“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant.”
Anne Bradstreet
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“The promise of spring’s arrival is enough to get anyone through the bitter winter.”
Jen Selinsky
#190210#
The design I did for Sooyoung’s ang bao not long ago last week was actually a preview or teaser of what I was going to do for her birthday artwork (see post CNY RED PACKETS 2019: PIG YEAR OINK OINK). In fact, I already had the idea even before I started planning my ang bao designs. I sourced for a packet of synthetic cherry blossom / sakura flowers from Carousell in late January but put it aside while I started making my ang baos first since Chinese New Year came first before her birthday (talking about priority!).
I finally found the time to start working on her birthday artwork 2 days before her birthday. My idea was to draw a portrait of her on paper and then surround her with lots of sakura flowers. I also planned to use a sakura flower design washi tape (which I already have in my collections) to make the borders around her portrait. This was inspired by her own exhibition which was organised last December where green duct tapes were used to stick her paper photos on the wall and make lines and borders. Simple yet cool.
So I began by sketching a portrait of her based on a recent photo which I had chosen from her instagram gallery.
I wasn’t really particular about drawing her facial features as accurately as how she looked in the photo. I merely drew until I personally felt satisfied enough. At least my sketch, as it turned out, was a big improvement from the one I drew of her last year (see post: FOR SOOYOUNG: OPEN YOUR THIRD EYE TO SEE A BIGGER WORLD).
The second step was to use my sakura flower design washi tape to make borders around her portrait as freely as I wished.
The third step was to stick my synthetic sakura flowers, leaves and petals on the paper using a white glue. Notice how I purposely positioned some of the petals in a heart shape! ㅋㅋㅋ
Last step was to write the words “Spring is here” at the bottom of the paper using a gold metallic marker.
I didn’t take any work-in-progress photos or a process video this time so I could only write down the steps I did to make this artwork here. Hahaha.
So here are the detailed shots of my final piece! 📸
Why did I choose to do a theme about the spring season for Sooyoung’s birthday artwork? It isn’t like she was born in the season of spring since February is still considered winter in Korea so technically she is a winter baby. I decided to do this artwork because of her following instagram post.
She seemed to reveal her wish for spring to come well after winter ends. Her yearning for spring’s arrival spurred me to make this artwork that is full of cherry blossoms to signify that all hopes are going to blossom this coming spring season.
I was reminded of a quote that I used before in an old post MONTHSARY SPECIAL: THE THIRTY-FIFTH.
It goes,
“Stillness is the flower of winter. All hope waits beneath a blanket of white.”
Indeed, when all snow melts away, flowers are going to bloom. Spring is already here before she knew it.
Remember Jonghyun wrote the song “우린 봄이 오기 전에 (Before Our Spring)” in his posthumous album “Poet | Artist” before he left us?
JONGHYUN – 우린 봄이 오기 전에 (Before Our Spring) (English Translation)
(source)Before spring comes
Before it gets warm
Shall we meet?Before the day comes
When everyone else is asleep
Let’s metActually, looking at you
Watching over you makes me happy
Just looking at you smiling
Just watching over you makes me feel at peaceI know this sounds foolish
But I’m afraid to go to you
Even if you don’t understand
It’s alright, it’s alright
Because there’s still a lot of time
Before spring will comeActually, I don’t want spring to come
Don’t want it to get warmer
Just looking at you smile from afar
Makes my heart acheI know this sounds foolish
But I’m afraid to go to you
Even if you don’t understand
It’s alright, it’s alright
Because there’s still a lot of time
Before spring will comeThey say spring will come faster than last year
But the cold and frozen winter is still here
Don’t worry about what to do
I’m alright, spring will come to me tooI don’t want to go to you
I’m afraid I’m contagious
When I forget my tears and my sadness
When spring comes to me too
Then
Let us stay strong till the bitterness of winter is over and welcome spring as it warmly arrives.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY KIM SOOYOUNG (p.s. sometimes the voices in my head like to call you Kim, instead of Choi, I don’t know why lol)! Spring is coming as you wish. Stay happy and cheerful always! 🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸
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