A few days ago I did a quick drawing after a walk up the canyon near my home. On my walk I came across a herd of deer maybe ten or twenty yards up above me, grazing near and running through the scrub oak. They’d occasionally stop to stare, then skitter off. Stop, skitter. Seeing deer up there isn’t uncommon at all. It actually happens a lot more often than I like, considering how freaked out my dogs get, but that night those deer looked particularly beautiful.
Anyway, after I finished my drawing I thought that was it and I’d move on. But that wasn’t it, and I started to add color in Adobe Illustrator. As I worked I began thinking of medieval artwork, particularly old tapestries. I began thinking of old cartoon movie cells and even old school greeting cards. Ha! I wanted the artwork, particularly the background, to have a certain retro look with these vector floral patterns and brushes that might even push the cheese line without sacrificing any of the power and beauty living in the animal. I am very happy with how the piece came together. In addition to being something I like to look at, this deer has given me inspiration for other new work that I can’t wait to get started on.
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