12. Prevail!

How to win MLS Cup according to the Sounders
12. Prevail!
Don't be shocked when your history book mentions me. 

//

Part twelve of a twelve part series collected here.

11. Sounder together

How to win MLS Cup according to the Sounders
11. Sounder together. Don't. Give. UP.
You and I. Do or die. 

//

Part eleven of a twelve part series collected here.

10. Dance

How to win MLS Cup according to the Sounders
10. Dance
This is not a moment, it's the movement. 

//

Part ten of a twelve part series collected here.

9. Play for the badge

How to win MLS Cup according to the Sounders
9. Play for the badge
The plan is to fan this spark into a flame.

//

Part nine of a twelve part series collected here.

8. Sideline star with a broken heart

How to win MLS Cup according to the Sounders
8. Sideline star with a broken heart
The odds the gods would put us all in one spot.

//

Part eight of a twelve part series collected here.

7. Hire a local legend

How to win MLS Cup according to the Sounders
7. Hire a local legend
I promise that I'll make y'all proud.

//

Part seven of a twelve part series collected here.

6. Bring in a difference maker

How to win MLS Cup according to the Sounders
6. Bring in a difference maker
Let's get this guy in front of a crowd.

//

Part six of a twelve part series collected here.

5. Part ways with your coach

How to win MLS Cup according to the Sounders
5. Part ways with your coach
The situation is fraught.

//

Part five of a twelve part series collected here.

4. Be counted out

How to win MLS Cup according to the Sounders
4. Be counted out
We're gonna ride up... rise up.

//

Part four of a twelve part series collected here.

3. Struggle

How to win MLS Cup according to the Sounders
3. Struggle
Passionately smashing every expectation.

//

Part three of a twelve part series collected here.

2. Lose your top striker

How to win MLS Cup according to the Sounders
2. Lose your top striker.
But damn it's getting dark. 

//

Part two of a twelve part series collected here.

1. Sign a hometown kid

How to win MLS Cup according to the Sounders
1. Sign a hometown kid
I'm young scrappy and hungry. 

//

Part one of a twelve part series collected here.

Special crafts for MLS cup

It's MLS cup time. We're traveling to Toronto to the final for our first time ever as an MLS club. I'm preparing the only way I know how- creatively.

I drew every single player on the roster. I don't care if they've played any first team minutes or not, they helped us get here.

I had to finish the lettering on the plane, but we made it! These were about 4"x6" size and will be given out to random friends and strangers that are in Toronto to support the Sounders to victory. 

The gang's all here! 

Please, Montreal

If you can't do it for us, do it for yourselves. No? Okay I guess we're going to Toronto.

Drawn hastily during the game that decided who and where the Sounders would play in MLS cup.

Conference Champions

And just like that, we have silverware. In 2016. And we're going to the MLS Cup.

Frei the jedi

If we were going to beat Colorado in the Western Conference finals we were going to need a few miracles. We won thanks to goals by Nico and Jordan over the two games. Colorado had barely any dangerous chances thanks in part to this guy, our very own Jedi.

It's called: "This is not the goal you're looking for" featuring Stefan Frei using the force against the dark side.

Super Román

It's called: "Look! Up in the sky! It's... Román Torres!"

Sammy Sounder vs Tex Hooper

This drawing took more research than I care to admit since the only video games I know how to play are Tetris and Super Mario Brothers 3 on the original NES. Which I still have a working version of. But that's beside the point.

It's called: "Finish them! Featuring Sammy Sounder vs Tex Hooper in a battle of good vs evil."

No interim necessary

Call him Coach Brian Schmetzer! He's our guy. He always has been.

Pumpkins

The story of how this happened can be found here. I carved some pumpkins for the FS1 set at CenturyLink when it turned out they'd be staying for the quick playoff turnaround. It was super fun but my wrists were sore for a few days. I haven't carved that much in a day since college.

Also, this is the closet by proxy that I've ever been to my celebrity crush Rob Stone. Be still my heart.

Also I made sure all were marked with #YNYA (the motto of Nos Audietis- a Sounders podcast) for good luck.

Have no fear

This guy. Although we love him, he didn't score all season. UNTIL the moment when these tired Sounders were about to have to play extra time in a mid-week knockout round game. He saved us in the 88th minute, and it sent Centurylink into a frenzy. In the post-game locker room, Schmetzer told the team to "have no fear... because Nelson Valdez is on our team."

How to be Mr. Sounder

This guy (Zach Scott) is in his last season with the rave green. Last time I drew him--riding a horse--he responded on Twitter noting that his normal mode of transport was a dragon. Noted.

It's a twister

No cyclones actually touched down in Seattle, but there were warnings I swear. We like Seattle Sunshine though, whatever form it takes.

This one's called "Cyclones only make the Seattle Sounders stronger" and was requested by my friend Chamaine.

