Category: Chicago Pen & Inks

Chicago pen & ink by artist and architectural illustrator, Stephen F. Condren, BFA-SAIC, of Condren Galleries, a Fine Arts Gallery, with JPEG & PDF scan and prints of Chicago skyline #027Q.

Chicago skyline pen & ink drawing at sunset by Condren.
Chicago Skyline Pen & Ink Drawing At Sunset
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Chicago Skyline #243Z

Chicago downtown skyline #741A pen & ink cityscape drawing of the Loop and the river.

Chicago skyline #741B pen & ink drawing is a close-up cityscape view of a dense area of downtown Chicago Loop by artist Stephen F. Condren of Condren Galleries, a Fine Arts Gallery offering prints, and scans. The Chicago Loop is the “corporate architecture hub” of the city of Chicago. The northwest corner of the famous “Chicago Loop” has a sharp 90 degree curve. Prints Of Chicago Skyline Drawing #243Z ~ Order Here.

Key elements:

Focus has been on the shade and shadows created by the structures rather than the architectural detailing. The line work is fresh and loose permitting the viewer to focus on the drawing. putting emphasize on tight delineation will defeat the purpose of the drawing.

Chicago River

The Chicago River used to empty into Lake Michigan, but early in the 20th century it was reversed. Upon entering the river from Lake Michigan, you travel about 9 city block to where you encounter a fork in the river. This forms the north and south branches of the Chicago River.

Chicago skyline #741B

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Chicago skyline #741B pen & ink drawing on the Chicago River by artist Stephen F. Condren.

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Chicago Skyline Pen & Ink 869 #194Z

Chicago skyline #869A pen & ink cityscape drawing overlooking Lake Shore Drive by Stephen Condren.

This article is about Chicago skyline pen & ink 6/24/2018D, which is for sale at discount with prints by artist Stephen F. Condren, BFA-SAIC, of Condren Galleries, a Fine Arts Gallery, offering JPEG & PDF scans.

Skyline Delineation

This skyline, which is one of my favorites is a view of Chicago looking south from Belmont Harbor. The center of attention is the world famous John Hancock Center.

Hatching & Cross-hatching

The use of hatching is worked in line with the water and the buildings. There are no deep shades and shadows in this rendering as the most of the structures are outlined.

Skyline Art Link

Skyline Art

Related Links

Chicago skyline pen & ink, Chicago skyline of the near north side,

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Chicago Skyline Pen & Inks #168Z

Chicago skyline #871A brown pen & ink cityscape drawing of east Randolph skyscrapers.

This article is about the Chicago skyline pen & inks, which is for sale at discount with prints by artist Stephen F. Condren, BFA-SAIC, of Condren Galleries, a Fine Arts Gallery, offering JPEG & PDF scans. No other medium better expresses the landscape of a city than pen & inks. The elements of a skyline are architectural and thus lend themselves to delineation. The clean clear lines show all the intricate details of the buildings. The get the proper tones of shade and shadow hatching and cross-hatching is employed.

Hatching and Cross-Hatching For Chicago Skyline Pen & Inks

Since pen & inks do not make use of water to cast shadows the use of hatching is employed to provide this affect. Hatching is the process of carefully moving the pen & ink lines closely together all parallel to each other. This “screen” or “grid” is the matrix of the shade and shadowing process. The darker that you want the background to be the closer you make the lines. When you want to make things very dark such as in a sunset or night scene you make use of cross-hatching. This is where you drawing the pen & ink lines perpendicular to each other. This makes a screen like affect on the drawing and is very effective.

Architecture for Chicago Skyline Pen & Inks

The subject of skylines is architecture and the line is the backbone of this great topic. The pen & inks better than any other medium bring out the boldness of the cities great architecture. Pencils are excellent but they lack the boldness. Watercolors and oils are good as well but fall short when it come to delineation. It is the power and strength of the pen & inks that set the stage for outstanding architectural renderings and illustrations. When you have sections of a scene that require a lot of fine detail the pen & inks come to the rescue. With razor like accuracy the pen & inks zoom in on the details that you are seeking and produce them with clarity.

Chicago Skyline Art Link

Chicago skyline art

Related Links

Chicago skyline drawings, Chicago skyline of the near north side,

Stephen F. Condren ~ Artist

312-303-0207

School of the Art Institute of Chicago ~ BFA

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Chicago Skyline Drawing #153Z

Chicago skyline pen & ink drawing on Lake Shore Drive with John Hancock Center.

Chicago skyline drawing #153Z is a pen & ink drawing of North Lake Shore Drive by artist Stephen F. Condren of Condren Galleries, a Fine Arts Gallery, with prints, and scans. This article is about my brown pen & ink drawing of the Chicago, Illinois, skyline looking southward from Lincoln Park, along Lake Michigan. Because Chicago skylines are great, their prints are great! Prints & Scans Of This Skyline Drawing #153Z ~ Order Here.

