Sketchbook, you are growing on me.

One of my latest sketches

I've made some progress lately. I was paging through my sketchbook and realized the other day that I've had this one for about a year and a half. I've become painfully aware that I am a slow sketcher. I have always had this problem with trying to make everything in my sketchbook perfect rather than just embracing some of the weird, bizarre or spontaneous things that come with just trying things out.

In the last several months, though, I've been sketching regularly - both in my personal sketchbook, for fun, and for the upcoming Sketchbook Project 1703 Miles and Back Tour. Everyone at Light Grey got one and so we decided that we'd be working away at making something fun, while being okay with whatever interesting and crazy things came out of it.

This little bird was a doodle I made while I was playing D&D last Saturday with a group of friends. It had been a really long time since I sketched and hung out, and even longer since I played D&D. Hooray for sketching and hooray for hanging out. Two things I am excited to do more of!

I have a list of commissions (Thank you!) from some amazingly wonderful people that I'll be sharing here as I complete them.
Thanks to everyone that donated or comissioned me to help me pay for Oliver's (my kitty!) treatment.
I'm still taking orders! :) Here's a quick link in case you know anyone who might want a pretty drawing!

Daily Pattern: the Jackalope

Topic: myth

Everybody knows that jackalopes are the fearsome stuff of legend. They may be one of the cuter versions of mythological beasts, but that doesn't make them any more friendly. Unless you're talking about this guy, who is always willing to give a hand and some advice.

Daily Pattern: Autumn Leaves

I had some email trouble, so the lateness for this pattern is completely my fault. Ira had created her botanical, fall-inspired pattern right on time.

“Today in Odessa was the first autumn rain. That means that summer is over, and I'm a little sad. But I decided to draw something that I like about autumn -- the colorful leaves are like a carpet lay on the ground.”

-Ira

Daily Pattern: Forest Animals

I'm visiting my hometown for a little bit, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. One great thing about where I'm from is that every kind of animal literally lives in the backyard. It's usually white tail deer and chipmunks, but I've heard that there are a lot of fox this year and I'm hoping I'll see some.

Daily Pattern: Rainy Day

I am happy to introduce this week's Featured Friend, Debora Saucedo! I love her cute retro-inspired characters and illustration. She has a lot of really adorable craft and plush creations as well, which you can view on her Flickr and MySpace.

“My name is Debora Grahl Saucedo and I'm 25 years old. I live in Porto Alegre, a city in southern Brazil, with my husband and our mischievous cat. I've always loved to draw, ever since I was a little kid!
Currently, I work as an animator and illustrator, and in my spare time I love painting, drawing, graffiti, sewing and create fabric patterns.
My influences are classic animated cartoons, Japanese cartoons, graffiti and tattoo art.
I love to give a touch of humor to my characters! Hope you like my pattern! :) ”



Sample Repeat:

Daily Pattern: Deer Quilt

Ira made this really lovely deer pattern. I'm still in the mood for autumn and winter, and seeing this really fit the craving. They have such beautifully gentle faces!

Daily Pattern: Oranges

Knock knock. (who's there?)
Banana. (Banana who?)
Knock knock. (who's there?)
Banana. (Banana who?)
Knock knock. (who's there?)
Banana. (Banana who?)
Knock knock. (who's there?)
Banana. (Banana who?)
Knock knock. (who's there?)
Banana. (Banana who?)

Knock Knock. (who's there?)
Taisha's pattern!

Joke is courtesy Jesse Riggle.

Daily Pattern: A Deer Family

We've been spending a lot of time walking around in the mountains, seeing the some of the most amazing natural things I have ever seen. Yesterday we ran into a family of deer, babies and all. After that I knew exactly what I wanted to make for (yesterday's) daily pattern.

Daily Pattern: Field Mouse

This is another product from a recent tiny bit of Photoshop exploration. Turns out a body can make patterns in Photoshop pretty okay! This pattern is in honor of my grandma, who used to tell my sister and me stories about the little animals that lived in her yard. She is a huge fan of Beatrix Potter and loves of all kinds of animals.

Daily Pattern: Backyards are for the Birds

I had a ton of icons sketched up for a silly Backyard BBQ pattern. But after work we took a trip to West Elm. There's so much simple, beautiful and brilliant stuff there. I was inspired to do a complete 180 and make some (slightly) more sophisticated bird patterns since part of the fun of summer is watching the birds gather in the backyard.





I think my normal work is split between the fun/silly and the quiet/serious. Maybe because of the crazy ridiculous pace of making a pattern a day in our free time (HA!) I default to the silly ideas.

This was really fun, despite the pain of searching for legal and free stock photography. If I wanted to spend some cash monies it would have went a lot quicker.

Daily Pattern: Young Amphibians

Much like the life of a frog, there were a few stages of life to this pattern concept. In the end, a closeup view of these babies was the clearest way to depict them. Add some gelatinous masses and there you have it.