This is for Virtual Paintout July 2010, Hong Kong. It's oil on 10x14" stretched canvas.
I was browsing on the island of Hong Kong in Google Map, and found this amazing panoramic view of the Victoria Harbor on Barker Street. (ref photo) It was clear enough of a day that you can see pretty far, yet it was still covered with a layer of perpetual smog. I like the harbor and buildings that draw your eyes from the left to the right. The smog actually adds to the perspective element, so I decided to include it as well.
The house with the red roof has a majestic view of Hong Kong skyline. It even has a swimming pool! (Who knows which gazillionaire lives there. ) The red roof and the green mountain is the main foreground layer. There's actually another foreground layer even closer to the view, and is the dark trees at the bottom left and right hand corners. The viewer is actually looking at this scene from within the shadow.
The city skyline was very tedious to paint. I included some of the main skyline elements that are either tall or have interesting shapes. Everything else is just a suggestion of another skyscrapper. Across the harbor there are even more buildings, I've further tuned down the color to show they're far away. The colors I used included, but not limited to: Gamblin's Portland grey - light, medium, dark, Rowney's flesh tint, voilet grey, tree green, sap green, lemon yellow, gold orchres, ultramarine violet, ultramarine blue, and burnt umber.
Very nice. I like the sense of distance you achieved. I also appreciate the description you gave of the painting and your approach to it.
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