Line dancing

This is my fave digital watercolor I've done. It's called: "Our boys stomping and dancing all over that red line" and I drew it on the bus on the way home from the Vancouver away trip. We did it. We are playoff bound and we're not finished yet.

New friends

 

I went on my first away game adventure to the Vancouver game. Even though I was super shy, I met some new friends- one of whom brought a tiny travel watercolor set! I did this quick drawing at a rest stop and gave it to my friend Kevin who needed some happy to spruce up his temporary home. This is what I love about soccer- this is community of friends that you either know really well or just haven't met yet.

This also marks the last piece that I did with my left/non-dominant hand. It was feasible using actual watercolors and paper with the friction, but it's super annoying to do on the iPad. Plus, the point was to let my hand develop a style without my brain forcing it and getting all precious. I've accomplished that and have something to build on that I'm comfortable with. Moving forward, all will be done with my right/dominant hand unless specified otherwise.

Top watercolor by my friend Dan.

Rave green army

My first official post as a contributor to Sounder at Heart! I'll be drawing and posting hype posts and providing illustrations for different types of articles and events here and there. I'm super excited.

It's called: "Danza Kuduro!"
In a rare glimpse into the post-game locker room, we were gifted this video of Román Torres dancing. I hope this becomes a thing because I'm madly in love.

Done with the Adobe Photoshop Sketch app. I figured out how to get a watercolor paper texture in the background and I'm super happy with it. I also just like how the watercolor function behaves and blends. This will be my new medium moving forward.

There's only one Zach Scott

Mr. Sounder announced his retirement at the end of the season and we preemptively miss him already. What a guy. 

This is my first time trying the Adobe Photoshop Sketch app on the iPad. I like the watercolor texture but it's hard to control anything still trying to use my left/non-dominant hand. I may have to ditch that gimmick soon. 

My captain tonight Ozzie Osvaldo

This is my first attempt at a digital watercolor. This was done using the Paper by 52 app on an iPad pro with Apple pencil. I like the experience but I think the watercolor function ends up looking a bit like torn paper.

This, of course, is my fave player Ozzie Alonso making an insane goal line save vs San Jose where he was also appointed as captain by interim Coach Schmetzer. He retweeted this on Twitter and my heart is still soaring.

Taylor and Roger

We like our Sounders and we like them to stick around. It's called: "There should be a Roger and Taylor one on a rollercoaster" and was requested by my friend Darla.

The Roldan engine

At this point I'm running out of watercolor paper. This hobby has taken over August and has made me love drawing again. I'll do a few more on paper and then will start experimenting with my newly purchased iPad pro and Apple pencil. In the meantime, here are the kids. They are doing awesome and we adore them, even Kovar who broke his collarbone, poor guy.

Fear the honey badger

It's time for my favorite watercolor to evolve into a 2-pole. Here is the original. My friend Eileen came over for a 2-pole party and we each did one over the course of a few hours. The honey badger will debut in GA for the Vancouver match on 9/17.

Shoephone

Requested by my friend Mark, this was done as an entry to a contest run by the Nos Audietis podcast crew from Sounder at Heart. I won! A prize package from Red Hook! And I am now an award-winning watercolorist. Because prizes and awards are essentially the same.

Bread and her Jordan

When this was a super small operation, my friends requested subjects and I gave the original to the person who requested the subject I decided to do. Here's my friend Bread getting her Jordan with kittens, unicorns, and rainbows at the SEAvRSL match.

Román Torres

Román Torres has been injured for a year, out with an ACL tear. We're just now seeing him back in the 18 and hoping he's starting again soon. Timbers and other teams should be very, very afraid.

Chad the rock god

It's called "Chad Marshall playing one of the flame thrower towers like a guitar rock god" and was requested by gif expert and Nos Audietis producer, Likkit.

She believes

The USWNT was in the Olympics in 2016, and although they didn't get as far as many hoped coming off of their 2015 World Cup win, they are still always fun to watch.

The honey badger

It's called: " Ozzie Alonso riding a badger whilst tossing yellow cards in the air cuz they don't give a F***!!" and was requested by Kyle of the Dry Side. This is my favorite all time and is still the best Ozzie reaction image for any Ozzie shenanigans during matches. There's also a 2-pole version.

GMA

It's called: "A painting of Grandma with Zakuani and Eddie Johnson at Sonarfeed." Grandma is a legend among Sounders supporters, and can be seen traveling to more away matches a season than you, probably. This was requested by her daughters.

Ulloa and Rowe

Painted and posted live during the 2016 US Open cup semi between LA and Dallas. The moment in extra time stoppage time when Ulloa steals the win from Rowe on a corner.

As with many in the beginning, this was done with my left/non-dominant hand.

Stefan Frei the ninja

Requested by my friend Sara of the Dry Side, it's called: "I do like Stefan Frei a lot (and those wrinkle pups)." Those wrinkle pups are really something. #wrinklewednesday

A few of my favorite things

Requested by my friend Bread. it's called: "Jordan with kittens and unicorns and rainbows." I think I nailed it.