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

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!