Signs of Spring, or December in Dallas

Lately, the weather around here has been in its transition toward winter - more in the way of rainfall and breezes, a second round of new foliage on the plants, and an overall sense of fresh life. In other words, it's a lot like spring. I learned early on that Dallas offers two "growing seasons" - we're at the tail end of the second this year.

As such, when I sat down to work out the colors of the illustration above my mind turned to floral themes, and tones more traditionally characteristic of May, than of December. I created this one for a greyhound-adoption fundraising auction - with limited time on my hands, I had to keep it simple. And while the lines of the thing are to my mind the most significant aspect, the colors are a joy. I've called it "Crocus Pocus", thanks to the sprout-like shapes and colors in the scale pattern...
How about a closer look, to see the wonderful, reflective mica powder in the metallic ink...

I'm frankly hooked on metallic inks - they give me the effect of tinsel, without nearly the risk of overdoing it. They shade beautifully, too - something I use often for the Singapore Slingers poster designs.

A little close-up of the greyhound's face - I just realized that I subconsciously created a "C" in the dog's ear - for "crocus", I imagine...

In all, lots of fun. The illustration will be auctioned off tonight by the Greyhound Adoption League of Texas, hopefully for a goodly sum. Sadly, they've just taken in eleven abandoned pups with a range of serious medical needs - this fundraiser is indeed timely. Any opportunity to assist in the adoption and care of these magnificent dogs is a pleasure to participate in - I'm glad that I can do so with pen and ink. Here's to helping the animals!