Stephen Wiltshire began an incredible project in 2005: reconstructing the famous New York City skyline entirely from memory. After a 20-minute helicopter fly over the city, during which he took in the breath-taking landscapes that would later serve as the inspiration for his imposing piece of art, he found his inspiration.
Wiltshire began work on a 10-foot canvas using just his remarkable visual memory. The towering skyscrapers, complicated bridges, and busy streets of New York City’s skyline were all painstakingly recreated by him over the course of an extraordinary amount of time. Wiltshire diligently translated his mental image onto the canvas using a variety of small lines and shade to portray the architectural details of the city.
The creative process of Stephen Wiltshire is quite amazing. Wiltshire created his masterwork entirely from memory, unlike most artists who need reference materials and sketches to portray their topics. He took a methodical technique, concentrating on one area of the city at a time, which allowed him to capture the minute details with extraordinary accuracy.
Wiltshire pays incredible care to every last detail. He captured the diversity of architectural styles, the distinctiveness of various districts, and even the delicate latticework of the cables that support the Brooklyn Bridge. His creations celebrate the vitality, character, and diversity of New York City as a whole rather than simply serving as replicas of existing structures.
