Happy Holidays!

I am almost at the end of my commissions for this year! This is one of the last ones and I'm really happy with it. I've had the pleasure of drawing tea plants a couple of times for clients in the last year and this was a nice treat!

Speaking of treats, today was an incredible day. I was really lucky to have spent it in the company of all of my great friends. My friend Ryan just moved back to town and has been spending his afternoons with us at Paper Bicycle. He was able to join us for our end of the year Paper Bicycle / Light Grey holiday party. We were also blessed with Jesse Riggle and Ian Gorton as well, and Francesca, Jenny, Chris and I shared presents and great times with everyone around a tiny silver tinsel tree. I'm quite a sentimental person -- so there were a couple cards, and a couple presents today that made me tear up (with happiness!). I am really happy to say that this year has shaped up to be something incredible. I feel like I've been really lucky to have spent it with great friends, doing so many fun things.

I am planning to finish it off with a bang as my parents and siblings come into town. Happy Holidays to everyone out there! Thanks for watching my blog and saying hello throughout this year. I appreciate every one of you guys. May your holidays be amazing. Hugs to all of you!

Bouquet for Megan C.

I just finished this little illustration for Megan C. -- who is a huge sweetheart and such a generous person. I have been finally getting to the end of my commissions from Oliver's fundraiser and it feels good. My goal is to send out the last ones by the end of the year and I'm almost there!

Over the past couple weeks I've been trying to plow through teaching finals at MCAD, finishing up my postcard for Light Grey Art Lab's 6 Degrees exhibition, doing all of my daily work at Paper Bicycle, and getting ready to code the dating sim for an upcoming Light Grey show. It's been incredible. There are some days I feel more productive than others, but when I actually have time to sit back and reflect on what the last year has been like -- I'm quite proud.

I guess I'm most proud of keeping up a pace that I thought wasn't possible. I'm proud to have spent all this time with ambitious, incredible people. I've been introduced to new friendships and people that really push me to work harder and look for the next challenge. It's been great and as I finish some of my 2013 things, I'm looking forward to a new list, one that makes 2014 as incredible, and exploratory, as this year.

Keeping it simple : Succulents

Keeping it simple today!
I had a great trip to the Como Conservatory today with Chris and it was AWESOME! Man, I have been craving some living plant-action!
It's been so white outside and it seemed like a nice Sunday outing. I did a couple tiny drawings this morning while I was at this new coffee house near my house, Parka and just ran with them for this pattern.

I was making loads of little terrariums last summer and I was having flashbacks when I was making this pattern. I really ought to do that again. I think I just might!

I usually frown at white backgrounds on patterns but for some reason this one just felt right. I had this one a couple other colors before I finally just left it alone. So here you have it! Little tiny cuttings from some of my favorite succulents!

(I'm also channeling some 70s art vibe in here. Inspired by a pic I saw earlier today while I was in a used bookstore near my house!)

Pointy Saguaro

Pointy!

This flower was a challenge for me - mostly because, as I was looking up the Saguaro cactus for reference, I saw that the blooms cluster in these bizarre families around the tops of the cacti. I liked the green blooms so much that I wanted them to be a major part of this pattern.

Here's a never ending field of Saguaro blossoms! (with a little pointy bit here and there!)

It was super late as I was finishing this up last night. I had run out of Pandora stations and started watching documentaries about North Korea. I'm not sure how that happened, but I now know a lot.

Thank you, National Geographic.

In any case, what was hardest about this pattern was trying to create an interesting repeat. Granted, what I did is not the most innovative, it was still a challenge trying to make this one look kind of natural without it looking like a polkadot! I think it turned out alright!

Vanilla Flowers, winding!

Tried something new tonight!

So - here's another new approach to pattern-making. I'm teaching an advanced pattern-making class at MCAD in a couple weeks and I've been trying all of these new ways of putting patterns together. It's been a blast trying to figure it out but it was definitely a challenge!

I tried a pattern with a couple layers this time - large foliage in the background, and smaller bits in the front. There are actually three layers that went into this and surprisingly, I started with some swirly vine things and went from there!

I had a great time making it - sorry for the huge size, but I had to make a tall one to make it work! Hopefully it just makes the detail easier to see.

What was interesting about this process was that I started out having to sketch the whole thing out before tossing it in the computer. This is certainly a new thing for me - as I usually just make a bunch of icons that are nice together and toss them. This time I had to puzzle piece the whole thing together before hand. It was actually really nice.

