Seahorses–Finished Illustration

After adding the detail for the second horse, I filled in the kelp, and built a custom fish scale pattern for the background.  I am happy with how the seahorses turned out with only four vector layers.  I wanted enough detail to hold interest and enough quiet blue space to give the illustration a serene quality.

To pass the time at the doctor's office, I was working up the original sketch.  A nurse who saw the seahorses told me about her family's favorite vacation spot in the Florida Keys.  She said they take a row boat into the mangrove swamps and look for seahorses that would cling to the roots of the big trees.  It sounded wonderful.  I'll have to settle for the illustration until my next vacation.

Seahorses—In Progress

After importing the scanned pencil drawing into Photoshop,
I began to build vector layers to add color.
 I tend to work in vector when I don't know how I will use the finished illustration.
 Should I bring back the heart?  I am not sure it needs to be there.  

Seahorses—Sketch

I confess. I am not as terrified of seahorses as I am of other creatures. You can't deny their innate strangeness though. These are not the cute comic steeds that mermaids ride around on. However, they are social and anchor themselves with their tails. As the heart hints, I think they may be at least symbolic of love. So this is an easy place for me to start. I do promise to move up to hammerheads and stingrays long before I am comfortable doing so.