City of Destiny" - Tacoma, Washington

This project was commissioned by the Pierce County Economic Development Board. They wanted a compelling image that encompassed the diverse industrial, maritime, agricultural and urban lifestyles of the region.

All the elements of this montage started as individual photographs taken in and around the city of Tacoma. On projects like this I prefer to take my own photos and not rely on stock images or photos provided by clients. Being there in person is the best way to get the feel and personality of a place.

On the studio computer I turned the photos that I liked into simple line sketches. These were then moved around, sized and designed into several different layouts to show the client.

When the chosen layout was finalized, I got to work painting over the line sketches with Adobe Photoshop's painting tools. Only the totem pole, tree trunk and some bushes show traces of their photographic origin.

The client's licensed use of the image does not include art prints. Therefore I can offer a signed, limited edition of the work