Republic Bank

I took some photographs in downtown Dallas more than a decade ago. It was afternoon, and the shadows always make a play in any densely packed downtown. Add to that the proliferation of mirrored surfaces in buildings in a downtown as relatively modern as Dallas.

I sketched this building, and thought that there was SOMETHING there.

But I couldn't figure out what for quite a while. I kept coming back to it and aimlessly staring at both the sketch and the photo.

And then it hit me to just let go when it comes to color here. That I really don't need to document this building, even if it is one of Dallas' oldest citizens. (Which isn't saying much.)

I painted the whole canvas a light blue gray, and outlined what I wanted to do in a somewhat darker blue. I've found that the colors I use to prime the canvas and to make basic outlines end up having a subtle effect on the finished painting.