an end-of-summer update

Well I have been neglecting my blog a bit, but not my sketching, rest assured. I have been busy working on t-shirt designs, the web site for I'm a Hot Tee, LLC, an illustration for my dad, and I started a new map painting. I've recently focused on maps as a subject for drawings and paintings and they still intrigue me.

The week prior to last was completely whirl-wind: my brother moved in and my old roommate Jamie (the sweetest girl on earth) moved out. Also, Mike and I went to a book-signing featuring Senator Byrd. Something happened there which was totally exciting and awesome, but I don't feel at liberty to say what yet ;). Also, Mike's script, S.P.E.C.T.R.E., caught the interest of a great management company in LA. So keep your fingers crossed for us! AND, to top it all off, Mike proposed to me. He asked me in a bench in the Arboretum, on a trail we walked when we went on our first date. :)

Anyway, here are some snippet images of projects, both finished and in-progress.

pixels

Sometimes, if you closely examine a digital image, you can find amazing pixel patterns. I have a soft spot for grids and vibrant color, and this combination of pixels grabbed my attention. I like to imagine what you could do based on this image- make a quilt, wall hanging, large painting, etc. Or even tile work.

PS a new sketch post coming soon...

more sketches, older and newer

Here are some new pen sketches. They appear more yellow because I scanned them...for some reason it renders the paper differently than when I took digital images. Anyhow, in the "experiments" sketch, I decided to see what happened when I drew loopy lines over a grid. In one section, the lines made something close to a landscape, with the sun and a mountain. So I decided to focus on that and add more lines. It ended up creating a fluid texture...well worth the experiment. The lines on the mountain also remind me a little of agriculture- like when you pass over farmland in a plane and the world becomes ordered and quilt-like for a few moments.

quick drawings, pugs, and crispy-ness

Had a fun holiday, complete with my first stay in a camper. Spotted pugs on 2 separate occasions, which Mike appreciated. I am slowly warming up to them, though I have always been more of a cat person.

On the 4th, we saw a reenactment of the Battle of Gettysburgh and it was the best reenactment I've seen. Huge scale, with dozens of horses, canons, and probably thousands of soldiers.
I was so fixated on the battle, though, that I neglected to put sunscreen on until it was too late. A few hours later, my shoulders were as pink as a 4th of July hotdog.

my favorite mug

I bought this mug about a year ago and I've used it nearly every day since. It is a beautiful blue-green color (turquoise, really) with a hint toward the yellow ochre (sp?) side. I made a Sakura Micron pen drawing of it a couple days ago and then added color tonight.

from within

"[And where does the strength come from, to see the race to its end?] From within."

Mike and I watched this the other day. I've seen it a few times and it gets better with each watching. Maybe because I appreciate it more with age. It's a beautiful movie and I'm sure this isn't the last time I'll see it.

We didn't just watch it because it's great, though. There is a 5K coming up in a few weeks and we're both going to run it. What better way to pump yourself up than have that Vangelis sound track playing in your head?

Also, on a side note, I set up my portfolio site today! You can see it at http://www.sarahlaynedesign.com. Still some kinks to work out and some rearranging/ adding of images to do, but overall I am pleased.