Here is a painting I am now working on. It's the following picture of Times Square, NYC, on New Year's Eve, 2001.

After I found the picture I wanted, I printed it out on my color printer. Then I drew a grid over the printout. You can see the faint, black lines in my printout below. The image is 6" x 8". The grids are 1.5" x 2".

Next I decided to do the painting on an 18" x 24" board. Therefore, I drew a grid system on it. Those grids are 4.5" x 6", since everything must be increased 3 times. I then sketched in the outline of the details on the printout above. You can see my pencil lines below.

Begun on April 1st, 2002, this is my painting after about 5 days of work, working about ten minutes a day. I work in small steps and short sessions because I can't sit up very long. As you can see, I have just begun to block in some of the buildings, signs, and lights. It might look like a muddled mess, but that's why artists don't like anyone to see their work until it is completed. In the beginning it looks muddled and crude. But little by little, I'll fill in the details and the painting will take shape. I'm thinking this large work should be done by June 2002.

Here you can see I've filled in some rough detail. There's a lot of work to go. But this is going to be a more Impressionist painting than a totally realistic one. And since it is being done in 2002, I've added that number to the top of the building near the center of the painting.

Here's the painting as of April 25, 2002. It's almost finished. I've straightened out the lines, added the fireworks, some confetti, and worked a bit more on the signs. I'd say it should be finished by mid-May. I still need to touch up a lot of detail. I'll be working on that next. I'd love to hear your comments.

Here you can see the finished, framed painting. It's not for sale right now. But will be perhaps in 2003, after my art exhibit at the Levittown Library, in late 2002 or early 2003. Stop by this page to see if I put this painting up for sale. It's 18" x 24", done in acrylic and Day-Glow on a board.