From the Drawing Table: Custom Banyan Tree

Lately, we have been doing more custom drawings than usual. I love working on new designs and special request orders because it is an opportunity to pull myself out of my regular email, business and production schedule for some good old-fashioned drawing time. It's challenging, though, because I have to carve out the extra time to do it, and drawings don't always turn out perfectly on the first try (imagine that!), so I have no idea how long it might take.

Last week I started work on a tree that we've had requested a number of times, but we can never get just right. I think I may have gotten pretty close this time!

The Banyan tree is found in tropical climates the world over. It is known for its grand scale and sweeping viney base. Interestingly it begins as a fig (also known as a ficus) tree and expands as seeds germinate in cracks of the host tree, creating networks and bridges even. Each tree, or network of trees, in incredibly unique and detailed, making it hard to capture. Of all of the images I searched through for inspiration, I think I liked the banyans found in Hawaii the best. If you have watched the show LOST at all in the past, you might remember some of the characters hiding in niches of the banyan trees in the forest (particularly in season 1). LOST was filmed on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. I would love to visit to see them in person!

Here is a sneak peek into what I've been working on. I spent so much time on the trunk, that I almost hate to put fingerprints on it! We will see this week if I can adjust it to fit 100 fingerprints before I customize it for our client in the UK.