Solace

Back when I was learning Adobe Illustrator, I got a bit bored of making small practice illustrations. I wanted to make something on a larger scale that I could display, like a wall hanging of sorts.

I came across the work of illustrator Tabitha Brown while browsing Pinterest and decided to create something inspired by her art. Brown creates these serene illustrations of Black women in nature and everyday environments. I love the idea of Black women simply existing, surrounded by what brings them peace and calm. My own personal solace is music, specifically playing the guitar, so including music was an essential part of this piece.

Although Brown's art style is quite stylised, I wanted to make sure I got the pose right, so I took some photos of myself holding my guitar and used those as reference.

I decided to include the background from the reference photos as well, my room in a houseshare I was renting at the time. I also included some plants I didn't have and a cat that doesn't exist, just for some extra serenity, ya know?

Once the illustration was done, I got it printed using the first online printing service I could find, on an unnecessarily expensive sheet of fabric, creating a makeshift tapestry. It now hangs in my office, right above my desk, reminding me everyday of what brings me peace.