![illumination[1].jpg](/wp-content/uploads/image/illumination[1].jpg)
I’ve always been amazed by the glow of buildings lit up at night. I remember seeing the monuments in Washington, D.C. and wondering if they actually had light emanating from them. Since then I’ve been obsessed by nighttime colors and reflections. This is the Indiana State Capitol building. I wondered for a long time how I would portray it’s light. Then I finally used my old technique of finding shapes and values of color. I quit thinking about how the building seemed to glow by itself, and matched the actual colors I saw. As I did, the individual shapes and colors all fit together and the glow suddenly appeared.
Comments on Illumination
This is by far my favorite of all your paintings of the Indiana State Capitol. It is truly miraculous the way you have been able to achieve such beautiful luminescence. Even with your explanation, I am still baffled by your results.
Seeing a grand building like this at night is always a spectacular sight. You have managed to capture that feeling in your painting and it, too, is spectacular!!
This painting is absolutely amazing!
Daddy, this is on of my absolute favorite paintings. I love your night scene and water paintings!
I am amazed at what you can do with a paintbrush and oil paint. The building seems to glow. Great painting!
Isn’t Indianapolis a great city! We loved living there. I think that painting something at night when the colors are actually different than what you think they are, makes it much more difficult. Awesome!
Oh my goodness…Tom, that is beautiful.
This is an amazing painting. Great job.
The technique to portray the illumination is impressive!