When artist Phil Thompson walks the streets of Chicago, he doesn’t just see houses, apartments, stores, and bars—he sees works of art.

Thompson, who until recently worked in international relations (he quit his day job this summer to focus on his illustration business) got his start making pen-and-ink drawings of larger-scale scenes. He would, for example, draw the entire Chicago lakefront. But after getting requests for more close-up settings, he started focusing on single homes and buildings.

Be it a rendering of a greystone, brick two-flat, or six-unit courtyard building, each image is hand-drawn and as full of architectural details as any photograph. Find them at the Chicago Architecture Foundation shop or on Thompson's website.

He also does work on commission—so reach out if you want to frame an image of your childhood home, favorite bar, or current house.