Chicago Skyline Drawing #153Z Key elements to the fine drawing are as follows:

  • Brown Pen & Ink.
  • Lake Michigan.
  • John Hancock Center.
  1. Brown Pen & Ink: This drawing is done in brown pen & ink so as to compliment the soft tones of the drawing. Everything about this drawing flows gracefully and elegantly. The John Hancock Center, which is the centerpiece of the drawing stands aloft in triumph over the scenic cityscape. On the far left is Lake Point Tower, drawn with just the right line work and weight to give full account of that great residential building.
  2. Lake Michigan: The presence of Lake Michigan is all pervasive in the coast drawing as she quietly dominates the lower portion of the drawing from side to side. It is along here that Lake Shore Drive nestles among the trees as it moves traffic along the lakefront.
  3. John Hancock Center: The undisputed grand monarch of Streeterville, and among the greatest skyscrapers of history stands the John Hancock Center. The line work that portrays this great structure is exact and elegant at the same time, perfectly expressing with a few strokes this mighty structure. I have gently worked every detail of this building so as to bring out it excellent proportions, and in so doing leaving the giant exoskeleton out of the drawing.

Chicago Skyline Pen & Inks Link

Chicago skyline pen & inks

Stephen F. Condren ~ Artist

312-303-0207

School of the Art Institute of Chicago ~ BFA

Chicago skyline drawing #153Z%MCEPASTEBIN%

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Chicago Skyline #059Z

Chicago skyline #975A pen & ink cityscape drawing is popular because of it's view of the near north side.

Chicago skyline #059Z, cityscape, pen & ink drawing by artist Stephen F. Condren, BFA-SAIC, of Condren Galleries, a Fine Arts Gallery. Prints & Scans Of This Figure Drawing #364Z ~ Order Here.

Chicago Skyline #059Z. Key elements of this work of art are as follows:

  • John Hancock Center
  • Black Pen & Ink
  • Lake Michigan
  1. John Hancock Center: The John Hancock Center is the highest element in the drawing and beautifully complimented by the Four Seasons Hotel and other  adjacent office buildings. This view of the Chicago Skyline, with the two elegant clusters of skyscrapers, on the near north side, or Streeterville, gracefully compliments each other. Though the John Hancock Center is taller and more robust being in front of the Water Tower Place building, it’s tapered shape gives an elegant balance to the cluster of skyscrapers across Michigan Avenue.
  2. Black Pen & Ink: The black ink makes for a strong bold statement at this image of these towering skyscrapers deserve. I have given elegant lines to indicate the stratus nimbus clouds that pass over the cityscape.
  3. Lake Michigan: The undisputed queen of Chicago, Lake Michigan gently sets at the bottom of the drawing with her calm and undulating waves giving support to the titanic images that rest upon her.
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Chicago Skyline Pen & Ink Drawing #058Z

Chicago skyline #871A brown pen & ink cityscape drawing of east Randolph skyscrapers.

This article is about Chicago skyline #058Z Pen & Ink Drawing, which is for sale at discount with prints by artist Stephen F. Condren, BFA-SAIC, of Condren Galleries, a Fine Arts Gallery, offering JPEG & PDF scans. This is my brown pen & ink drawing of downtown Chicago, Illinois, in the area of east Randolph Street and east Wacker Drive.

Chicago Skyline Pen & Ink Drawing #871. Key elements in this drawing are as follows:

  • Skyscraper Formation.
  • Brown Pen & Ink.
  • Elevation.
  1. Skyscraper Formation: The formation of skyscrapers culminates with the Aon Center (formerly the Standard Oil of Indiana Building). From the left you are looking at east Randolph Street and from the right you are looking from east Wacker Drive, both of which are parallel along a four block stretch giving us this peninsula of office buildings and residential complexes.
  2. Brown Pen & Ink: The brown ink works wonderful for this type of drawing as it brings in the structural elements together and forms one sculptural piece.
  3. Elevation: The elevation is approximately at the bottom third of the drawing and the tree lined waterfront gives way to the luminous imagery of the skyscrapers glimmering in the reflections upon the water.

Chicago Skyline Pen & Inks Link

Chicago skyline pen & inks

Stephen F. Condren ~ Artist

312-303-0207

School of the Art Institute of Chicago ~ BFA

Chicago skyline pen & inks
Red pen & ink drawing of downtown Chicago by artist Stephen F. Condren.
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Chicago Skyline Pen & Ink Drawing #057Z

Chicago skyline pen & ink 870A

This article is about Chicago skyline #057Z Pen & Ink Drawing, which is for sale at discount with prints by artist Stephen F. Condren, BFA-SAIC, of Condren Galleries, a Fine Arts Gallery, offering JPEG & PDF scans. This is my brown pen & ink drawing of the Chicago, Illinois, skyline near Lincoln Park.

