Apple’s stock finally surpassed the mighty Microsoft, to the chagrin of Steve Ballmer no doubt. But wait, now there is a huge security flaw with the iPad… oh, and Steve Jobs thinks Flash is garbage. And Obama thinks the iPad is a major distraction – he told some recent college grads.

All considered, I had little choice but to paint one of New York’s most photographed locations. In the picture, Steve Jobs is both the Godfather, and a man with a target on his head. Apple clashes with Flash, and is singled out by the President. Doomsday simmers at the foot of the steps, and Google looms visibly atop the cube.

This is my vantage point from across the street, in front of the fountain by the Plaza Hotel (of Home Alone 2, Lost in New York fame.) After the jump, the full painting, cops with AK-47’s, the dreaded Sex and the City tour, the Ratman cometh and much, much more.

Getting the party started with a yellow outline. The tree overhead is providing some shade, which was a good thing, since it was about 95 degrees.

Beginning with the collage, in specific angles as dictated by the directional arrows. Not sure if President Obama should be slamming the iPad and technology – particularly since his campaign manipul… mobilized the tech-savvy masses through an aggressive, ground-breaking social media marketing push. While we are at it Mr. President, where should Lebron should go next?

Really starting to build the foundation of this canvas, with two areas already singled out for exclusion.

Ah, the staunch red second round of outlines. There is something electric the way red plays with newsprint, don’t you think?

Word is there are graffiti artists lurking about, hence the security detail.

Working around the color wheel, starting with red, yellow and blue.

Beginning to focus on depth perception with the introduction of a burnt umber. During my tenure at The Trump Organization, we spent nearly 72 hours straight in the GM building (background) on a loan closing. I will never forget taking 20 minute naps on the floor under the board room table. Ah, memories.

Starting to see the image forming… working on some refined line work. I don’t believe in using rulers, because I feel there is an authenticity in free-hand lines which are part of the impression.

A candy store.

Working around the canvas, I sometimes have to flip the picture upside down to work more upright. That’s not against the rules, and, really, there are no rules.

I made the mistake of listening to Jay Z’s Blueprint 3 while painting on the third day – that album is like audio-crack. Empire State of Mind gives me an inflated sense of status and bank account.

Working the shadows into the steps… foreground in the hizzouse.

Highly pastel now… muted greys and whites will be added.

Beginning to explore the third dimension on the columns of the GM Building.

I decided to finalize the painting with a late afternoon sun, which created shifting tones on the columns and drew shadows on the window dividers.

Balancing the darkness in the building lobby behind the iStore.

Pulling it together, and yes, that picture in the doorway is of yours truly… my self portrait made of collaged New York Post headlines, printed in the New York Post.

Working the steps, splashing lights and darks, tweaking, refining; long beyond the IA phase, we are now testing.

Splashing some lovely halogen lights in the office building. Imagine true Romans rode McFly’s car to the future and saw all of these soaring concrete buildings with artificial lights on – all day, regardless of the sun. Would they have figured we did something wrong? Not that it matters, since the Roman Empire fell…

And my Apple painting is complete. The Apple logo has Page Six smacked right in the center, symbolic of Apple’s rise, daily successes and misnomers – which are played out in the press with a level of gossip worthy of, well, Gossip Girl. There are untouched portions of the canvas, as well as original elements of collage. Who knows? This could one day be hanging at Apple HQ; or perhaps Adobe’s break room, surrounded by sharpened darts and a scoreboard.