Behind the scenes of an illustration commission

One of my favourite parts of working as a commercial illustrator is seeing how an initial idea develops into a finished product.

For my latest commission with Relish, I was asked to create five new garden-inspired illustrations for their latest Aquapaints collection, Garden Wonders.

The process began with pencil sketches, developing the compositions and deciding how the different elements would work together.

Rather than painting each scene as one complete illustration, I painted the individual elements separately in watercolour — birds, flowers, bees, foliage and vegetables — often at a larger scale so I could capture the detail and character I wanted.

Once the paintings were complete, I scanned the individual elements and brought them together digitally in Photoshop, building each composition layer by layer to create the final print-ready artwork.

 

And then came the particularly rewarding part: seeing those original watercolours transformed into the finished Garden Wonders Aquapaints collection.

This is now the fifth Aquapaint collection I've illustrated for Relish, and my eighth commission with them overall.

It's a wonderful example of how a traditional, hand-painted illustration can be developed and adapted to create a product with a very different purpose — in this case, a calming and creative activity designed for people living with dementia.

I'm incredibly grateful to the Relish team for continuing to trust me with these projects, and I always love seeing where the artwork eventually ends up.

Bespoke art for products

 🎨 Just add water… and watch the magic unfold. ✨

I was commissioned by @Relishjoy to create the artwork for Magnificent Birds — a set of Aquapaints designed to enrich the lives of people living with dementia. As water touches the art board, my original illustrations are revealed, creating a calming and creative experience that brings joy and connection. 💛

Vibrant scenes are revealed brushstroke by brushstroke, helping spark joy and a real sense of accomplishment. I will be sharing more of the magnificent birds and other themes we have worked on together,  showcasing this magical product and how we develop them from ideas to finished products.

Timelapse of my watercolour Goldfinch painting

From pencil sketch to finished Goldfinch, watch the process unfold in seconds 🎨☺️

Watercolour Illustration of Great Tit Nest

Magpies are natural nest predators, as this great tit knows! Hand painted watercolour illustration from Homecoming, a beautiful nature journal written by the wonderful Melissa Harrison and fully illustrated by me.

Flying high watercolour nature illustration

 Flying high

Created for @ourplanetweek prompt "Feel the air"

This handpainted watercolour is my attempt to capture the freedom of flight- a weightless, soul-lifting moment.

Swallows, swifts and house martins dance above the trees, soaring through a blue sky dappled with sunlight and soft clouds. I hope you can feel what it might be like to ride the wind- to feel the air beneath your wings?

Chiffchaff watercolour illustration

 It was a joy to bring this tiny singer to life. From pencil sketch to final brushstroke, this little chiffchaff found its voice in the pages of Homecoming-a beautiful nature journal written by the wonderful Melissa Harrison. And fully illustrated by me.

Each commissioned piece begins as a pencil sketch, allowing space for feedback on composition and concept before I begin painting. Once the watercolour illustration is complete, I scan and prepare high-quality digital files for my client-ready to sing on the printed page ☺️

Watercolour illustration of Black bird singing

The sweet sound of spring is here! This blackbird, perched high on a rooftop against a clear blue sky, is singing its heart out—filling the air with its beautiful, flute-like melody. March mornings wouldn’t be the same without this joyful chorus! 💙

Have you heard the first blackbird song of the season yet?

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch Results

 Hope you enjoy my RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch footage.

Watercolour illustration of black bird and ivy berries

 At this time of the year in the UK Ivy berries provide important winter food for birds and small mammals. 😊

This hand painted watercolour illustration is one of the many illustrations in Homecoming nature journal written by Melissa Harrison.

Jungle Life Jigsaw Puzzle - Watercolour Wildlife, Nature and Animal Illustration

Fantastic to work with the team at Relish again on a bright and colourful Jungle themed jigsaw for the dementia market.

https://relish-life.com/jigsaw-puzzles/100-piece-puzzles/jungle-life