made = birthday bag

my mother loves the place were we live
she loves most things about it but she loves swimming in the Bay the best
so brain + fabric pens + tote = original gift
i did an illustration of Freshwater Bay in a sort of panorama style (very simplified)
i sketched a very light basic outline first in pencil directly onto the tote
then went over this and added detail with the fabric pens themselves (Fabrico)

the ones i bought had a different style nib at both ends and, actually, it came in really handy as they it gave different intensity of colour and I had a limited palette (5 colours)
i wanted the focus to be on the water and sky


i didn't want to waste the space on the reverse so i thought up some words
i tried to describe the Bay in all its seasonal moods

 

i hope i caught the wild essence of the sea

my mum loved it and i don't think it was ONLY because she's biased
by the way, that is AFTER ironing (i just ain't that good)