Hexagons in rainbow: something geometric and festive, with a hint of a basket weave. So it’s something modern but feels a little traditional as well.
I liked it so much that for Redbubble I decided to do solid colours as well.
Moving on to gradient mixes of 2 colours after this, for e.g. pink and orange.
This is the design I decided to go with for my Redbubble gallery. I think the previous design (as shown in previous post) with the outline of my face would be too personal and off-putting for others. It’s not like it’s the face of a beloved celebrity or character, or even just an anonymous but attractive face. It’s just my face :-). So, I decided to have the words with this scenery illustration instead.
As mentioned in the previous post, as an insomniac owl who probably thinks or daydreams (nightdreams, I guess) too much. this is my personal take on “Not all those who wander are lost”, which is a line from a poem in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings.
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Tutorial credit: I learnt how to do the style of the above night seascape illustration from MadFireOn on YouTube: https://youtu.be/B4qfFa0avRQ
The idea behind the design is: whether we’re riding high or just doing our best to keep our heads up when circumstances bring us low, staying positive includes having to steer clear of negativity. That may sound obvious but sometimes it’s hard to do because the negativity may come from people we have to be around with such as colleagues. It may even come from people we love including family members and friends.
For example, when we receive criticism, listen well with an open mind and heart. If it’s constructive, embrace it. It may help us improve so consider acting upon it. However, if it’s not helpful and, worse, feels like it’s just meant to hurt our feelings, then brush it off and move on.
Try our best to spend more time with people who are kind, encouraging and want to see us succeed. Try our best to steer clear of people who don’t.
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The above was originally ‘Ridin’ High‘ (see image below), but I changed it to ‘Surfin’ Right On‘ less than a day later. Reason being that soon after posting it on Instagram, I received a message on that platform from a U.S. shop called just that, ‘Ridin HIgh’, that the name is trademarked (for apparel).
I’m not familiar with trademarks. Never applied for one and never had reason to learn about them. I don’t know if trademarks, if registered in one country, apply to another or the rest of the world. Of course that’s irrelevant when it comes to Redbubble where I have stuff with the design on on sale, as it is an online marketplace so customers can be from anywhere including the U.S.
In any case, I don’t mind changing the previous slogan after the U.S. shop ‘Ridin High’ informed me (and they worded it politely too) that they have a trademark on it, for apparel. It’s not about whether it applies to me legally or not. As an aspiring artist/designer of some sort (haha) it’s important to me to consider the hard work other people have also put in to establish themselves and to respect that.
The bonus is that I’m actually happier with the overall design now. ‘Surfing’ makes more sense for the wave-like design, and fits the context of the idea better, which is of moving on and staying positive.
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Tutorial credit: Abstract Lines learnt from: Logos by Nick at YouTube: https://youtu.be/vZF1ye0c4P4
Fall into the splendour of love. Dive deep. Giving your all is the best way to experience it, for better or worse (maybe mostly worse but there are good days too 😛).
It is the last line of Chris Isaak’s haunting and iconic song Wicked Game. Still as arrestingly beautiful as the day I first heard it over two decades ago.
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Text styling learnt from: Logos By Nick on YouTube: https://youtu.be/nyFY6__x4hU
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I put in the sky for an idea of a freefall into love, but I like the text without the background too, so I had fun fitting both on Redbubble stuff.
I loved the experience of making the first batik-inspired illustration of hibiscus. That was of red blooms. I decided to make a second one, this time of yellow hibiscus, also based on a photo I took. I think I enjoyed it even more 🙂
Incidentally, the white dots all over the flowers in the illustration, inspired by the style of batik art, seem to reflect the water droplets on the flowers in the photo. That’s coincidental, but it does make me look at flowers and other elements in batik art in a new way.
Sometimes life throws us a curve ball. Sometimes life just hurts. Sometimes it takes a while and great patience to find the strength to rise above. But we can do it. Have faith in ourselves, take a deep breath, and start to focus on getting better.
That’s what I tell myself, when the going gets rough.
What else can one do? Life has to go on. Just grin and bear it, remind myself of the blessings in life I have to be grateful for, and just get on with it.
Luna makes my cat illustrations a quartet! For now at least.
I’m simply calling it ‘Lively Luna’, as she is such an active girl 😻
Click here to visit the Redbubble gallery of this illustration.
Drew these from Hibiscus flowers that bloomed in our garden, in a style inspired by batik painting.
Click here for the Redbubble gallery for this illustration.
Wandering at night 