Inspiration
It's hard not to see a twirling skirt in a fuchsia's corolla and dancing slippered feet in her corona. What lovely little flowers.
I noticed these two "friends" enjoying the sun under a big oak tree outside my mom's kitchen window.
Concept Sketch
I wanted the fuchsias encircled with activity or bustle, like the busy world which seems to blur and fade when you're with someone special.
Selected Drafts
I added background color with a textured gradient, recolored swirl and text, and redrew the sketch.
This spatter pattern fit my "busy world" concept and echoed the delicate femininity of the blossoms.
By adding layer of paler, larger pattern underneath, I was able to retain the gradient effect of the first draft. Text was abandoned for simplicity.
Finished Illustration
Delightful, but I miss the text. Perhaps this illustration will become the front of a folded greeting card with the text in the interior.