Commissioned by the New York Times. The illustration is about the quiet Advent season observed in many churches and it's contrast against the heightened holiday hustle and bustle of the Christmas season. I wanted to show the contrast between an overly decorated house versus a very sober and sereen church.
Below you find the process, from rough to final.
First rough
Progress
Nearly there but the art director wanted the holiday scene outside the church to be more muted to allow the colors and church interior to stand out more. The tree were considered a little overwhelming and were dominating the space.
