Painting Process | The Luxor Las Vegas at Night

The Luxor, Las Vegas, shoots a light beam into space. Space. Taking this, and the fact that we stayed there into consideration, I decided to end the trip with a Luxor painting.

Having completed two intensive night paintings to date (The Woolworth and Citi Field — below), I realized it would be a true challenge within the time frame.

The Woolworth from 7WTC.

Citi Field.

Still, I had to go for it. And now, a single, ten hour painting session resulting in a 20″X20″ night painting.

The shimmering heat and oppressive sun radiates through this picture.

I quickly began to layout the Sphinx…

When I realized he was too low, so I redrew the composition in magenta.

Getting my paint on, Vegas style.

I love me an orange sky under painting. Why deny what you crave?

Blocking out the colors… complementary.

Green sunglasses help you paint.

Laying in the pyramid. I’ve become quite fond of the straight-line freestyle painting action.

New York, New York and the Excalibur in the background.

A somewhat spotty blue sky, and the foundation of “The Hotel”… which creates some absurd reflections.

Working around the canvas, splashing in colors, trying to block things out expressively.

Adding darkness… space from which light will emerge.

It’s starting to get serious now.

That guy in the background is Jerry Shawback, it was his second painting of the session!

Waiting out the magic hour, “Yeah that’s right, the magic hour” — to get my night painting on.

A massive amount of dark sky mixed along with the light beam shade… added instantly, making The Hotel look electric.

Starting to come together, throwing the almost sickly looking highlights cast from the white flood lights on the palm trees in the foreground.

The marching ants along the building.

And completed! This was certainly a challenging canvas, but I am glad to have gotten in one night painting. During my next trip, I’d like to do a 36″X48″ night painting from the top of Mandalay Bay….