Chicago Skyline Pen & Ink Drawing #870. Key elements to this drawing are as follows:

  • John Hancock Center.
  • Brown Pen & Ink.
  • Landscape.
  1. John Hancock Center: The John Hancock Center is the focus of the drawing and as you see completely dominates the landscape. For this reason I have eliminated the famous exoskeleton in favor of gracious contour lines which work so much better.
  2. Brown Pen & Ink: The brown pen & ink offers a soft response to the tree lined walkway. The brown tone does not make the demand on high contrast so much as black in.
  3. Landscape: The landscape is centered on the walkway, in Lincoln Park, which leads right up to the cluster of skyscrapers that culminate with the aerials of the John Hancock Center. I have made the foliage on the trees and bushes as light as possible so as not to take away from the cityscape. If I were to make the trees dense with tedious line work they would totally dominate the drawing and displace the balance of the work of art. As large as the John Hancock Center is, this rendering of it has made it very light and a gracious architectural statement.

Chicago Skyline Pen & Inks Link

Chicago skyline pen & inks

Stephen F. Condren ~ Artist

312-303-0207

School of the Art Institute of Chicago ~ BFA

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Chicago Skyline Brown Pen & Ink Drawing Of Near North Side #056Z

Chicago skyline #869A pen & ink cityscape drawing overlooking Lake Shore Drive by Stephen Condren.

This article is about Chicago skyline #056Z, which is for sale at discount with prints by artist Stephen F. Condren, BFA-SAIC, of Condren Galleries, a Fine Arts Gallery, offering JPEG & PDF scans. This is my brown pen & ink drawing of the Chicago, Illinois. The view of the skyline is looking southward from Lincoln Park, along Lake Michigan.

Chicago Skyline Brown Pen & Ink Drawing #869. Key elements to the fine drawing are as follows:

  • Brown Pen & Ink.
  • Lake Michigan.
  • John Hancock Center.
  1. Brown Pen & Ink: This drawing is done in brown pen & ink so as to compliment the soft tones of the drawing. Everything about this drawing flows gracefully and elegantly. The John Hancock Center, which is the centerpiece of the drawing stands aloft in triumph over the scenic cityscape. On the far left is Lake Point Tower, drawn with just the right line work and weight to give full account of that great residential building.
  2. Lake Michigan: The presence of Lake Michigan is all pervasive in the coast drawing as she quietly dominates the lower portion of the drawing from side to side. It is along here that Lake Shore Drive nestles among the trees as it moves traffic along the lakefront.
  3. John Hancock Center: The undisputed grand monarch of Streeterville, and among the greatest skyscrapers of history stands the John Hancock Center. The line work that portrays this great structure is exact and elegant at the same time, perfectly expressing with a few strokes this mighty structure. I have gently worked every detail of this building so as to bring out it excellent proportions, and in so doing leaving the giant exoskeleton out of the drawing.

Chicago Skyline Pen & Inks Link

Chicago skyline pen & inks, Chicago skyline brown pen & ink,

Stephen F. Condren ~ Artist

312-303-0207

School of the Art Institute of Chicago ~ BFA

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Chicago Skyline Red Bamboo & Ink Drawing #055Z

Chicago skyline bamboo & red ink drawing of near north side.

This article is about Chicago skyline #055Z, which is for sale at discount with prints by artist Stephen F. Condren, BFA-SAIC, of Condren Galleries, a Fine Arts Gallery, offering JPEG & PDF scans. This is my bamboo & red ink drawing of the Chicago, Illinois, skyline of Streeterville and the John Hancock Center. Key points of this drawing are as follows:

  • Bamboo & Red Ink.
  • John Hancock Center.
  • Elevation.
  1. Bamboo & Red Ink: This delightful drawing is drawn from a large bamboo drawing stick that I have in my studio. With the thick surface of the bamboo it makes a wonderful stylus to make firm thick contour lines and you can clearly see here. I have made the contour of the buildings a flowing wave that characterized the structures and the bamboo pen has made this possible.
  2. John Hancock Center: The deepest red in the entire drawing is the apex of the John Hancock Center, a sort of “cherry on the cake” for the completion of the drawing which also ends this small series that I have done of Streeterville and the John Hancock Center.
  3. Elevation: The elevation is right at sea leave to maximize the height of the John Hancock Center.

Chicago Skyline Pen & Inks Link

Chicago skyline pen & inks

Stephen F. Condren ~ Artist

312-303-0207

School of the Art Institute of Chicago ~ BFA