I am really interested in doing some HUGE patterns. I'm sure you may have noticed that there posts are taller! The more I get into these, the bigger they're getting, and the more room I need to make these complex things look good! I think I'll try some kind of damask pattern in one of my next patterns. I'd really like to see if I can make a new method for those, too!

Memories of old summer days

Hello again. I've been considering how to do this pattern all day and finally bit the bullet and committed to something a little more complex and more process intensive than some of my usual patterns. I have had a great time lately drawing in my sketchbook with graphite and carbon pencil and wanted to try something today involving that process.

Here's a Egyptian Lotus flower in a limited negative space pattern. I've seen other types of lotus flowers on my trips up north to my grandparents' cabin a couple times. I remember going on canoe trips with my dad early in the morning so we could catch a glimpse of the open lotus flowers before the mid-day sun made them close back up.

It's been a couple years since I've had that experience, and it may be many more years before I get that experience again. At least I remember it fondly.
***


Here's the original sketch before I added all of the shading and the coloring

It's freezing here now. I'm sure that anyone else that lives somewhere in the Midwest (or any place to the North) knows what I'm talking about. Some of these memories are possibly surfacing because I'm sitting here freezing my butt off.

I visited L.A. last week with Jenny and Francesca and though it was pretty nice down there in the 50s, I still found myself happy to come home to good ol' frigid Minneapolis.

It doesn't mean I don't pine for warmer days... Until then, I'll make due with wearing a million sweaters and cuddling with these cats.

Olive.

Close-up of the inked detail

I have been spending quite a bit of time working in my sketchbook these days. I spent my Friday night sketching away amongst a bunch of talented people. We worked through the night on our different projects and I found myself craving a little bit of hands-on art making rather than my purely digital process.

I did a pattern the 'good ol fashioned way' this time, where I inked each layer separately, then compiled them together in the computer and colored them.


The repeat tile

I'm really enjoying letting the inky brush strokes show on these and backed by a dark background you really see it.

This pattern is inspired by the olive flower. I really like the shape of the leaves more than anything, so I did something a little viney -- reminiscent of a wall paper pattern.


And here it is repeated

School just ended this week. Another semester is over and I'm feeling a little sad from it all. It's funny -- I've felt the same way every time another semester goes by. From the time I got out of school to now, it feels the same. I miss all of those people that I got close to over the semester. I won't get to see some of them until the new year, and some of them I may never get to see again for a long while -- or ever.

Waah, maybe it's the music I have on right now, or maybe it's because it's 3am and I'm finally posting this pattern before I head to bed, but whatever the case, I was just thinking about those guys. I had an amazing last day of class with everyone. I suppose nothing can last forever. I'll just be thankful I got to share the semester with everyone. It was a blast.

Piano music in the background

Inspired by raspberry flowers and little shoots

Recently I've really enjoyed making patterns that are a little more free-form than the normal rigid patterns I've done in the past. I think in the last year I've really liked the organic feeling patterns the best -- the ones that feel like they're floating in the wind, or the ones that look like they're drifting on top of the water.

This is a good example of what I mean. I wanted to make something quiet and understated, with some little guys that look like sprouts.

I've also been listening to a lot of piano music these days. It's comforting.
This pattern reminds me of that music...


And here it is repeated!

I woke up really late this morning - though it's not unusual for me to wake up late into the morning, today was ridiculous. The sun was still out (thank goodness) and I went for a walk in the snow. It was the first big snowfall of the season and though I'm not a huge fan of it most of the time, it made everything really quiet and serene.

I guess that mood carried over into the night for me, so here I am, continuing to listen to my comforting music and contemplating the winter ahead.

I've been writing and sketching a lot more than usual. It's liberating and meditative.
One of these days I'll try to get some of my sketches up on here. Until then they're safely tucked away in my sketchbook. Maybe I'll slip and post a bunch of them one of these days while I'm in one of my relaxed modes. :)

Marigolds Galore

I wanted to do something a little nested today, and a little sketchy.
Here's a vintage inspired pattern where there's little-to-no negative space.
It was nice doing things in line work and silhouettes!

I spent a little bit of time shopping for Christmas presents this afternoon on Ebay, where I inevitably end up looking at vintage wrapping and wallpaper. Today I was smitten with the bright papers of the 60s.

