I started by placing my photo (all photos sourced free from iStock images), into Illustrator and dimming the opacity down. Then I started to slowly outline the motif with the pen tool and stopping in between sections to organize layers and fix any errors with the direct selection tool. I made sure to capture as much detail so possible without being too overbearing as lace does have limits.

Once the motif was outlined in full and I was satisfied with my line weight, I copied and saved an extra for backup. Then copied the motif again and positioned them to look visually appealing. Next, I used repeat>radial to create this star looking shape (keeping in mind that hyacinths have 6 petals, repeat 6 times). I forgot to take screenshots of this, but I played around with the positioning quite a bit until I got the shape I liked. 

After deciding on a colour (chosen from the selection provided in my research portion), I went on to freehand a few hyacinth leaves and coloured them the same as my motif. I hand placed these since my star shape isn't completely symmetrical. Our hyacinth motif is complete! 

Here I'm adding basic shapes, careful to place them behind the motif so the colours show through, to mimic an ancient greek discus. 

At this point I really wasn't happy with the look. Originally I had picked out more than 10 different colours for this design, but I'm now realizing that having so many colours didn't really look quite right. I was also struggling to figure out how I want to colour block my motif to best showcase the hyacinth flower shape without it turning into a star shape.

Trying out other colour combinations. Looked tacky and too graphic in a sense? No longer looking like a design created for lace so I trashed this.

In the end I scrapped the colour blocking all together and decided to fill in the spaces with more line work. I created V shaped lines that stem from the middle of each 'petal' to resemble sunbeams or rays. Next, I freehanded these swirly shapes inspired by hyacinth roots (reference used from my collage), and placed them between each petal.

Lastly, I freehanded a rectangular box shape, commonly seen on the borders of ancient Greek pottery (referenced in my collage). Then repeat>radical and placed it behind our 'discus' and that's it! I added my title and colour swatches/codes soon afterwards. 

In this piece I wanted to convey that nostalgic feeling when you find little trinkets that remind you of people or events of long past. This design is heavily inspired from the myth of Hyacithus and Apollo. 

Shortened version of the myth in case you aren't familiar*
Hyacithus was a very handsome and beautiful man who attracted the attention of the God Apollo (God of Music, Dance, Prophecy, Medicine, Poetry, the Sun etc. depending on what version you believe or grew up hearing), and Zephyros (God of the West Wind). One day while Apollo and Hyacithus were playing discus (round metal discs, think of them like ancient deadly metal frisbees), Zephyros, fueled by jealousy, blew the discus off course causing it to hit Hyacithus in the head killing him instantly. Apollo, grief stricken, transformed his body into a pale blue plant with star shaped flowers carrying his namesake, hyacinth.