PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS 2019-2020 (in progress)

What:  I first began this series back in January, when the NBA season was in full-swing.  The Portland Trail Blazers have always been my favorite team, and not just because they're local.  The very first games I watched on TV and attended in person were of the Trail Blazers, so you could say they were the first team to inspire me in the art of playing basketball.  Among some of the players who caught my eye at the time and inspired me to play were: Wesley Matthews, Brandon Roy, Nicolas Batum, and now Rip City's notorious Dame D.O.L.L.A., A.K.A. Damian Lillard.  Because of my long-time love for this team and newly developed illustration style, I decided it was time to let the two passions collide.  What you see here are a few explorations into the team members of the current Portland Trail Blazers team.

Why:  I hope to capture the personalities of each player while maintaining a somewhat cohesive style throughout, as my skills and techniques continue to develop over time.  At the end of this project I'm aiming to turn these illustrations into a team booklet or zine of some kind.  My hope with this project is that I can empathize and resonate with other Trail Blazer or sports fans through my unique creative lens, bringing somewhat of a flare to Portland basketball and sports portraiture illustration as we know.