The third, and final, sketch in this series of vintage Tulsa neon signs. The Oasis Motel located on Historic Route 66 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Once again our state is waking up after a long night of severe weather and sirens. Multiple tornadoes touched down in the OKC and Tulsa metro areas. We have damage and lives were lost. Much of the area is still dealing with flooding and voluntary evacuations, as decades old levees are put under prolonged strain. More flooding is in imminent with the rain totals continuing to rise. If you have a few moments today, send some good energy to the people of Oklahoma.
Travel Oklahoma Series - The Blue Whale
I was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It’s not a perfect city, but there’s more good than bad. The people are kind, the history is rich and the sky goes on for miles and miles so, even when you’re in the middle of the city, you feel free.
There are so many beautiful, weird and quirky things about this state. I’m working hard behind the scenes to open up an Etsy store soon. Lots of planning, brainstorming and preparing. I’m narrowing down my first few prints I’m going to offer when I launch. It would feel wrong not to include a tribute to the land that grew me.
This is the first illustration from a series I’m working on that will showcase the great state of OK.
The Blue Whale has been greeting locals and travelers on the side of route 66 in Catoosa, Oklahoma since the late 60s. It has a charming history: the whale was purchased as a gift from a husband to his whale-loving wife. (I think that whales are the traditional anniversary gift for year 35.) It soon became a popular local attraction and then a regional landmark.
I’ll give you guys a little sneak peek on what I’ve been working on: turning these illustrations into fine art prints. Let me tell you: it’s way harder (at least at first) than you think. Here’s my first test print of this illustration (taken at night, with minimal lighting in my studio so don’t judge):
On screen, the colors looks sharp and balanced. In print, the pink is too flamingo and the whale is too navy blue; it should be lighter and richer. Granted, this is the second fine art print I’ve ever made myself, so I’m not beating myself up about it. We’ll get there - with some experimentation.
I can’t wait to share the rest of this series with you guys. Soon! I’m off to bed now though. Happy Monday, friends!