With this theme ("perspective"), I wanted to take a double approach: to express the traditional geo-physical perspective that things have in the 3D space, as well as the more abstract meaning of "seeing things in perspective".

It's a known fact that children and young adults see things differently than older people. When young, curiosity, enthusiasm and faith in success overwrite the disappointments and distrust of a positive outcome... It's also an age when we are not yet tied down by material things and possessions... As older adults though, it's like we completely forgot that we are free to change our life, if we are not happy with it. It doesn't necessarily mean that it will became great (or even better), the point is that we don't even try. Because we have to take care of too many things and there is too much to lose... at least that's how we perceive it from the low vantage point we stand. And that makes change look not only scary, but dauntingly impossible or simply unattractive.

The image was also about that, learning to hold tight while letting go, embracing the scary thrill of a powerful swing thrusting us up in the sky... That "happy scary" of a new exciting adventure, the feeling of being light on your feet and thoughts, trusting and hopeful... at peace with your mind and heart... and just live your life, not somebody else's.

In creating the illustration for this theme, I wanted to use as reference a photo taken in the arboretum, of a little white flower bush (don't know its name, unfortunately). I really liked the delicacy of the flowers and how dense they grew to each other, forming a white beautiful carpet.

Despite the beautiful setting though, I still didn't have a story. Simple pretty flowers were not good enough to make an interesting image. Something needed to happen there, so I started sketching some bunnies in the hope some idea will jump at me. And it did! It was that of a bunny looking straight up, like he's being caught in the act of doing something mischievous, and now he's playing the candid innocence card... low-lying ears towards the back, big wide eyes fixating on you without a blink, and of course mouth stopped from chewing...

That's how "I wasn't doing anything" line came up, and it kind of cracked me up... :)

This week's prompt was Garden. I used as source of inspiration an image from my thesis presentation, which in fact was an aquatic scene. I really loved the color combination from there and even though it wasn't the "right" one for an "earth garden", I still decided to use it in the image. So the result was a bit of surrealist color combo...

Week four's theme was "Ode to favorite children's book".

From all the children's books I read, none of them spoke to me as personally and profoundly as The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Even though, come to think of it, I didn't even read it in my childhood, but later on in my 20s...

I debated a lot in my head what subject to represent in the image, and I finally decided to go with the most essential idea that the entire boy's adventure is centered around, that of LOVE. The Little prince, on his small planet, sitting on a chair and watching a beautiful sunset together with his loved one.

I leave you with the gift the fox gave the Little Prince, before they parted:

"Here is my secret. It is very simple: It is only with the heart that one can see clearly; what is essential is invisiblee to the eye."

So this week's theme was kind of tricky for me, as somebody not familiar with Australia. So finding the right subject to paint took a bit of head scratching...

After the first few fiasco ideas like kangaroos, Opera house and boomerangs, I remembered a scene from Finding Nemo, when Marlin and Dory arrive in Sydney with the "help" of a whale, and Marlin finally grasps the concept of "letting go", which literally sets him free...

The film uses a stunning night scene of Sydney flooded in the silver light of a gorgeous full moon, while the whale is swimming away playfully.

And that idea clicked.

The background story for this image...

There is a birch tree in front of my window, that used to have many little birds as visitors over the summer. For about 3 months now I put on the windowsill seeds for them and watch their crossed lifts and landings so similar to an airport. Over time, I even come to recognize some of them, by how they look or behave...

All these little birds bring so much color and hapiness into the grey cold days of winter... I wanted to dedicate them this image, as a thank you and appreciation for all they offer to us.

The background story for Whimsy...

For those who know the Friends series, there is a song that Ross was singing as a little boy:

I am Bea,
I drink tea,
Won't you dance around
With me?

For some reason, when reading the week's theme, this little song started playing in my head. What followed was "Bea" metamorphosing into "bee" and then the two ideas (of Bea drinking tea and of Bee) merged into one and created the image you see here...

Hello there, long time no see...

So what's new with you? Me, I have decided to try out some of the prompts in the 52 Week Illustration Challenge. As the title suggests, there is one topic for each week, going on for an entire year.  Below is the list of the 2017 prompts.