Artist & Process

I’m Sarah Evans, an architect turned artist and the founder of Oscar Francis. Everything you see here is designed by me.

The studio’s work is inspired by my passion for architecture and design, particularly modernist architecture and the everyday buildings that surround us and make up our cities.

Given the apparent simplicity of the final designs, I’m often asked about my way of working. How do I capture the character of the buildings I depict?

It all begins off the page with the idea of a collection. All of my collections, including LandmarkScandi House and Shapes of Brutalism, begin with a theme. Once the theme has been set, I research relevant buildings, uncovering each’s unique features and stories so I’m able to decide which fit best within the collection. When I’ve whittled it down to my final selection, I start to work on the page.

Sketching with a pencil and ruler helps me to better understand the finer details of each building. It’s this stage that enables me to imbue the final graphic print with its distinctive character. When I’ve finalised the colour and composition, then I move on to the digital stage of the process. By using computer-aided design software, I’m able to create the vibrant graphic pieces that the studio is known for.

After many requests, it’s now possible to purchase a selection of limited edition prints of the hand drawings.

To see my process at work, take a look at my Sketchbook. Here you can compare the original hand drawings to the final pieces.

A selection of limited editions, as well as original hand-drawn artwork, are available to buy at Rise Art.