The story of Nicholas Bloom’s Christmas sketches

The Christmas season is all about traditions, and at Elevatus, we have a few of our own.

Nicholas Bloom’s annual holiday sketch ranks pretty high on our list.

Let’s start from the beginning. When Nicholas was an intern with the firm, word got around that he liked to sketch.

Well, that holiday season, with the urging of a few of the firm’s creatives, Nicholas took a stab at a holiday-themed sketch that incorporated the Elevatus logo.

With that Christmas tree design, a tradition was born.

“It’s really starting to become an Elevatus tradition where we do this Christmas sketch every year,” Nicholas says with his recognizable gleaming smile. “Every year I come up with a concept, sketch our logo in some fashion. It’s been a good time.”

Nicholas Bloom’s 2022 Christmas sketch.

How’s he come up with his theme? Well, Nicholas says he just starts sketching. Once he finds a concept, he’ll sketch again until he lands on a final design.

Last year, Nicholas sketched a Christmas village with a Charles Dickens flair. The detail made it among his favorite Christmas sketches, he says.

This season, he went for a different perspective.

“The last two years, we’ve done two-dimensional objects, so this is really switching it up,” Nicholas says. “This year, I decided to try it on an axonometric angle and rolled with it.”

This season’s sketch shows an Elevatus logo as the topography, rising up toward the background. It features elements of Fort Wayne’s holiday season, including the iconic Santa and his Reindeer display and the Merry Christmas wreath, as well as Headwaters Park ice skating. He added skaters and snowboarders, as well – activities he enjoys.

“In the sketch I’ve pieced together little parts of Fort Wayne, and some things that I appreciate as well,” Nicholas says.

The sketch has a strong architectural feel, which comes naturally to the skilled Architectural Graduate. It’s somehow really sharp and really nostalgic at the same time.

Here’s the 2023 Nicholas Bloom holiday sketch:

“From my point of view, I’m not good at drawing realistic elements, so that Santa and the Reindeer, just trying to get it to where it looks abstract enough to get the point across,” Nicholas says. “Just trying to keep it fun, animated, but still have some realism to it in a way.”

Mission accomplished.

Every year, when the drawing is complete, we ask Nicholas for his holiday message. What does he hope the drawing conveys?

“The message this gives is, I hope everyone has the opportunity to gather with family, enjoy the presence of everyone, because you never know how long things like that will last and you need to appreciate them while they’re here,” Nicholas says. “Happy holidays.”

Elevatus wishes all a season that’s merry and bright.