spread your wings no matter how small

16 x 16 ink, acryla gouache and graphite on canvas

As I was exploring radial desings and black & white ink drawings with a pop of color, it felt natural to work on this composition I've been trying to tackle.  

How to contain a pine in a circle?  I have put many other types of trees in a circle, but their shapes cooperated.  Since this was a different challenge, I decided to make it different all together.  Therefore the orange tree, it is not sick I promise.  It is an imaginary pine shape made up of flowers.  And since it was an abstract tree, the insects adopted some abstract characteristics, too.

Here is how the idea evolved

original composition

sketching it onto canvas

outside pattern

first layer of orange

tree painted

flower pattern on tree

inking the insects

bugs painted

shadows added

detail zoom in

I still love the movement of the original composition.  So I may try it again.  But from this one I learned that: 

• warm light acrylic colors are rather transparent no matter how many layers you pile on 
• gouache gives a beautiful flat surface as a background
• quality of line saved the bugs from being lost in all that pattern

I don't know how anything would turn out if I don't try.  Sometimes it is a win, sometimes a half win, or it gets me started on the right path. 
Even when I encounter a no, then I know for sure because I have tested it.  But oh my goodness is hard to get started.  So, here is one more attempt,  and I hope you too spread your wings no matter how small!