I'm on the ultimate hunt for all of the amazing things for my wonderful friends and my awesome family. I found the perfect gifts for some of them today. I'm sure there's someone out there that makes all of the other things I'm looking for. I'm really excited that I found some amazing things today that are made by other creative people.

I can't even explain how much I love the holidays. It's hard to narrow things down and I agonize over the little things. I am having a crazy good time.

That, and I got a chance to decorate part of the studio today! I bought a bunch of garlands and Chris and I put them up around the outside windows. I'll have to take some pictures of how the outside windows look!

Well, I'm off to try to find a couple more presents! Exciting!

Want this pattern in my bathroom. 101florals: Tiger lily

I got to visit the Animal Humane society earlier today with Chris (one of my favorite places to visit, but one of the hardest places to leave!) and was excited to see that on our way in a couple was coming out with a new friend! There- we found a little nine-month-old siamese mix that looks just like our kitty, Jadey.

It took all of my will-power not to walk out with him! They would have made great friends! For those of you that are wondering why I couldn't bring myself to get another kitty -- it's because I definitely have my fair share of cats at home. And the dogs. -- Don't forget about those dogs.

Still, I fall in love with every single cat that I meet! Even the naughty ones!



I am really looking forward to a little bit of a slower week this week.
We have one class for CVA tomorrow - and another one for MCAD tomorrow night, but then Thanksgiving break starts. I'm a little surprised! It totally snuck up on me.

I'm thinking that while I have some time, I might just get a little personal art done. I was thinking of starting a couple new pieces. I'm not sure yet if they'll be digital or if I want to do some kind of traditional-media / digital hybrid.... or what.

I'm sure I'll figure it out! Oh yes. And - I still want to draw a million little cute pieces of food / creatures. That's what I get for playing Megu!

101florals: Banana Flower Pods

Seriously -- you could have fooled me. After last week's temperatures, I would have sworn that I had just taken a vacation in the tropics rather than a stay at my parents' house in Mequon, Wisconsin.

Temperatures were in the 100s, and I was wilting under the summer sun.
It's been a while since I've been on a real vacation and this was as close to a week of rest and relaxation as I was ever going to get.

I spent my time swimming in the pool, eating vegetables from my parent's huge garden, and bumming around the house with Francesca.

Both of my parents are go-getters. They have an incredible amount of energy and they never skip a beat. This year their project-pride-and-joy was their 30 x 45 foot vegetable garden. I spent some time in the sun while I was there - picking radishes, harvesting beets, (delicious, I know.) and taking the occasional instagram photo of a head of cabbage.

I was definitely impressed by their inspirational gardening efforts and even more impressed by the dozens of canned, pickled radishes and beets my mom made after the harvest. (I'm almost positive no one will want to hang out with me over the next month as I finish all these off.)


Here is my pattern in repeat. Pods! Everywhere!

I actually had a great time just being.
It was also awesome seeing my brother, Brian. I don't get to see him much - seeing as he's in a different state - but when I do, I'm reminded of how funny and awesome he is.

I really miss all of them a lot. It's great to go home, but I'm always a little melancholy as I leave. It never seems long enough.

This one is dedicated to my family. Here you guys! I made a pattern for you!

So, in honor of hot days and relaxation. Here's my 101 florals pattern of the week, the center part of the Banana Flower in repeat.

Cross posted with 101florals blog.

101 florals : Clematis, forever zen

So, yes, I took a couple liberties on color here with this Clematis, but I think this pattern is better for it.

The whole time I was making this pattern I was practically in a trance- fueled by streaming meditation music from one of my new favorite channels on the radio. I walked around Uptown with my good friend, Francesca, doing the coffee-shop tour of Minneapolis as she snapped pictures of colorful fixies.

We crawled around Uptown, Minneapolis, handing out flier after flier for an upcoming show at our gallery, when we finally stopped into a store I had been wanting to visit for nearly a year.


Detail shot of the color-against-color work

My sister laughed at me later when I told her that I stopped in to Eye of Horus, a local shop for people interested in the occult, tarot, and things of the like. Though I got a chuckle or two from her, I was super excited that I had finally gotten the chance to go in. The place was filled with crystals, tons of books on all of the subjects I'm interested in right now, and all sorts of neat things. The women that ran the store were awesome, and calming.
Francesca told me afterward that one of the women had "one of those voices" - where you just want them to talk at you for days.

