In my earlier days of learning the Adobe package, I began working with Illustrator and worked my way through the Classroom in a Book. But occasionally would be challenged with projects from my teacher.

In this case, it was meant to be a pallet project and shape building.

"I want to see unique colors from your source, and you're not allowed to have any curved lines in your piece."

The overall focus was to choose an animal from the World Wildlife Fund conservation list, and to make a single fold card to show off the animal of our choice.

I went with the Barn Owl, not realizing that I was about to fall in love with this animal.

Creating the card was simple enough, with easy background and little twig frames for the text to stand out better. But my overall focus tunnel visioned onto doing my owl.

Finding a reference picture was easy enough, but the project started to feel daunting with comparing the softness of feathers to the hard lines of beginner Illustrator projects.

But as I started, and began to layer my work, the image began to form and grow.

A separate but unique tool set of Eye Droppers, Pen Tool, and Option 3 were well used as I created the neck and body, up until the spotting of the wings became the wing and tail feathers.

Many hours later and I finally completed my avian.

Going onwards of a few years later, and I am still proud of my common barn owl.