In a recent live brief, I was commissioned by a family friend to create a personalised illustration, as a birthday gift. The client was very easy going and gave me complete creative freedom. They only made a small request. The individual loved butterflies, therefore they wanted this to be incorporated into the designs. In my portfolio, I showcased a series of illustrated nature prints, from my first-year exhibition. The client really liked these illustrations, as I received positive and rewarding comments for them. Therefore, I decided to adapt these concepts and create something similar.
Past work - illustrated nature prints
I must say, symmetry is not my strong point. When drawing, I find it difficult to equally match my designs. Usually this gives my illustrations character, however for this brief, I wanted the drawings to be perfect. Therefore to tackle this issue, I developed my own strategy. I decided to draw one side of the butterfly, and reflect it in photoshop. This method worked perfectly and saved a lot of time from messing with proportions. For final touches, I incorporated the clients favourite colour, being purple. I also framed the piece.
Experimenting with symmetry in photoshop
Finished illustration
The customer was very pleased with the completed illustration, as shown by a photograph of it in their home. I really enjoyed working on this project, as it’s always nice to see a happy client. I’d like to create some more of these designs, possibly selling them on Etsy.
Framed illustration in client's home
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