I had a 10 minute Reiki session with one of the ladies at the shop, and went on my merry way with a new deck of Tarot Cards and a book about Witches in 1800s Europe.


The sketch that started it all

I guess the point of me telling this story is to explain the feeling I got while making this piece. It was meditative, to say the least. I'm sure after a day of being in zen mode, I was ready to make some art that reflected my thoughts. And here it is!


(cross-posted with the 101florals blog! )

Daily Pattern: Wedding Bands

Topic: Rings

Alyssa had the best idea about doing a Beyoncé pattern, and I sort of still just want to finish the Beyoncé illustration I started (that would have been a pattern), but I suppose Beyoncé would approve of some wedding rings, anyway.

Daily Pattern : Good vs. Evil

The other night Francesca and I were leaving the studio around 11pm to grab some donuts at Kowalski's. Our building and the street outside was pretty silent. We were about to turn down the alley to get to my car, when a drunk man walks up and catches us at the entrance of our notoriously cruddy alley

"Hey, Ladies... Have you ever seen a Somali Pirate?" he says and flashes us a huge drunken smile

"Ahahahahaha, nope!" I say as we slow to scoot past him, (Cue, my own incredulous HUGE smile) -- and we keep walking down the pitch black alley

And he says :
"We'll you're looking at one! Have a good night, ladies" and stumbles off.

And now we know a Somali Pirate. Ah, fate smiled upon us that day. Dark Alleys + Pirates don't always end as wonderfully as this! And then we ate donuts.

With that, here's my pattern for Versus : Choose your fate!


Evil

or


Good

Daily Pattern : 60s bedsheets, only $30 on Ebay

Topic: Ditzy

I was waiting for a conference call tonight from a client in China tonight. I had about 20 minutes to kill, so I went to one of my usual internet haunts, Ebay. I have a tendency to horde everything from the 40s through the 70s. Anything paper, fabric, or what have you. Mostly all the stuff with vintage illustrations or patterns on them. I put a bid in tonight for a wallpaper swatch book from the 60s. I just couldn't help it.
My ditzy pattern tonight was inspired by all the sweet sweet goods I found. I love it so much. Donations, anyone? I'll gladly take your old 60s paraphernalia off your hands.

Daily Pattern: Marigolds

The last floral pattern was so much fun that I was glad to have another opportunity. The bike ride to work is through some really lovely residential gardens. This week I noticed some people have their boulevards lined with marigolds–really pretty (kind of smelly) flowers. The coolest thing about marigolds, though, is when they dry up and you can harvest their seeds from the little pocket beneath the blossom.

Daily Pattern : THANK YOU! Now, make a wish.

Hey!
I wanted to send a sincere thank you out to everyone that reads our blog. I know there is a lot of great stuff out there, and I am so happy that you take the time to stop and take a peek at the things we make. Really, truly, it means so much to us.

I want to put it out there - if you guys have any fun topics you want to see us do, give us a comment here or say hi to me on Twitter (paper_bicycle) and tell me what you're up to and what you want to see. (OR JUST SAY HI!! :D ) I want to make some sweet patterns for you!

Anyway, I love you guys. Thanks for looking and I hope I get to hear from you soon!

Now, close your eyes and make a wish on these Dandelions!
Here's to you! <3<3 We can't thank you enough. -Lindsay

Daily Pattern: Jasmine Flowers

There are three kinds of flowers that I love to eat/drink (consume?) The first favorite of these is lavender. I almost did a pattern about lavender, then I realized I already did one. The next favorite is jasmine and the third is rose. So I sat down with a pot of (jasmine) tea and made this pattern.

Daily Pattern: Flowers

"Today I had a long time to choose a theme for my pattern, but the decision came quickly. Usually when I talk on the phone or watch TV, I draw stylized flowers and all sorts of abstract things. I do not even think about what I paint and I don't know what will happen next. So I decided to connect the subconscious mind and make this pattern."

-Ira

Daily Pattern - White on White

When I think of weddings I still think of loads and loads of white. My wedding was a little more insane: with pinks, oranges and reds! I wanted to make something that seemed a little delicate and a little lacy. It seems like the perfect season to get married! Do you know anyone tying the knot this summer? Please tell them 'Congratulations' for me!