Drawn the Road Again

Category: City Mouse

  • New day, new year

    New day, new year

    I made this sketch at the start of the last lunar year—on a crisp morning, surrounded by orange trees, in the still-breathing heart of a Gold-Rush-era Chinatown. So here we are, with another Chinese new year upon us—wishing you a happy and prosperous Year of the Horse!

  • 12th Night

    12th Night

    I’m not really a fan of American football, but I do love seeing (and sketching!) a city transformed by a rare event. And I have to admit, it was pretty hard not to get swept up by all the excitement humming in Seattle’s very bones this weekend. So I’ll go ahead and add my voice…

  • Night and day

    Night and day

    Speaking of neon signs, this might not be a sketchbook post, but I figured it wasn’t too far off-topic. For those of you who might find yourselves in the Pacific Northwest this year, I’ve got a solo exhibit opening tomorrow, right here on my home turf. The show is called You’ll Like Tacoma, and features…

  • Great Googie Moogly

    Great Googie Moogly

    Yep, there’s actually a term for this retro style, for all those midcentury space-age motels, drive-ins, what have you: Googie Architecture. There are a zillion examples out there, and the possibilities are seemingly endless, but one thing is for certain: you know it when you see it. And in terms of Googie style, Route 66…

  • Cold snap

    Cold snap

    I had to do this drawing in five-minute intervals—I kept running inside a nearby coffee shop to warm up my hands. It’s maybe not the most efficient way to sketch, but it’ll get the job done in a pinch.

  • Sea to shining sea

    Sea to shining sea

    With all the travel and sketching this year held, it’s hard to believe it’s still 2013. This year gave me 62 days out of town (a new record!) and many dozens of drawings—and best of all, brought me to both coasts. And while it feels a little like a blur when I look back on…

  • Santa stockpile

    Santa stockpile

    You know…just in case the big guy wonders where all the toys are kept.

  • Star light, star bright

    Star light, star bright

    Now, I have a thing for mid-century Christmas decorations anyway. But a 160-foot star that’s been glowing in all its 4300-bulb glory for over fifty years running? Well, that’s a holiday tradition I can get behind.

  • Topsy turvy tannenbaum

    Topsy turvy tannenbaum

    This is by far the best use of a chandelier fixture I’ve ever seen. Now if only I could convince the Tailor to let me hang our tree upside-down…

  • Mad science

    Mad science

    The Tailor and I had completely different reasons for wanting to visit Thomas Edison’s laboratory. For my part, they had me at “National Park”—and it didn’t hurt that there existed a hilarious song about the place (which, let me tell you, played on repeat in my head for a good month afterward). But the Tailor’s…