of this sketch.. and the right angles on the canopy like spaceship top.. I would love to return and render this in color!

Too bad Bubba is dead.. For those of you who never met Bubba.. Bubba was a gigantic fish that was left in front of the Shed Aquarium steps and later discovered to be an exotic species. I've seen Bubba for the last 30 years of my life since I was a child. Well he's important, since he was the first fish to be treated with Chemo therapy and it was a huge success...

Click Here for Bubbas Info: http://www.sheddaquarium.org/bubbasupergrouper.html

Wacker View June 17th, 09

Warming up here...needs improvement...The NBC tower is extremely difficult for me to sketch..

Too much going on all at once and it all just overwhelmed me.. I will try this same view much later after I warm up with twenty or so more sketches.

The left side is the back-rear of the University Of Chicago Business school.. Look at the other U of C sketch..

Various Highrises June 24th, 09

Looking EB on Wacker Dr. I did not like this sketch what so ever .. Not successful.. The only thing I like about it was the new technique I toyed with on the horizontal clouding ..

Keep in mind I recently started sketching again after 10 yrs !...

Look at the date and as you scroll down other sketches paying attention to the dates you can see partial improvement...

Jury Duty 26th & California June 26th, 09

Wow, this sketch surprised the heck out of me.. I took 4 separate illustrations to come up with one complete sketch.. Guys, realize I have not sketched in years since the good old college days.

I think this one is getting up the college standards for now.. I like the interior perspective , the whole sketch is holistic as they all depict the setting and mood of Jury Duty

Gosh , I will never forget this event, this trial was a life changing event for me.. I was stuck in this place for an entire week on a murder trial.. Learned a lot about crime and legal punishment.. So be good!

Raffaello Hotel July 11th, 09

I really didn't like how this sketch turned out... This has too much of a birds eye view and I was on at eye level of stuff..

Gosh the left side with the balconies were extremely hard to sketch.. I realized that when you look at this from underneath, looking up,,, all the balconies will be different sizes as they go up....

This is one of the sharp things you have to have a keen eye for or you will distort the balconies and eliminate its perspective as they get higher.

Bad sketch but I learned something important about balconies !!

Near Hard Rock Hotel July 13th, 09

Looking EB on Wacker Pl.. Hard Rock hotel is on the right. But no special emphasis is placed on the hotel. I was interested in capturing the essence of the street.. I used a light blue color marker on the left as my first introduction to using markers as a medium technique.. I like it ? What about you? I used a different pen that seems to bold the light poles.... Nice one point perspective.

Hilton Suites July 14th, 09

This sketch was okay.. It could have been better but I goofed up the shadow.. I need to pick a reference book on shadows..... Oh well .. I still learned!

University Of Chicago -Business School July 14th, 09

Tuff Sketch!. ----Too much detail on building and I had lots of trouble trying to figure out where in the world I would start without goofing it up.. I am definitely eager to return and revisit this and render it in color.

For now, this two point perspective was good in my opinion but I have lots of improvement to go.... Let me know what you think.?

Hotel Entrance July 19th, 09

Cool metal canopy of some kind. It was very difficult to get the correct arched angle on this from the angle of where I was exactly standing.......

I learned a whole lot from this sketch.. The mind is learning!

Navy Pier July 22nd, 09

Another view from Navy Pier. Main focus are the high-rises, such as Lake Point Tower, and the John Hancock..

Getting use to my new Micron Pigma ink pens made in Japan from Sakura....

Vignettes July 15th, 09

Various vignettes sketched in various dates... All of them in Chicago.. Bottom right hand corner is the bridge connecting to Ogolsby metra train station.

Navy Pier July 20th, 09

This sketch was a bit more creative when I added the ferris wheel in the background.. I thought it was a successfull drawing anyway.. I would like to return and explore this with color.

Scientology Church- July 21st, 09

Getting the correct angles on the metal beams was challenging. This sketch was done in various weights of micron pens.. Something new I tried. I think I like these pens.... All my ink pen sketches were done prior to any marker rendering.. I dabbled by adding a light gray on the windows.. I will revisit this building and sketch other sections of it at a later date..

Museum Campus Area July 22nd, 09

2nd color rendering with Prismacolor markers-- Clouding still difficult had to buy other blue colors to create a more natural realistic look. I stroked horizontal versus diagnal. I would say it looks more natural.

This rendering illustrates the most recent addition to the Shedd Acquarium where the dolphins and beluga whales. I'll be rendering more of this later...

Also starting to get use to various colors for trees..

Rick

Museum Campus View- June 25, 09

This is my 1st attempt to render with Prisma color markers......

I've rendered with various other mediums, such as pencil, charcoal, pastels, color pencils, ink pen etc.

The markers will take some getting use to. Overall I think it looks descent but I have to admit the sky is too blue and it appears that its might be taking away from the drawing altogether.. I'm trying to figure out how to render clouds.. As you see my progress you will see my clouding get better.

Fair start I might say for now!

Sketchy Rick