Making "Festive Forest"

After several years of more traditional card designs, I wanted to try something more playful in 2022. The idea of a forest full of animals secretly preparing for the holidays felt like the right kind of whimsy.

I started by making a list of potential characters: foxes, rabbits, squirrels, owls, mice. Then I sketched each one doing various holiday activities—carrying presents, stringing lights, decorating a tree.

The color palette was inspired by vintage children's book illustrations—warm oranges and browns for the animals, deep forest greens for the background, and pops of red and gold for the holiday decorations.

I used gouache on watercolor paper, which gives that slightly textured, matte finish I love. The whole painting took about three weeks of evening work sessions.