dandelion inspiration

Today while organizing my studio I came across a group of photos my man took last fall. His subject was a dandelion in my backyard that was illuminated by the "golden hour" of the setting sun. (I knew that dandelion would come in handy!)

I love this photo. I like the subtle earthy colors and textures. I'm touched that my man has such an eye for small details that he saw this out of the corner of his eye, grabbed his camera and ran outside to capture it. I love the quiet beauty of this weed, which no doubt grew from a seed that drifted from my front yard where my war against dandelions is constantly waged in the summer. Sigh.

This was the perfect photo to challenge myself and think about how I would translate it into an illustration. The result is the following illo of a carefree woman/fairy/sprite/nymph swinging away in the wind. Whatever you want to call her, just know that if I'm drawing her, she must have fabulous shoes!!!

My studio is still a mess, but I will continue on, cleaning and organizing. Who knows what inspiration I'll find next?!